OREANDA-NEWS. UC RUSAL (SEHK: 486, Euronext: RUSAL/RUAL, Moscow Exchange: RUALR/RUALRS), a leading global aluminium producer, announces the launch of 6xxx series rolling slabs for automotive BiW (body in white) applications. This is a new high-end product for RUSAL which will be produced at the Sayanogorsk aluminium smelter in Russia and has been successfully qualified with one of Europe's major rolling companies.

RUSAL has been supplying 5xxx series rolling slabs for application in automotive structural parts for more than 3 years and has now complemented the product portfolio with 6xxx series to be able to supply into the growing BiW market.

RUSAL is currently investing USD23 million at its Sayanogorsk aluminium smelter to rebuild one of the casting centres fully dedicated for 5xxx and 6xxx series automotive alloys production. This is in response to the investments by all major rolling companies to install heat treatment capacities to serve the growing demand of automotive companies for BiW sheet.

'Qualification of high-end 6xxx series alloys for BiW applications is a huge achievement for the Company and is a further step in the extension of our product range and commercial capabilities. We highly value the prospects of the automotive industry in terms of further increase in aluminium usage and we will continue to work with our customers to develop products meeting their demanding specifications,' commented Steve Hodgson, Director of Sales and Marketing, UC RUSAL.

RUSAL's modernization at the Sayanogorsk aluminium smelter will be completed by the end of 2014, which is scheduled to support the growth of the Company's rolled products customers in the automotive segment. The capacity of a modernized casting pit will be 100,000 tonnes of rolling slabs per annum.