Novelis to spend $2.5B on new low-carbon aluminum recycling plant in Alabama

Aluminum producer Novelis Inc. will spend $2.5 billion to build a low-carbon recycling and rolling plant in Bay Minette, Ala., with commissioning scheduled to start in mid-2025.

The Hindalco Industries Ltd. subsidiary said May 11 that the facility will have an initial annual capacity of 600,000 tonnes of finished aluminum goods for the beverage can and automotive markets. The project will increase Novelis' recycling capacity to 90 billion cans from 74 billion cans.

The facility will be the first fully integrated aluminum mill to be built in the U.S. in 40 years, Novelis said. The Atlanta-based company expects the project to help boost domestic production of sustainable aluminum in the U.S. as part of the country's efforts to reduce reliance on the global supply chain.

The planned zero-waste plant will target carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions while using renewable energy and recycled water. The facility will rely on railroad transportation to reduce emissions and deploy advanced automation and digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality and robotics.

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