Hindalco announces tech partnership with Italian firm to make rail coaches

Novelis, Indian firm's subsidiary, secures anchor customer for upcoming US plant

Aditya Birla Group’s Hindalco Industries on Tuesday announced a partnership with Italy-based Metra SpA in large-size aluminium extrusion and fabrication technology to build high-speed aluminium rail coaches in India.

"The tie-up provides Hindalco the launching pad to drive the ambitious upgradation programme of Indian Railways that runs the world’s largest rail network,” said Hindalco in a statement.

Hindaclo had earlier announced plans to invest Rs 2,000 crore for a project to produce passenger coaches for Vande Bharat trains. “The technology alliance will provide cutting-edge technology for this effort,” the company said. In August, Hindaclo entered into a strategic alliance to develop and manufacture aluminium rail wagons and coaches with Texmaco Rail & Engineering.

In a separate announcement late evening on Monday, Novelis, Hindalco’s US subsidiary, said it has signed a new anchor customer contract with aluminium can maker Ball Corporation for the Indian firm’s new plant in Bay Minette in Alabama, US. Novelis is setting up a fully integrated aluminium manufacturing plant with an initial capacity of 600,000 tonnes of finished goods. The plant is expected to be operational in 2025, and cater primarily to the North American beverage can and automotive markets.

“With this contract and other commitments, Novelis has secured all of the beverage can capacity from its new plant in Bay Minette,” Novelis said in its statement. Novelis will spend an estimated $2.7-2.8 billion on the Bay Minette project.