Novelis' aluminum plant in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo currently recycling 93% of its operations residues, company says; can recycling volume up 42.5% year-over-year to 57 billion units in 2012; recycled aluminum makes up 39% of Novelis' raw material

Andrew Rogers

SANTIAGO, Chile , December 20, 2012 (BNamericas) – US-based aluminum rolled products maker Novelis' (NYSE: NVL) Pindamonhangaba plant in São Paulo state is currently recycling 93% of its operations residues, the company said in its 2012 sustainability report.

Among Novelis highlights is the 42.5% growth over the volume of cans recycled in 2011, representing 57bn units recycled this year.

Currently, recycled aluminum corresponds to 39% of the raw material used by Novelis worldwide, a 6% increase when compared to the 33% recorded in the previous year.

According to the report, the use of recycled aluminum in the production of primary aluminum requires 95% less energy and results in a 95% reduction of greenhouse gases emission.

DEMAND

Global demand for rolled aluminum is expected to grow 34% in the 2011-16 period, reflecting the growth in some of the market's key sectors, such as the auto industry. Currently, the use of aluminum in cars corresponds to a 2-3% share of the world market. Aluminum demand amongst automakers is expected to increase 25% by 2016.

To reach its goals, Novelis has earmarked US$1.4bn in operational expansion and increased recycling capacity, the report said.

The Pindamonhangaba plant is an integrated aluminum rolling and recycling complex. Novelis is currently investing US$300mn to expand the plant's rolling capacity by more than 50% to over 600,000t/y. When it comes on line, scheduled for late 2012, it will be the largest aluminum rolling mill in South America.

The company also has a primary aluminum plant in Ouro Preto in Minas Gerais state, which has capacity of 50,000t/y, and the Santo André unit in São Paulo, which produces 16,000t/y of laminated aluminum.

Novelis is a subsidiary of Indian aluminum-copper producer Hindalco Industries.
(c) 2006 BNamericas.com

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.