Novelis Wins Design and Innovation Award

ATLANTA, June 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Novelis Inc. has been awarded the Design and Innovation Award as part of The Manufacturer Awards 2007 held by The Manufacturer, a resource organization for manufacturing decision makers. The annual awards program recognizes companies that demonstrate world-class manufacturing excellence.

The Design and Innovation Award is presented to the company that best illustrates the use of innovation, anticipation and market responsiveness to increase its competitiveness. Novelis was recognized for its break-through Novelis Fusion(TM) technology for the production of multi-alloy aluminum ingots used in aluminum sheet rolling.

"Novelis prides itself on being one of the most innovative companies in the aluminum business," said Martha Brooks, President and Chief Operating Officer. "This award is a tribute to some very dedicated people in our research division who believe that just because something has never been done before, doesn't mean it can't be done. Credit also goes to our skilled operating teams who took the concept out of the lab and turned it into production reality."

The judging panel included representatives from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Lincoln Awards for Performance Excellence, the University of Tennessee, the Rochester Institute of Technology, the World Trade Magazine, and the Chicago Tribune.

"The technology alone is impressive," said The Manufacturer Editor in Chief Dann Anthony Maurno, "but what's even more impressive is their drive. Novelis involves everyone in its organization toward solving a business challenge, or fulfilling a customer demand. But they don't sit on committee, they drive one another to a result."

The 2006 commercial introduction of Novelis Fusion(TM) technology marked the first time that multiple alloy layers can be cast simultaneously into a single ingot, creating a perfect metallurgical bond between the alloys. Now, alloy combinations that were not feasible with the traditional manufacturing method can be produced with Novelis Fusion. It enables the production of aluminum sheet products with one set of properties on the surface and another on the inside. For example, a high-strength core can be layered with a highly corrosion-resistant surface. This is a significant breakthrough since it will enable new applications and high performance solutions for a new generation of innovative products. For more information, visit www.novelis.com/fusion.

About Novelis

Novelis Inc. is the global leader in aluminum rolled products and aluminum can recycling. The company operates in 11 countries, has approximately 12,900 employees and reported revenue of $9.8 billion in 2006. Novelis supplies premium aluminum sheet and foil products to automotive, transportation, packaging, construction, industrial and printing markets throughout Asia, Europe, North America and South America. For more information, visit www.novelis.com. Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, Asia's largest integrated producer of aluminum and a leading copper producer. Hindalco is the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai, India.

SOURCE Novelis Inc.

Released June 19, 2007