Novelis, a provider of aluminum automotive sheet, used for making structural components and exterior body panels, completed a $200 million expansion of its rolling operations in Oswego, New York. The expansion increases the company's North American capacity for producing aluminum sheet for the automotive industry by 240,000 tons, five times the company's existing capacity in the region.

The Oswego facility is an integrated recycling, hot rolling and cold rolling complex producing aluminum sheet for the beverage can, automotive and building and construction industries. Producing more than a billion pounds of high-quality aluminum sheet each year, Oswego is the company's largest, wholly-owned fabrication facility in North America, the company said. Its plant currently employs approximately 850 people.

Novelis is a U.S. subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, one of Asia's largest integrated producers of aluminum and a leading copper producer. Hindalco is part of the Aditya Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai, India.

The firm began construction on two new high-performance aluminum processing lines for automotive applications at its Oswego facility in 2011 in response to escalating demand for automotive aluminum sheet in the United States. The company added more than 100 jobs at the Oswego plant as a result of the expansion.

"This automotive expansion in North America is an important piece of our global strategy in a market that is experiencing explosive growth," said Phil Martens, Novelis President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are aggressively increasing our capacity to produce automotive sheet worldwide and we are well-positioned to extend our leadership in this strategic market segment."

“Today’s commissioning marks an important milestone in Novelis’ ongoing commitment to serving the automotive industry,” said Marco Palmieri, Senior Vice President and President, Novelis North America. “Intensive use of aluminum in vehicles is growing more than 25 percent a year. Not only does this expansion allow us to respond to the rapidly increasing demand for aluminum automotive sheet, it also plays a key role in our ongoing recycling efforts to further improve the sustainability of aluminum in vehicles.”

“This $200 million expansion project by Novelis provides vital economic development for Central New York – creating more than 100 permanent jobs and bringing significant private investment to the community,” Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said. “Novelis’ commitment to the region is further evidence that Upstate New York is open for business, and I look forward to the company’s continued presence in Oswego.”