Novelis opens Asia's largest aluminum can recycling operation

ATLANTA – Novelis has announced the opening of an aluminum recycling and casting centre at its Yeongju, South Korea, facility. The new operation will be the largest aluminum beverage can recycling centre in Asia.

The Korean facility is part of a multi-year, $400 million expansion of Novelis' operations in the country.  Other major recycling expansions are underway in Brazil and Germany.

According to Novelis, Asia is the world's fastest growing market for rolled aluminum products, with their primary use being beverage cans, cars and consumer electronics.

Phil Martens, Novelis President and Chief Executive Officer said in a statement, "The opening of the Yeongju recycling and casting facility marks an important milestone in our sustainability commitment."

The Yeongju operation will help Novelis meet its commitment to increase the recycled content of their rolled aluminum to 80 per cent by 2020. The company's goal is to increase its recycling capacity to 2.1 million tonnes by 2015.

The new facility will have an annual capacity of 265,000 tonnes, and will increase the company's total consumption of recycled aluminum to over 1.4 million tonnes per year.

Shashi Maudgal, President of Novelis Asia stated, "With our aggressive expansion plans, we are well positioned to meet the rising demand for rolled aluminum."

Aluminum scrap and recycled beverage cans will be re-melted and cast into sheet ingot. It will be rolled at the company's Yeongju and Ulsan plants.

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