ISRI member Novelis Inc. broke ground and began construction Oct. 7 on its $2.5 billion recycling and rolling plant in Bay Minette, Ala. The facility is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs and will have an initial 600 kilotonnes of finished aluminum goods capacity per year focused on the beverage container market, with flexibility for automotive production.
The facility also adds a new recycling center for beverage cans, increasing the company’s recycling capacity by 15 billion cans per year when fully operational.
“Through this investment, we want to demonstrate the strength of our growing customer partnerships, the commitment we have to sustainably grow our business, and the innovative, forward-thinking approach we are taking to modern manufacturing,” Novelis President and CEO Steve Fisher says. “We are especially proud to celebrate our groundbreaking of this state-of-the-art facility on National Manufacturing Day, which highlights the exciting career opportunities available in our industry.”
Novelis has hired its core leadership team to lead the multiyear effort to build the facility. The company is also actively recruiting for open roles in engineering, maintenance, finance, human resources, and information technology. The facility is scheduled to open mid-2025.
“We seek to become an integral part of this community, contributing to the local economy and advancing residents’ quality of life every step of the way,” says Tom Boney, executive vice president and president of Novelis North America. “We are grateful for the support we have received from the state, Baldwin County, Bay Minette, and other partners as we build our home here in Alabama.”
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Boney announced the company’s plans to invest $150,000 in South Alabama nonprofits over the next six months. Novelis also encouraged attendees to recycle beverage cans and cups at the event in partnership with Mobile Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
To encourage recycling throughout the community, Novelis has launched a partnership with Baldwin County to provide recycling bins and education at all county-owned buildings. The company plans to invest in additional opportunities to encourage and incentivize Alabamans to recycle more often.
Photo courtesy of Novelis.
