The recycling line, covering an area of some 20,000 square meters, will double our existing annual recycling capacity to around 100,000 tonnes and be able to process a wide range of can scrap.

“We are installing world-leading technology to sort used products, which will make us a better recycler. The new facility, scaled to process 50,000 tonnes of used beverage cans, will make us a bigger recycler and a greener company, as we through recycling of aluminium avoid 95 percent of the energy needed to produce primary aluminium and bring the aluminium resources back to new life,” says Executive Vice President Kjetil Ebbesberg, who leads the Rolled Products Business Area.

Ebbesberg added: “In addition to the UBC recycling line, we continue to strengthen our Grevenbroich-Rheinwerk-Alunorf production triangle with the ongoing EUR 130 million investment in a new automotive body sheet line in Grevenbroich and by expanding production capacity at our Alunorf joint venture plant in Neuss, where Hydro together with its partner Novelis is investing more than EUR 80 million in capacity expansion.”

The new UBC line will considerably strengthen Hydro's competitive position in the can product segment.

Honorary guests at the ceremony, topped by Federal Minister Hermann Gröhe, lauded Hydro's firm commitment to Germany, and the Rhine district Neuss, as an industrial location.

Completion of the recycling line is scheduled for the beginning of 2016 and will create around 40 new jobs.