OSLO, April 29 (Reuters) - Norwegian industrial group Norsk Hydro said on Tuesday its magnesium plant in Bottrop, Germany, would double its recycling capacity to 15,000 tonnes by September 2004 due to increasing demand.
"Increasing demand in the car industry for magnesium die-cast applications and a growinng need for recycling activities drive this capacity increase," Norsk Hydro, the metals, energy and fertiliser group, said in a statement.
The company said it would invest 2.8 million euros ($3.08 million) in the expansion.
"It will further strengthen Hydro's leading global market position in magnesium alloys," the statement said.
Hydro Magnesium, a unit of Norsk Hydro's aluminium division, has total foundry capacity of 90,000 tonnes per year, it said.
Norsk Hydro said in a separate statement that it would also invest up to 20 million euros to increase production of offset printing plates at a plant in Grevenbroich, Germany by 2005.
Hydro said it was a world leading in aluminum plates for offset printing and that demand for the products was growing.
($1=.9105 Euro)