Company recycles enough cans to circle the earth more than 100 times
ATLANTA, June 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Novelis Inc. (NYSE: NVL) (TSX: NVL) recycled nearly a million metric tons of post-consumer and post- industrial aluminum scrap in 2005, including more than 35 billion used beverage cans -- enough to circle the earth more than 100 times if laid end to end.
Novelis is the world's largest aluminum can recycler and the regional leader in North America, South America and Europe. Proprietary de-coating technology makes the Novelis can recycling process highly efficient, contributing to enhanced productivity, efficiency and environmental responsibility.
"Recycled aluminum is an important source of raw material for Novelis," said Martha Brooks, chief operating officer. "Approximately 30 percent of our metal input comes from recycling. Optimizing the use of recycled metal gives us added agility and flexibility in meeting customer demands. It supports our in-house production of sheet ingot, supplementing our purchases of primary metal. The closed loop recycling of beverage cans -- from store shelf to consumer to store shelf -- has been a tremendous success for our industry."
"Recycling also provides a means to address our environmental sustainability goals," Brooks added. "Aluminum produced from scrap metal requires 95 percent less energy than is needed to produce primary aluminum -- which means that up to 95 percent of related greenhouse gas emissions are avoided."
Worldwide, Novelis is a leader in establishing and supporting programs to promote aluminum collection and recycling, with particular emphasis on used beverage cans. The company operates six recycling facilities -- three in the United States, and one each in South America, Europe and Asia.
Novelis sources recycled metal from post-consumer products, primarily beverage cans, as well as post-industrial scrap from its customers' manufacturing operations. Scrap recovered within Novelis' own operations is not included in the company's calculations of recycled metal.
In 2005, Novelis completed a $2.5 million investment in its recycling facility in Warrington, U.K., enabling a 25 percent increase in the plant's capacity to process used cans. The investment reflects increased recycling rates in Europe and the growing preference for aluminum over steel in the manufacture of beverage cans.
Novelis Inc. is the global leader in aluminum rolled products and beverage can recycling. The company operates in 11 countries and employs approximately 13,000 people. Novelis offers the unrivaled capability to provide its customers with a regional supply of technologically sophisticated rolled aluminum products throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Through its advanced production capabilities, the company supplies aluminum sheet and foil to the automotive, transportation, packaging, construction, industrial and printing markets. For more information, visit www.novelis.com.
Statements made in this news release which describe Novelis' intentions, expectations or predictions may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities laws. Novelis cautions that, by their nature, forward- looking statements involve risk and uncertainty and that Novelis' actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors which could cause such differences include the ability of recycling used beverage cans to enhance the productivity, efficiency and environmental responsibility of Novelis. The financial information provided in this news release was prepared by management and has not been audited. Reference should be made to Novelis' registration statement on Form S-4 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of major risk factors.
SOURCE Novelis Inc.
CONTACT: Media, Charles Belbin, +1-404-814-4260, or
charles.belbin@novelis.com, or
Investors, Holly K. Ash, +1-404-814-4212, or
holly.ash@novelis.com,
both of Novelis Inc.