MRAI: Bright future for nonferrous metals

Each year more vehicles pop up on roads in India and a growing number of them are produced domestically. This trend provided a reason for optimism within the Indian nonferrous metals sector, according to presenters at the 2015 Metal Recycling Association of India (MRAI) International Conference, held in Mumbai in February.

Mohan Agarwal of Haryana, India-based Century Metal Recycling Pvt. Ltd. told MRAI attendees that India has risen to become the seventh largest automaker globally and the second largest producer of two-wheeled vehicles (motor scooters and motorcycles).

With the motor vehicle industry as a major customer, Century Metal Recycling has grown in just nine years to operate seven secondary aluminum and zinc alloys plants in India with a combined 225,000 metric tons of annual capacity.

Both globally and in India, Agarwal said aluminum “plays an increasingly significant role” in vehicle production as manufacturers seek fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. Agarwal cited studies that point to 132 kilograms (291 pounds) of aluminum in the average car now. That figures is expected to increase to 200 kilograms (441 pounds) of aluminum by 2021, “with most of the growth in car bodies.”

The 2015 MRAI International Conference took place from Feb. 5-6 at the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre and Hotel.