UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): October 13, 2017

ALERIS CORPORATION

(EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

25825 Science Park Drive, Suite 400, Cleveland, Ohio 44122

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

(216) 910-3400

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Aleris Corporation (the “Company”) is filing this Current Report on Form 8-K to provide an update regarding the merger (the “Merger”) contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated August 29, 2016 (the “Merger Agreement”), among the Company, Zhongwang USA LLC, Zhongwang Aluminum Corporation, and the stockholders representative party thereto. On September 29, 2017, the parties agreed to extend the termination date of the Merger Agreement, which would have otherwise automatically terminated on that day, to October 13, 2017. The parties agreed to further extend the termination date of the Merger Agreement so that the Merger Agreement automatically terminates on November 12, 2017.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information included herein may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Statements included herein that are not historical in nature are considered to be forward-looking statements. They include statements regarding our expectations, hopes, beliefs, estimates, intentions or strategies regarding the future. The words “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “project,” “look forward to,” “intend” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement is subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether in response to new information, futures events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.