Novelis, a subsidiary of India-based Aditya Birla Group, has cast the first production-sized ingot at its €200m aluminum recycling and casting center in Nachterstedt, Germany.
According to the company, the first production-sized ingot was almost 10m long and its successful casting represents yet another important milestone resulting in the planned production of full commercial volumes.
Claimed to be the world's largest aluminum recycling center, the facility will produce around 400,000mt of aluminum sheet ingot from recycled material annually.
The recycling center will process cans, along with other forms of aluminum scrap from across continental Europe, and is claimed to expand the firm's recycling activity in the continent.
Novelis senior vice president Erwin Mayr said the company is pleased with the steady progress on the construction and ramp-up of its recycling center in Nachterstedt.
"This major investment further highlights our long-term sustainability commitment to dramatically increase the recycled content of our products across all market segments and save valuable natural resources, while enabling our customers to create products with a smaller environmental footprint," Mayr added.
In order to fill 200 new jobs at the new center, the company is still in the process of recruiting qualified candidates.
With operations in nine countries, Novelis supplies aluminum sheet and foil products to transportation, packaging, construction, industrial and consumer electronics markets in North America, Europe, Asia and South America.
Image: The first production-sized ingot successfully cast at Novelis' recycling and casting center. Photo: courtesy of Novelis Inc.
