Novelis closes Ouro Preto aluminum smelter

Aluminum rolled product manufacturer and recycler Novelis, based in Atlanta, has announced that it will focus its operations in Brazil on its core business of aluminum rolling and recycling. As a result, it will cease operations at its Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, primary aluminum smelter at the end of 2014.

The plant currently employs approximately 350 people and produces 19,842 tons of aluminum per year in the form of billets for sale to third-party extruders.

"The decision to end operations at Ouro Preto is consistent with our global strategy to build our business around sustainability—transforming from a linear business model to a closed-loop business model focused on recycled content," said Tadeu Nardocci, senior vice president of Novelis and president of Novelis South America. "In addition, the closure is driven by systemic issues affecting the entire primary aluminum industry in Brazil, impacting cost of operations and overall competitiveness."