Novelis to Add Coating Line at Brazilian Can Plant

Atlanta-based Novelis, a producer of rolled aluminum products, has announced plans to invest about $50 million to install a coating line for beverage can end stock at its operations in Pindamonhangaba, Brazil. The company forecasts aluminum beverage can demand in South America to grow by 7 percent per year until 2020.

Phil Martens, Novelis president and CEO, says, "This expansion is the most recent step in an ongoing program to expand our leadership position in supplying Brazil and South America with high-quality beverage can sheet for this growing region.

"This investment will help round out our can sheet offering for our customers in the region and allow us to keep pace with the surging demand for our products," says Marco Palmieri, senior vice president of Novelis and president, Novelis South America. "The new line will allow us to increase our capacity to meet customer demand while shortening delivery lead times."

The new coating line is expected to come on stream in late 2013. The line will have the capacity to process 100,000 metric tons of aluminum sheet per year, according to the company.

The Pindamonhangaba facility is an integrated aluminum rolling and recycling complex. The plant is currently in the middle of a $300 million expansion of its rolling mill and a $32 million expansion of its aluminum recycling capacity.