Novelis UK
Advancing Circular Economy with Best-in-Class Aluminium Recycling

Aluminium’s ability to be recycled indefinitely while retaining its properties has made it central to the circular economy. In the UK, billions of used beverage cans move through this regenerative loop each year. Novelis strengthens this system with advanced technologies, high-quality processing and decades of expertise, delivering low-carbon aluminium for new beverage cans and automotive components.

The largest recyclers of aluminium in the UK and the second largest in Europe, Novelis UK has helped close the loop between consumption and giving aluminium a new life for over two decades. At its Latchford facility in Warrington, the company processes a steady flow of used beverage cans and automotive press-shop scrap, sending multiple loads of ingots daily for rolling across its value chain.

“We have been developing and honing our operations and customer services,” says Allan Sweeney, plant manager. “Our customer loyalty has been built on years of trust, efficiency and an unrelenting commitment to circularity.”

To support the growing demand for high-quality, high-recycled aluminium, Novelis has made a significant investment at Latchford to increase its used beverage can recycling capacity. Once complete, the site will process up to 195,000 tonnes of aluminium annually—equivalent to more than 20 billion cans. This expansion will enable the company to recycle every beverage can collected in the UK and support the upcoming deposit return scheme, a key national initiative to promote recycling and resource recovery.

Quality control and sustainability guide every stage of the recycling process. Materials are sourced responsibly through European deposit return schemes, trusted suppliers and local authorities, ensuring full traceability. Inside the plant, advanced X-ray transmission, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and AI-driven sorting systems separate alloys with precision, producing consistent, high-grade feedstock for new cans, automotive panels and construction applications.

Its Latchford facility also supports closed-loop recycling for major automotive manufacturers by processing pre-consumer press-shop scrap and returning it as high-performance aluminium sheet. This approach strengthens supply security, reduces waste and advances the decarbonisation of the mobility sector.

Integrating social, environmental and economic values is core to Novelis’ operations. This commitment supports its global 3x30 ambition, ensuring that sustainability goals are met through measurable outcomes.

Novelis serves a broad customer base spanning beverage packaging, automotive, aerospace and construction. For beverage brands, its technical teams collaborate to increase recycled content and improve coating performance. In automotive, Novelis works with OEMs on lightweight, low-carbon sheet, including a new alloy containing at least 75 per cent recycled aluminium, now used by Jaguar Land Rover.

Building on its technical capabilities, the Latchford site is advancing hydrogen-fuel switching trials supported by the UK government, exploring low-carbon energy pathways for aluminium production. The project recently earned the IEA Hydrogen TCP Award of Excellence 2025 for advancing decarbonisation in hard-to-abate industries.

Novelis also collaborates with customers such as Ferrari, VELUX and Airbus to develop sustainable aluminium solutions that reduce emissions and enable advanced design. These partnerships demonstrate how innovation and circularity deliver measurable results. The company has earned multiple recognitions, including Ferrari’s Collaborator Award, JLR’s Exceptional Creators Award and VELUX’s Supplier of the Year 2024 in the innovation category.

Traceability and transparency reinforce these partnerships. Every stage of production, from collection to rolling, is measurable and auditable under the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative performance and chain-of-custody standards. This gives customers confidence that their aluminium is responsibly sourced and supports their sustainability reporting.

Keeping pace with customer needs, Novelis continues to strengthen its innovation efforts. Recent projects include hydrogen-based melting trials, the implementation of state-of-the-art casting technology and next-generation alloy development that enhance consistency while lowering emissions. Its efforts were recognised in Europe with a nomination for the German Ecodesign Award for its 100 per cent recycled aluminium automotive sheet project.

Novelis shows that sustainability is a continuous cycle. Every can recycled and alloy improved reinforces a circular model where progress and environmental responsibility move forward in tandem, proving that the future of aluminium lies in regeneration.