Pennex Aluminum unveils $38 million expansion at Leetonia, Ohio, plant

Wellsville, Pennsylvania-based Pennex Aluminum Co. has unveiled a $38 million state-of-the-art expansion that nearly triples the size of the company’s Leetonia, Ohio, aluminum extrusion and fabrication facility. The 275,000-square-foot facility now includes two aluminum press lines, including one that the company describes as being among “the most innovative 12-inch press lines in the world.” Each press gives Pennex the capability to create specialized and customized aluminum products for its customers.

“This expansion gives Pennex the opportunity to do more with aluminum than ever before,” says Dave Riebe, Pennex President. “We have advanced our world-class capability to create larger, custom extruded aluminum products for our customers, providing solutions that exceed customer expectations.  In addition, we’ve more than doubled the capacity of our aluminum fabrication lines, giving us the ability to supply complex, custom fabricated parts faster.”

The Pennex fabrication lines create highly specialized parts for major automotive manufacturers and other transportation related companies. In addition, Pennex provides custom fabricated parts for building and construction businesses.

With the facility expansion comes additional shifts and more than 65 new jobs, with the potential to add even more jobs in the coming years, Pennex says.

“This investment in the Leetonia community represents the continued comeback and expansion of American manufacturing right here in Ohio,” says Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor. “This investment in the community and job creation is yet another example that the economic turnaround is happening and Ohio is helping lead the way.”

The $38 million expansion project was supported in part by a 45 percent, six-year tax credit from the state of Ohio, a 15-year tax abatement from the village of Leetonia and a partnership with Columbiana County.

“The continued growth of Pennex is a tribute to our hard-working employees unwavering commitment to the success of our long-term customers,” says Rick Merluzzi, president of Metal Exchange Corp. (MEC), the St. Louis-based company of which Pennex is a subsidiary. “This expansion of building, equipment and highly trained staff along with unique press and fabrication capabilities represent our vision to enhance our ability to take aluminum recycling, casting, extrusion and fabrication to the next level.” 

MEC is one of the world’s largest suppliers, processors and purchasers of nonferrous metals. (The company was profiled in the August 2013 issue of Recycling Today.)

Pennex is a global leader in extruded aluminum parts manufacturing that specializes in recycling aluminum to create unique finished products used every day. Pennex offers turnkey solutions to create specific aluminum chemistry, extrude unique aluminum shapes and fabricate finished products to design requirements. Pennex has operations in Greenville, Wellsville and York, Pennsylvania, and in Leetonia.