Atlanta’s rolled aluminium firm Novelis announced plans yesterday to build a $365 million automotive recycling center outside of Clarksville, Tennessee.
Novelis’s new plant in Guthrie, Kentucky will expand its closed-loop recycling operations by reclaiming aluminium from vehicles at the end of their useful lives and aluminium scrap leftover from automotive production and make it reusable for automotive production.
The firm says the facility will have a casting capacity of 240 thousand metric tons of sheet ingot and bring another 140 jobs to the local economy. As recycling aluminium uses only about 5 percent of the energy needed to produce primary aluminium, Novelis says the impact on its carbon emissions will be dramatic.
Steve Fisher, President and CEO of Novelis, Inc., said in a press release that the new expansion would have several positive results for the company and the industry in general.
“Novelis aims to be the world’s leading provider of low-carbon, sustainable aluminum solutions that advance our business, industry and society toward the benefits of a circular economy. Through this investment, we will continue to increase the amount of recycled content in our products, reducing our CO2 emissions and moving us closer to carbon neutrality.”
The new facility, which will be built alongside its automotive finishing plant, is expected to come online in 2024, with construction to begin in the next several weeks.
Tom Boney, Executive Vice President and President of Novelis North America, said the new addition would make a positive impact on its carbon emissions.
“We are excited about this new investment in Kentucky, which will help Novelis achieve its sustainability goals, as well as support the carbon-reduction targets of our automotive customers. The Commonwealth of Kentucky has been a great business partner for many years and has a strong, highly skilled workforce to meet the growing need for high-strength, low-carbon aluminum. We look forward to deepening our relationships with community leaders to ensure our facility has a lasting, beneficial impact in the region.”
“As we continue to build back throughout Western Kentucky, companies are committed to creating quality job opportunities for Kentucky families,” noted Kentucky’s Governor Andy Beshear (D). “I had the chance to join Novelis for the grand opening of the company’s automotive aluminum finishing plant just over two months ago, and its leadership’s decision to quickly move forward with plans for expansion is tremendous news. Novelis is proving to be a great fit for Todd County and the surrounding area, and I am eager to see the company continue to grow for years to come.”