In the aluminium sector, initiatives often prioritise the integration of recycled content as a key sustainability driver. In line with this focus, Novelis, a global leader in aluminium rolling and recycling, specialising in sustainable aluminium solutions, has entered into a joint development agreement with DRT Holdings, LLC, a specialised manufacturer serving the metal packaging, aerospace and general industrial sectors. The collaboration aims to enhance the manufacturing process for sustainable beverage can ends, reinforcing the industry's commitment to advancing environmentally responsible packaging solutions.
Image source: Novelis
The partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of high-recycled-content alloys in aluminium beverage can ends, driving broader implementation across the global metal packaging industry. Leveraging its position as the world leader in high-recycled-content and low-carbon flat-rolled aluminium sheet products, Novelis is further advancing aluminium's role as the preferred material for circular packaging solutions.
Previously, Novelis had also collaborated with the Stockholm-based Meadow to enhance the recycled content in its Meadow KAPSUL™ pre-fill packaging solution, reinforcing its scalable, circular packaging ecosystem. This came in tandem with Novelis' August 2025 collaboration with DRT to launch a "uni-alloy" beverage can-end composed of up to 99 per cent recycled aluminium, highlighting a coordinated industry push toward sustainable, high-recycled-content metal packaging.
Novelis reports an average of around 85 per cent recycled content in its beverage packaging portfolio worldwide. DRT, a leading manufacturer of high-speed beverage can end production equipment, delivers systems capable of producing up to 3,000 ends per minute. With a decades-long global footprint, DRT has been instrumental in shaping the evolution of the beverage packaging market.
Greg Schlicht, the Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Novelis, stated, "Novelis is committed to accelerating the transition to a more circular aluminium beverage packaging industry, and this partnership with DRT is a key step in that journey. By working with an industry leader in can end manufacturing, we believe we can ensure that beverage brands and can makers have solutions to accelerate uni-alloy adoption without compromising quality."
The agreement arrives at a critical juncture as the global aluminium beverage packaging industry seeks innovative approaches to accelerate sustainability targets. Incorporating high-recycled-content aluminium alloys in can ends marks a significant step in material innovation, offering reduced carbon emissions, enhanced recyclability and a stronger closed-loop recycling system.
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Brandon Rinehart, Vice President of Innovation at DRT, stated, "DRT has a long-standing legacy of innovation, having helped bring the easy-open end to market and today we're building on that legacy with a clear focus on sustainability and smart engineering. By leveraging our deep technical know-how with Novelis' advanced recycling and rolling technology, we are unlocking new value and improving efficiencies via sustainability benefits for the entire beverage can industry."
Through this collaboration, Novelis and DRT aim to develop solutions that can be widely adopted across the industry, enabling can manufacturers to integrate uni-alloy beverage can ends seamlessly into their production processes.
This innovation and the sustainability approach come right in line when the firm is experiencing strong demand in the aluminium beverage packaging sector, with Q1 FY2026 sales reaching nearly USD 2.5 billion, a 22 per cent year-on-year increase. This growth is attributed to rising global demand for sustainable packaging solutions.
To meet the rising demand for sustainable packaging, this partnership with DRT Holdings for developing a "uni-alloy" beverage can ends made from up to 99 per cent recycled content. This collaboration aims to reduce the carbon footprint of can ends by over 50 per cent and facilitate seamless adoption across the global aluminium beverage can market. Together, these initiatives highlight the firm's commitment to advancing circularity and sustainability in the aluminium packaging industry.
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Note: To feature your brand and share insights, contribute an article or interview in our forthcoming e-magazine "Sustainability & Recycling: Aluminium's Dual Commitment"
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