Novelis Latchford commissions new bag houses

Novelis Latchford in the U.K. is commissioning new bag houses, which it says is a major milestone in its expansion project at the site, marking a critical step toward doubling its capacity to recycle used beverage cans (UBCs) and support the U.K.’s upcoming deposit return scheme (DRS).

The DRS for drinks containers will be introduced across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in 2027. 

The new bag houses are part of a broader upgrade that includes a dedicated dross house and advanced technologies for shredding, sorting, decoating and melting. Together, these enhancements will increase annual recycling capacity by 85,000 metric tons, reduce carbon emissions by more than 350,000 metric tons of CO₂e per year across Novelis Europe and deliver aluminum with even higher recycled content, according to the company.

Novelis’ $90 million investment was announced in 2024. Once fully operational, Novelis says the site will be able to process 100 percent of the aluminum cans collected under the future U.K. DRS, ensuring a truly local, circular aluminum economy.

At the time of the expansion announcement in the summer of 2024, Emilio Braghi, executive vice president of Novelis and president of Novelis Europe, said, "Of all the recycling players in the European market, Novelis has the highest ambition to maximize its recycled content across our product range. Globally, Novelis had an average of 63 percent recycled content in our products in fiscal year 2024.”

According to the company’s 2025 sustainability report, its recycled content also averaged 63 percent over the company’s 2025 fiscal year.