BEACHWOOD, Ohio, July 5 /PRNewswire/ --

Aleris International, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a
definitive agreement to acquire Wabash Alloys from Connell Limited
Partnership. Wabash Alloys produces aluminum casting alloys and molten metal
at its seven facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The company
had 2006 revenues of over US$900 million and currently employs over 700
people. Closing is expected to occur in the third quarter and is subject to
regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Steve Demetriou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We
believe the acquisition of Wabash Alloys will be an excellent strategic fit
with Aleris's existing specification alloy operations. The transaction
provides outstanding opportunities to broaden our customer base, optimize
processing capabilities and enhance our ability to meet the needs of our
customers."

Aleris International, Inc. is a global leader in aluminum rolled products
and extrusions, aluminum recycling and specification alloy production. The
Company is also a recycler of zinc and a leading U.S. manufacturer of zinc
metal and value-added zinc products that include zinc oxide and zinc dust.
Headquartered in Beachwood, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, the Company operates
50 production facilities in North America, Europe, South America and Asia,
and has approximately 8,500 employees. For more information about Aleris,
please visit our Web site at http://www.aleris.com.

SAFE HARBOR REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Forward-looking statements made in this news release are made pursuant to
the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. These include statements that contain words such as "believe,"
"expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "should" and similar
expressions intended to connote future events and circumstances, and include
statements regarding future actual and adjusted earnings and earnings per
share; future improvements in margins, processing volumes and pricing;
overall 2007 operating performance; anticipated higher adjusted effective tax
rates; expected cost savings; success in integrating Aleris's recent
acquisitions, including the acquisition of the downstream aluminum businesses
of Corus Group plc; its future growth; an anticipated favorable economic
environment in 2007; future benefits from acquisitions and new products;
expected benefits from changes in the industry landscape; and anticipated
synergies resulting from the merger with Commonwealth, the acquisition of the
downstream aluminum businesses of Corus Group plc and other acquisitions.
Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties, and that actual results could differ materially from those
described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties
would include, without limitation, Aleris's levels of indebtedness and debt
service obligations; its ability to effectively integrate the business and
operations of its acquisitions; further slowdowns in automotive production in
the U.S. and Europe; the financial condition of Aleris's customers and future
bankruptcies and defaults by major customers; the availability at favorable
cost of aluminum scrap and other metal supplies that Aleris processes; the
ability of Aleris to enter into effective metals, natural gas and other
commodity derivatives; continued increases in natural gas and other fuel
costs of Aleris; a weakening in industrial demand resulting from a decline in
U.S. or world economic conditions, including any decline caused by terrorist
activities or other unanticipated events; future utilized capacity of
Aleris's various facilities; a continuation of building and construction
customers and distribution customers reducing their inventory levels and
reducing the volume of Aleris's shipments; restrictions on and future levels
and timing of capital expenditures; retention of Aleris's major customers;
the timing and amounts of collections; currency exchange fluctuations; future
write-downs or impairment charges which may be required because of the
occurrence of some of the uncertainties listed above; and other risks listed
in Aleris's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"),
including but not limited to Aleris's annual report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 and quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended March 31, 2007, particularly the section entitled "Risk
Factors" contained therein.

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Web site: http://www.aleris.com