Novelis, the world’s largest aluminum recycler and a leading producer of rolled aluminum, announced Tuesday that it has begun operations at its new recycling center in Ulsan, advancing its circular aluminum production approach in Korea.
According to the company, the Ulsan facility can produce up to 100,000 tons of low-carbon aluminum sheet ingot annually by processing a broad spectrum of aluminum scrap, ranging from beverage cans to automobile components and industrial materials.
The project began in 2022 after the US-based company invested 65 million dollars in Ulsan Aluminum, a rolled aluminum producer jointly operated with Japanese steelmaker Kobe Steel.
In addition to operating Asia’s largest aluminum can recycling plant in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the new site will raise Novelis’ total annual recycling capacity in Korea to 470,000 tons.
The company said that the Ulsan facility is expected to cut carbon emissions by 420,000 tons a year — the equivalent of what 19 million trees absorb annually. Recycling aluminum reduces emissions by up to 95 percent compared to production from raw materials, with no decline in quality.
Novelis anticipates that the new center will further strengthen its collaboration with Korean industries in response to the growing demand for eco-friendly materials.
“The Ulsan Aluminum Recycling Center is a strategic investment aimed at meeting growing customer demand for sustainable, low-carbon aluminum across beverage packaging, automotive and specialty product sectors,” said Novelis Asia President Sachin Satpute.
“We will continue to expand the use of recycled aluminum inputs to reduce our carbon footprint as well as those of our customers and our industry, accelerating the transition to a circular economy."
forestjs@heraldcorp.com
