Aluminum Company Names Construction Manager

Fotakis

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. — It hasn’t named a site yet, but a start-up aluminum manufacturing company continues to take steps toward beginning construction.

Georg Fotakis has been named vice president of construction and infrastructure for American Specialty Metals.

Last fall, ASA announced plans to build a world-class aluminum mini mill to supply auto-grade aluminum to automakers involved in light weighting autos.

Fotakis brings more than 21 years of engineering and construction leadership from

many builds of metals mills. Prior to joining American Specialty Alloys, Fotakis was the contractor superintendent of the Benteler International construction of a $975 million steel manufacturing project under construction at The Port of Caddo-Bossier in Shreveport, La.

ASA is his eighth project.

Born in Duisburg Germany, Fotakis is a former officer in the German armed forces and Special Naval Warfare (SEALS).

ASA says once it picks a site in the near future, it plans an aggressive timeline for construction of the $1.2 billion minimill that will use steel minimill recycling technology to make aluminum in an environmentally friendly way. The plant will employ as many as 850 people.

Lowndes County is thought to be the leading possible site for the plant.

“We are very pleased to have such an experienced executive to lead our

construction team as we build upon our existing strengths and develop in this

exciting market to ensure the sustained growth of our business,” said Dr. Roger

Boggs, CEO and founder of American Specialty Alloys.