Governor Gretchen Whitmer was in Cass County on Friday to tour the site of the $150 million aluminum recycling facility that will bring about 70 jobs to the region once completed.
Norway-based Hydro Aluminum was the first to break ground at the Midwest Energy & Communications SMART Park in Cassopolis earlier this year, and Whitmer said the plant represents an opportunity for both the Michigan economy and rural communities.
“We are standing in the middle of a lot of cornfields, and there is high tech recycling that is about tot start happening here. So, there is opportunity in every part of our state. We can feed the world from the state of Michigan, and that is the agricultural part of our story. But high-tech manufacturing is a very much important part of our fabric as well. You can see both happening right here from where we’re standing.”
Once completed in 2023, the plant will produce about 265 million pounds of recycled aluminum per year to support automotive innovation.
“[Cassopolis] is a unique place where this kind of a business can pull scrap from Chicago and Detroit,” Whitmer said. “This central location with the talent all around here is something that’s a huge strength for Cass County.”
The facility also will mark the first large-scale production of Hydro CIRCAL extrusion ingot aluminum in North America. Hydro CIRCAL is the company’s brand of premium recycled aluminum, made with a minimum of 75 percent recycled, post-consumer aluminum scrap.
“This project represents a key stepping stone toward Hydro’s goal of becoming the world’s leading upcycler of post-consumer aluminum scrap,” said Eivind Kallevik, Executive Vice President of Hydro Aluminum Metals, at the groundbreaking ceremony in April. “It is important for us to be in the heartland of the U.S. automotive industry. … Aluminum will be key for a green transition going forward.”
Part of the reason the company chose Cassopolis was the eagerness to collaborate from local partners at the village and MEC.
“We are also very happy to be the first manufacturing facility her at MEC SMART Park,” Kallevik said. “Here, we will benefit from state-of-the-art infrastructure that will enable us to operate safely while maintaining minimum impacts to the environment.”
Kallevik mentioned the company will be able to reduce its carbon footprint thanks to the direct rail service, as well as the renewable energy from MEC.
“We’ve always been in business for a reason,” Kallevik said. “Our ambition is to contribute to solve the challenges that societies face today, and the challenges we will face tomorrow. Here in Cassopolis, we will take a major step in driving the green transition in North America by taking the lead in the production of low-carbon recycled aluminum for a more circular society.”
By Ryan Yuenger
ryany@wsjm.com
