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Novelis invests 43 million euros in rail logistics
Novelis, a company specializing in the production of aluminum rolled products and aluminum recycling, has announced an investment of approximately 43 million euros. These funds will be used to expand rail logistics in Europe to enhance the efficiency of material deliveries within the European network and reduce CO2e emissions.
Expansion of the wagon fleet
As part of this investment, Novelis plans to acquire 220 new Shimmns wagons. These wagons are versatile and enable the transport of various aluminum products, including aluminum strips, recycling scrap, and aluminum ingots. The new wagons will replace the previously rented wagons, which were suitable for only one type of material each.
Rail transport is of central importance to Novelis’s logistics. With a share of 95 percent, it is the primary mode of transport for material deliveries between the company’s ten European production sites. The additional wagons are expected to increase capacity and allow for the transport of more aluminum ingots from Novelis Nachterstedt, the largest aluminum recycling plant in Europe, to Alunorf in Neuss, the largest aluminum rolling mill in the world. Previously, some of these transports had to be carried out by truck due to capacity constraints.
Reduction of CO2e emissions
The shift to rail transport will not only lower transportation costs but also bring significant environmental benefits. Novelis expects to save approximately 2,000 truck trips annually with the new wagons, which corresponds to a reduction in CO2e emissions of 78 percent.
Roland Leder, Vice President Supply Chain Novelis Europe, emphasizes the importance of this investment: “With this investment, we are laying the foundation for even more efficient and environmentally friendly logistics. The new wagons increase our flexibility, optimize material flows, and allow for better utilization of trains. They are equipped with built-in GPS trackers, so we always know where our material is located.”
Delivery and future plans
The first 30 wagons have already been delivered to Novelis, and the complete delivery is expected to be finalized by September 2026. The supplier for the wagons is On Rail Gesellschaft für Eisenbahnausrüstung und Zubehör mbH from Mettmann, Germany. The official handover of the first wagons took place on December 2, 2025, at the DUSS terminal in the Göttingen freight transport center.
With this investment, Novelis also aims to advance the decarbonization of its plants and processes. The company focuses on renewable energy, more efficient operations, and sustainable logistics. These measures are part of the „Novelis 3×30“ initiative, which aims to reduce CO2e emissions per ton of rolled aluminum to below 3 tons by 2030.
