Novelis Inc., one of the largest producers of aluminium rolled products and an avid propagator of aluminium recycling, on March 8, declared the inauguration of its Customer Solution Center (CSC) to aid the beverage packaging sector in São José dos Campos, Brazil.
This newly opened Customer Solution desk will aim to develop better technologies for the aluminium beverage can market, keeping in mind the heightening demand for the latest innovations and exploring uncharted avenues with other sustainability solutions.
The CSC has been introduced as a portal for all beverage can producers, industry suppliers, scientific partners and brand owners; each party can share their experiences, and the centre can try to find solutions. The CSC will not only provide a common ground for innovative collaborations but also encourage the use of aluminium and identify its benefits in the beverage packaging industry. The podium has been created as a knowledge centre for propelling the use of aluminium in a safe, sanctified way. In turn, it can induce a circular economy, lowering the product's carbon footprint in the long run.
The CSC has been constructed to uphold artistry and innovation. Thus Novelis allotted a 3,000 sq. mt. area for the high-tech facility with advanced training rooms, heavily equipped laboratories and massive collaborative zones.
The Senior Vice President, Global Can Sales at Novelis, said Greg Schlicht, commented: "The beverage business is in growth mode, and aluminium is quickly becoming the material of choice for beverage can packaging, so we need to be prepared for increased demand as consumers recognise the many drawbacks of other, less sustainable packaging materials."
"In addition, our customers are seeking to elevate package appearance, and aluminium cans provide an ideal, 360-degree canvas for eye-catching, upscale graphics and product branding. We are committed to investing in innovation to maximise these opportunities," Schlicht notified.
The introduction of this CSC solidifies Novelis' identity as a firm that propagates technology and innovation to meet certain modernised demands of the ever-changing market.
Certain reasons are churning the need for continuous innovation in the packaging sector. A few have been listed below:
The craze for sustainable packaging – The consumer today has grown to be conscious enough to differentiate between an environment-friendly choice and a harmful carbon-emitting substance. This is making big companies make a shift towards aluminium packaging solutions other than using one-time-use plastic containers. Novelis is one of the leading suppliers of aluminium sheets for beverage cans and also a propagator of aluminium recycling. Thus, the company acquires huge margins out of both the services and widespread customer collaboration.
Expansion of the beverage industry – Gradually, the human lifestyle is changing, and we require modules that can serve us on the go. This has led many beverage brands to swap their usual glass or plastic bottles with aluminium cans. Moreover, disposing of glass or plastic is equally troublesome as the former is easy to break and the latter emits harmful gases when burnt. Aluminium beverage packages can be processed innumerable times to yield raw material that has the original properties of the non-ferrous metal, making it infinitely recyclable.
Introduction of Collectible Cans – With the growth influx in the usage of aluminium packaging solutions, beverage companies have also revolutionised the ways of printing the outside of cans. We often find definite celebrities promoting aluminium cans with printed images of them on the outside. Brands like Monster or Jimmy's, who are all extremely worried about their brand image, keep on incorporating such ideas and designs to release special edition aluminium cans.
The Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Novelis, said Philippe Meyer, exclaimed: "As the beverage market grows and consumers increasingly choose sustainable aluminium beverage packaging, the need to support our customers' innovation goals also grows."
"We work diligently to align our innovation plans with those of our customers to ensure that together we meet the needs of the market – both today, as well as tomorrow – as we search for more sustainable solutions," Meyer concluded.
Novelis' São José dos Campos facility is a flagbearer of the company's emerging international network of Customer Solution Centers, which have been specifically formulated to catalyse the use of aluminium solutions via partnership ventures between the firm and its customers, besides other users in the packaging value chain.
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