Novelis represents a unique combination of the new and the old. A young company, Novelis was formed in 2005 as a spin-off from aluminum producer Alcan Inc. As such Novelis draws on a 90-year history in the aluminum rolling business.
Then, in 2007, Novelis was acquired by Hindalco Industries Limited, itself a 50-year veteran in the aluminum business. Hindalco is the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group of companies, a multinational conglomerate headquartered in India.
Our Alcan roots
Novelis inherited its assets, know-how and structure from Alcan. In 1902, the Canadian subsidiary of the Pittsburgh Reduction Company (later re-named Alcoa) was first chartered as the Northern Aluminum Company, Limited. When Alcoa divested most of its interests outside the United States in 1928, Alcan was formed as a separate company from Alcoa to assume control of most of these interests. In the following years Alcan expanded globally, building or acquiring hydroelectric power, smelting, packaging and fabricated product facilities run by approximately 88,000 employees in 63 countries.
The first Alcan rolling operation began in 1916 in Toronto, Canada, with an 84-inch hot mill and three finishing mills. Over the years Alcan constructed a number of mills, including several that are among the largest aluminum rolling operations in each of the geographic regions in which Novelis operates:
- Oswego, United States (1963) - the hot mill began operations and is now a major producer of can stock and industrial sheet.
- Norf, Germany (1967) - a joint venture, owned at 50%, operates the world’s largest aluminum rolling mill in terms of capacity.
- Saguenay Works, Canada (1971) – the largest continuous caster in the world in terms of capacity.
- Pindamonhangaba, Brazil (1977) – the only South American plant producing beverage can body and end stock.
More recent expansions were made through both acquisitions and modernization of existing mills, which increased Alcan’s can stock, sheet and foil rolling capabilities.
Novelis was spun off to carry on most of the aluminum rolled products businesses operated by Alcan with an approach to business that is more focused on helping our customers perform and on transforming new ideas into practical product solutions.
Joining Hindalco
In 2007, Novelis and Hindalco agreed to an arrangement whereby Hindalco acquired Novelis, making it a full-owned subsidiary of the India based company.
Hindalco is structured into two strategic businesses -- aluminum and copper -- and is an industry leader in both. Established in 1958, Hindalco commissioned its aluminum facility at Renukoot, India, and has today grown to become the country's largest integrated aluminum producer and ranks among the top quartile of low cost producers in the world. Its copper smelter is today the world's largest custom smelter at a single location.
With the addition of Novelis in 2007, Hindalco became the world’s largest aluminum rolling company and one of the biggest producers of primary aluminum in Asia.
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