Innovation Archives

In a recent article in MetalForming magazine, Mario Greco, Director of Strategy for Global Automotive at Novelis, discusses the transformative landscape of the automotive industry and the pivotal role aluminum plays in its electrification journey.

For an in-depth look at our latest aluminum solutions supporting the electrification of the automotive industry, read the full article on MetalForming magazine’s website: MetalForming Magazine – Recent Developments in Aluminum Grades

Novelis and thyssenkrupp Materials Services aim to set new standards for end-of-vehicle-life recycling by developing a digital hub called Automotive Circularity Platform (ACP). The goal for ACP is to be an open platform that will enable access to larger quantities of high-quality recycling materials. A first step will include the creation of a prototype for comprehensive testing and evaluation purposes.

The companies have formed a partnership to digitalize the market for secondary materials recovered from automobiles at the end of the consumer-use cycle and increase its transparency by creating an ecosystem for the automotive end-of-life value chain.

While closed-loop aluminium recycling of production scrap has become a sustainability best practice in the automotive industry in recent years, the loop at the end of a vehicle’s life has yet to be closed.

In a market that is thriving with diverse opportunities and on the brink of exciting growth, the partnership between Novelis and thyssenkrupp Materials Services is a major step toward achieving a circular economy and reducing carbon emissions.

ACP will be a digital marketplace that connects stakeholders throughout the automotive end-of-life value chain and empowers automotive suppliers to capture and reuse aluminium and other materials, such as steel, plastics, glass, rubber, and more.

Presently, internal combustion engines can account for up to 80 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions during automobile lifecycles. However, studies suggest that due to the rise in electric vehicles by 2040 emissions from material production may represent 60 percent of total automobile lifecycle emissions. Thus, the reduction of pollutants from tailpipes will become secondary to increasing supply chain and manufacturing efficiencies, as top targets for decarbonization. A circular ecosystem with unprecedented collaboration between all stakeholders will play an essential role in the automotive industry reaching its climate targets.

“ACP is a major step forward in creating an open, accessible trading platform for materials at the end of the consumer-use cycle for companies seeking to fulfill broader and deeper commitments to sustainability and circularity. Not only will ACP increase circularity through optimized material flows and thus enable access to larger quantities of high-quality recycling materials, while minimizing waste to landfill, it will also create a transparent and trusted connection for all stakeholders to create and deploy their own value-generating recycling processes.”

Michael Hahne, Vice President and General Manager Automotive, Novelis Europe

“Novelis and thyssenkrupp Materials Services have formed a relationship that leverages the best of our companies’ respective expertise, the strengths of which are complementary in every respect. thyssenkrupp Materials Services delivers unmatched materials knowledge and experience in digital supply chains and market access to a broad, complex sector. Novelis brings in unique expertise in fields such as aluminium recycling, reuse processes and development of aluminium alloys with high-recycled content. With the idea of developing an automotive circularity platform for aluminium, we are consistently pursuing the path of our sustainability strategy BEYOND at thyssenkrupp Materials Services.”

Sebastian Smerat, Head of Customer Innovation at thyssenkrupp Materials Services

For aluminium in particular, recycling is the epitome of sustainable practices representing an approximate 95% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the more energy intensive requirements of primary production. Furthermore, aluminium is infinitely recyclable with no loss of properties including strength, lightness, durability, and formability. The many advantages aluminium offers contribute to its increasing use across industries seeking to achieve greater sustainability.

The benefits of shifting to a circular model include:

Reducing waste
Decreasing need for primary materials and associated supply chain disruptions
Lessening the need for primary extraction processes and associated higher emissions
Improving regulatory compliance and reduces associated costs
Creating opportunities to provide end-of-life services such as dismantling, recycling, and recovery of materials and marketing of remanufactured/refurbished components
Building consumer trust and loyalty, especially among younger consumers who value sustainability and social responsibility

ZURICH, June 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Novelis Inc., a leading sustainable aluminium solutions provider and the world leader in aluminium rolling and recycling, has announced the construction of its first solar park at the company’s production site in Pieve Emanuele, Italy. Local authorities granted their final approval for building the more than 28,000 square meters large solar park, which is scheduled to start generating electricity by end of this year.

Read the full report here.

ATLANTA, May 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Novelis Inc., a leading sustainable aluminum solutions provider and the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, today announced the start up of its new roll forming development line. The new development line will help Novelis meet industry demand for a process that can produce large volumes of high-strength aluminum auto parts.

Read the full report here.

ZÜRICH, Sept. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Novelis Inc., a leading sustainable aluminum solutions provider and the world’s largest aluminium recycler and manufacturer of beverage can sheet, today announced the company’s new laminated aluminium surfaces for beverage can ends that will be showcased September 27 to 29 at ALUMINIUM 2022 in Düsseldorf. This innovative application improves beverage container appearance, increases production process efficiencies and lowers CO₂ emissions for European beverage brands and can makers. As a result, it further advances Novelis’ leadership in the growing market for aluminium beverage packaging.

Read the full report here.

Novelis has unveiled its strongest automotive aluminum product to date, Novelis Advanz™ 7UHS-s701. The technologically advanced, ultra-high-strength material represents the future of high-strength material in automotive applications and offers a clear alternative to the most advanced high-strength steel products. To learn more, click here to watch a video, and click here to read the press release.

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We are proud to issue our second annual Purpose Report, which reflects the many ways in which we have collectively lived our purpose over the last fiscal year. The report highlights the very best of Novelis and captures the investments we have made to diversify our product portfolio, develop our people, enhance our culture and strengthen our customer relationships.

Click here to read the Purpose Report in your local language.

The newest NFL super stadium, SoFi Stadium, in Inglewood, California, is adorned with an aluminum canopy consisting of a translucent ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) membrane at the top and surrounded by 34,789 perforated anodized aluminum exterior panels. The panels attach to an aluminum lattice support system, which attaches to the steel structure surrounding the stadium that (along with the roof) make up the canopy. The independently supported canopy (separate from the stadium bowl structure) covers the stadium, allowing for wind circulation, diffused lighting and protection from sun and rain.

The unique Frost White anodized finish on 1/8 inch thick aluminum panels used for the SoFi Canopy was developed from the collaboration of Zahner, AaCron, Novelis and Metalwest, and has never been used before in any other project. The exclusive Frost White was developed specially to stand out against the blue sky, but also to have a matte finish so as not to create dangerous glare for air traffic flying directly overhead to and from the Los Angeles International Airport.

With 3.1 million sq. ft. of space covered by the canopy, it is now one of the world’s largest indoor-outdoor venues, containing a 70,000-seat stadium, as well as a 6,000-seat smaller venue and a 2.5-acre plaza.

The stadium will host two NFL teams, the San Diego Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams. SoFi Stadium will be the site of Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the College Football Playoff title game in 2023 and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2028 Olympics.

Click Here to read the full story in Light Metal Age.

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