Novelis kicks off construction on $2.5 billion Alabama aluminum mill
State, local and company officials mark the beginning of site work for the Novelis aluminum plant at the South Alabama Mega Site in Bay Minette. (Hal Yeager / Governor's Office)
Site work is underway on one of Alabama’s most prominent construction projects – a $2.5 billion aluminum mill being built by Atlanta-based Novelis in Baldwin County that is the first U.S. facility of its kind constructed in 40 years.
Crews are engaged in earthwork, excavation and piling at the site in the 3,000-acre South Alabama Mega Site in Bay Minette. During the next three months, Novelis will construct two roadways and expand the utility infrastructure necessary to begin building construction.
Commissioning of the facility, which will employ 1,000 people at full production, is scheduled for mid-2025.
The start of construction was celebrated Oct. 7 with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Gov. Kay Ivey and company and local officials.
“Today marks an important milestone for our Novelis team as we ramp up construction and grow our team,” said Tom Boney, executive vice president and president of Novelis North America. “We seek to become an integral part of this community, contributing to the local economy and advancing residents’ quality of life every step of the way.
“We are grateful for the support we have received from the state, Baldwin County, Bay Minette and other partners as we build our home here in Alabama,” he said.
I kicked off Manufacturing Day w/ an incredible groundbreaking event for @Novelis’ $2.5B aluminum manufacturing & recycling facility. Folks in Bay Minette & surrounding areas don’t have to look far for great jobs because this massive project will create 1,000 of them! #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/jTIzaG8oiA
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) October 7, 2022
Growing partnerships
Novelis said it has hired a core leadership team to lead the multiyear effort to build the Alabama facility.
The company has selected a leading engineering company as its site layout, engineering and construction contractor, an Alabama-based firm as earthworks contractor and several manufacturing equipment providers with long-standing relationships.
Novelis said it is actively recruiting for open roles in engineering, maintenance, finance, human resources and information technology. Interested candidates can visit novelis.com/careers to search for available positions or submit their resumé for consideration as additional roles are available.
“Through this investment, we want to demonstrate the strength of our growing customer partnerships, the commitment we have to sustainably grow our business, and the innovative, forward-thinking approach we are taking to modern manufacturing,” said Steve Fisher, president and CEO of Novelis.
‘Game-changing development’
The highly advanced facility will have an initial 600,000 tons of finished aluminum goods capacity per year focused on the beverage container market, with flexibility for automotive production.
It also adds a new recycling center for beverage cans, increasing the company’s recycling capacity by 15 billion cans per year when fully operational.
“Novelis’ decision to locate the nation’s most technologically advanced aluminum mill in Baldwin County is a powerful testament to both the state’s attractive business climate and to the capabilities of our talented manufacturing workforce,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.
“The magnitude of this project makes it a game-changing development for Alabama’s industrial sector and a jobs engine for the region,” Canfield said.
AIDT, the state’s primary workforce development agency and part of the Alabama Department of Commerce, is assisting Novelis in assembling and training its workforce. Alabama Power is among the partners supporting the project, which includes plans to use renewable energy to power the site.
The project was announced in May.
This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.
