A ceremony in Noida, India, near New Delhi, was held this week to inaugurate a government-approved end-of-life (ELV) disassembly and processing facility in that city. The ELV center is operated by a joint venture (JV) company called Maruti Suzuki Toyotsu India Private Ltd. (MSTI).

MSTI was established in 2019 as a JV between Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL) and Toyota Tsusho Group, which itself is a JV backed by Toyota Tsusho Corp. (TTC) and Toyota Tsusho India Private Limited (TTIPL). Headquartered in New Delhi, MSTI has set up the vehicle scrapping and recycling unit in Noida as its first such location, saying it intends to set up more such facilities in India, based on demand.

Earlier this year, New Delhi-based Tata Steel commissioned its first ferrous scrap shredding and recycling plant, located in the city of Rohtak in the state of Haryana, India. Both efforts are part of a government initiative to encourage investment in environmentally sound ELV processing capacity.

A graphic depicting operations at the MSTI Noida facility, posted to the Maruti Suzuki website, shows vehicle disassembly and metals baling operations. It does not indicate the presence of a shredding plant.

Attendees at the MSTI inauguration ceremony included Shri Nitin Gadkari, India’s Minister of Road Transport and Highways; Satoshi Suzuki, Japan’s ambassador to India; Kenichi Ayukawa, CEO of MSIL; Hiroshi Yanagisawa, managing director of TTIPL; Rahul Bharti, executive director, corporate affairs with Maruti Suzuki; and other representatives from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and city of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh state government bureaus.

The 10,990-square-meter (118,000-square-feet) facility has the capacity to scrap and recycle more than 24,000 ELVs annually, says MSTI. Built with an investment of more than 440 million Indian rupees ($5.9 million), MTSI says the facility “uses modern and technologically advanced machines to dismantle and scrap ELVs in a scientific manner.” All the equipment installed at the facility is manufactured in India, adds MTSI.

At the ceremony, Minister Gadkari said, “Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has launched the visionary National Automobile Scrappage Policy aimed at creating an ecosystem for phasing out unfit and polluting vehicles from the Indian roads. To meet this objective, we need state-of-the-art scrapping and recycling units. I would like to congratulate Maruti Suzuki and Toyota Tsusho Group for setting up this modern facility as per global standards. I would request Maruti and other stakeholders to build and create an ecosystem of similar scrapping and recycling units across the country. This would make the roads safer, air cleaner and the raw material cheaper for their cars.”

Ayukawa of MSTI said, “Till now there was no scientific, clean and healthy way to dispose a car at its end-of-life [in India]. MSTI uses global process methodology to address this gap. This is just the beginning. With our partners we are committed to set up more such modern ELV scrap and recycle centers in India.”

Naoji Saito, CEO of the Metal Division of Toyota Tsusho, remarked, “Recently we have run environmentally friendly ELV dismantling and recycling businesses in several major countries of the world. Our experience of over 50 years in Japan helped in these projects. Now we will achieve the best practice for ELV recycling and contribute to the circular economy in India by combining our experience and equipment made in India.”

São Paulo-based Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA) has announced that its Metalex Ltd. subsidiary has expanded its billet production capacity and is making an investment to increase its ability to use scrap at the Metalex melt shop.

CBA says a new sidewell-style furnace has allowed Metalex to expand its billet production capacity from 75,000 to 90,000 tons per year at its facility in Araçariguama, Brazil.

The aluminum producer, in a news release posted to its website, calls it “the first stage” of a $20.6 million investment designed to expand the recycled-content aluminum production of Metalex.

The second stage of the expansion, according to CBA, will include the installation of a new recycling line designed to boost the current consumption of scrap in the billet production mix from 60 percent to 80 percent through the use of obsolete scrap in addition to process scrap. The beginning that operation is scheduled for 2023.

Metalex describes itself as a producer of billets from 4 to 7 inches in diameter in different alloys, including conventional, special (structural solutions) and premium alloys.

Mequon, Wisconsin-based Charter Manufacturing has announced its acquisition of Aarrowcast Inc., a maker of gray and ductile iron castings in Shawano, Wisconsin. Aarowcast, which was privately held, produces more than 42,000 tons of castings annually, according to Charter.

A video foundry tour posted to the Aarrowcast website shows ferrous scrap being moved with a lifting magnet and placed into melting vessels for conversion into new cast components at its Shawano foundry.

“As a growth company, we continually evaluate opportunities to enhance our business,” says John W. Mellowes, CEO of Charter Manufacturing. “This acquisition expands our metals manufacturing offerings and will increase diversification of both our customer base and end markets.”

Charter describes Aarrowcast as “North America’s premier green sand foundry,” offering a range of iron castings to OEMs and tier 1 supplier customers in the agricultural and off-road equipment, compressor and hydraulics, defense, construction and mining sectors, among others.

“Becoming part of Charter Manufacturing is a good strategic and cultural fit for Aarrowcast,” says Randy Brull, president and CEO of Aarrowcast. “Both companies are passionate about metals manufacturing and are committed to customer service, product innovation and growth. We are excited about working together and what the next chapter will bring.”

Aarrowcast will operate as Charter Aarrowcast, joining Charter’s existing family of metals production businesses: Charter Automotive, Charter Dura-Bar, Charter Steel (which operates scrap-fed electric arc furnace mills in Cleveland and in Saukville, Wisconsin) and Charter Wire. Mellowes said Brull will continue to lead the Aarrowcast business and will report to Bob Venable, president and chief operating officer of Charter Manufacturing.

This transaction was supported by Boston-based Citizens Capital Markets Inc., which Charter says served as the exclusive financial advisor to Aarrowcast.

Penske Logistics, a transportation solutions company in Reading, Pennsylvania, recently was recognized with a North America Supplier award from aluminum rolling and recycling company Novelis, Atlanta. Penske Logistics received the award for demonstrating outstanding performance in overall logistics while receiving the best score from Novelis' key carriers throughout North America in 2020. 

According to a news release from Penske, this is the company’s second time receiving the North America Supplier award, having been recognized in 2019 as well.

"Delivering performance and innovation is guided by a deep sense of responsibility at Penske," says Jeff Jackson, executive vice president of operations for Penske Logistics. "With Novelis, we are committed to providing quality, reliability and a true partnership which resonates through the North America Supplier award."

Penske says its dedicated trucking operation uses Novelis' closed-loop recycling system and shuttles aluminum coils from Oswego, New York, to automotive stamping plants in Michigan. The aluminum scrap from the stamping process is then transported back to Oswego to be recycled and formed into new coils. This process runs every day with a loaded Penske truck heading out on the road every 40 minutes.

"We are inspired by the work and passion Novelis has for a circular economy and are grateful to partner with them," says Marc Althen, president of Penske Logistics. "Leading our success is our dedicated team of safe, professional drivers and well-trained staff. I would like to send my appreciation to that team for their focus and commitment to the network's infrastructure and procedures."

Novelis selects suppliers across 10 award categories each year that support its 16 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada.