Novelis Inc. has celebrated the opening of its Customer Solution Center (CSC) for automotive in Novi, Michigan, a suburb of Metro Detroit. The $35 million facility is part of Novelis' global network of CSCs, which are designed to speed the development of aluminum solutions through collaborations. Through the centres, Novelis partners with automakers and Tier 1 suppliers to maximize lightweight, high-strength aluminum in the next generation of vehicle design. In addition to the facility in Novi, Novelis operates automotive CSCs in Stuttgart, Germany, and Shanghai, China.
"Novelis' network of Customer Solution Centers is a centrepiece of our purpose, which is shaping a sustainable world together," says Philippe Meyer, senior vice president and chief technology officer at Novelis Inc.
The company's 100 employees in Novi represent expertise in research and technology, technical development, and commercial support. The centre's high-tech equipment ranges from a hot stamping press to computer-aided design (CAD) software to visualization technologies that model vehicle safety scenarios. These capabilities enable Novelis to develop new aluminum solutions and demonstrate their benefits for current and future vehicle applications. Manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers are using the centre to see these benefits firsthand, which include lighter designs, greener lifecycles, and simpler, more cost-effective solutions.
"Today marks an important milestone for our dedicated and talented team of automotive aluminum experts in Novi," says Olga Alavanou, vice president of automotive at Novelis North America. "This facility perfectly represents who we are, and we are thrilled to use it to partner with our customers every step of the way as they design exciting, next generation vehicles."
Since launching the Customer Solution Centers in 2018, Novelis has made several advancements in automotive innovation. Examples include an aluminum-intensive battery enclosure solution for electric vehicles; heat-treatable alloys that are designed to compete with hot-formed steel solutions; and research proving the benefits of aluminum use in doors and closures, one of the fastest growing aluminum applications in new vehicles. In addition, Novelis has worked to increase the amount of recycled aluminum in automotive alloys and expanded closed-loop recycling systems, which take back aluminum scrap generated during the stamping process and recycle it back into the same product.
"In an era of increasing complexity in the global automotive marketplace, these centres confirm that Novelis is prepared to partner with our customers across the world," says Jamie Zinser, vice president of global automotive at Novelis. "Whether it is aluminum door research in Novi or electrification advancements in Shanghai, Novelis aims to innovate alongside our customers every step of the way."
Novelis welcomed nearly 200 attendees to its ribbon-cutting celebration, including suppliers, local leaders from the City of Novi and Oakland County and representatives from State Senator Jim Runestad and U.S. Senator Gary Peters.
