On 16th September 2022, the leader in sustainable aluminium solutions provider and world leader in aluminium rolling and recycling, Novelis Inc., observed the opening of its Customer Solution Centre (CSC) for automotive in Novi, Michigan, a suburb of Metro Detroit.

The $35 million facility is part of Novelis' global network of CSCs, which are designed to speed the development of aluminium solutions through collaboration between the company and its customers and others in the value chain.

Through the centres, Novelis partners with automakers and Tier 1 suppliers to maximize lightweight, high-strength aluminium in the next generation of vehicle design. Furthermore, Novelis operates automotive CSCs in Stuttgart, Germany, and Shanghai, China, to the facility in Novi.

Philippe Meyer, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Novelis Inc., said, "Novelis' network of Customer Solution Centres is a centrepiece of our purpose, which is shaping a sustainable world together."

"As a leading automotive aluminium supplier, this investment will strengthen our partnerships with our customers and ensure that innovative, low-carbon aluminium adoption continues to grow globally."

A total of 100 employees work at the company's Novi facility, representing expertise in research and development, technical development, and commercial support. CAD software, hot stamping presses, and visualization technologies that model vehicle safety scenarios are among the high-tech equipment in the centre. Novelis is able to demonstrate the benefits of aluminium solutions for current and future vehicle applications due to these capabilities. Customers and Tier 1 suppliers are using the centre to see these benefits first-hand, including lighter designs, greener lifecycles, and more straightforward, cost-effective solutions.

Olga Alavanou, the Vice President of Automotive at Novelis North America, said, "Today marks an important milestone for our dedicated and talented team of automotive aluminium experts in Novi."

 "This facility perfectly represents who we are, and we are thrilled to use it to partner with our customers as they design exciting next-generation vehicles."

Since launching the Customer Solution Centres in 2018, Novelis has made several advancements in automotive innovation. Examples include:

• An aluminium-intensive battery enclosure solution for electric vehicles.
• All-new high strength and heat-treatable alloys that are designed to compete with ultra-high strength, hot-formed steel solutions.
• Research proving the benefits of aluminium use indoors and closures, one of the fastest growing aluminium applications in new vehicles.

Moreover, the company has worked to increase the amount of recycled aluminium in automotive alloys and expanded closed-loop recycling systems, which take back aluminium scrap from customers generated during the stamping process and recycle it back into the same product.

Jamie Zinser, the Vice President for Global Automotive at Novelis, said, "In an era of increasing complexity in the global automotive marketplace, these centres confirm that Novelis is prepared to partner with our customers across the world."

 "Whether it is aluminium door research in Novi or electrification advancements in Shanghai, Novelis aims to innovate alongside our customers every step of the way."

Novelis welcomed nearly 200 attendees to its ribbon-cutting celebration, including customers, suppliers, local leaders from the City of Novi and Oakland County, representatives from State Senator Jim Runestad and U.S. Senator Gary Peters.

According to DuckerFrontier, the market intelligence and consulting firm, aluminium is the fastest growing automotive material. For more than 40 years, Novelis has been a leading global supplier of aluminium sheets to the industry, with an automotive manufacturing footprint in Asia, North America and Europe. Its product portfolio includes high-performing alloys featured on more than 315 models on the road today, including the iconic Ford F-150, Jeep Wrangler and Jaguar Land Rover.