In an effort to meet the growing demand for aerospace and commercial aluminum plates in China and worldwide, Ohio-headquartered Aleris launched a $350 million hot rolling mill in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, on Thursday.

The plant, with a capacity of 250,000 metric tons, will be capable of producing 35,000 tons of value-added commercial plate products for end uses from engineering, transportation, shipbuilding and air separation units at phase one.

“This is a significant milestone for us, further solidifying the company’s industry leadership and establishing a path for continued growth in China and worldwide,” said Steven Demetriou, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer.

China is expected to become the world’s second-largest aviation market with demand for civil aircraft expected to triple over the next 20 years, the Boeing Market Forecast 2012 indicated. Meanwhile, the world’s fleet of aircraft is expected to grow by 100 percent by 2031, with 35 percent of the growth coming from Asia.

Qualification programs with major aircraft manufacturers are underway, and the company is expected to begin shipping aircraft material in the second half of 2014 to major aircraft makers including Airbus, according to Demetriou.

In addition to supplying aluminum sheets and plates to its major client Airbus, the company also provides the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd, the maker of the nation’s first large passenger jet, the C919, with both standard and tailor-made aircraft materials.

“Aleris has received orders from COMAC for the production of multiple sets of its C919 test planes,” said Ingrid Jorg, senior vice-president and general manager, global markets of Aleris.

Although many multinationals have met operating difficulties in 2012 due to the slower economic growth, Aleris is confident that the long-term outlook for growth in China, particularly in aerospace, continues to be positive.

“The China market is a strategically important market for us, and we see the Zhenjiang plant as an important asset that will help position us to respond to the increasing demand,” Demetriou added.