Hindalco to invest ₹45,000 crore in aluminium, copper production

Hindalco Industries, India’s largest non-ferrous metals producer, will invest ₹45,000 crore to ramp up its aluminium, copper, and specialty alumina businesses. At an event to launch the new identity of the company in Mumbai, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said Hindalco will focus on developing products to support electric mobility, renewable energy, and beverage can production, while also emphasising recycling. “We are committing ₹45,000 crore across the aluminium, copper, and specialty alumina businesses to deliver both upstream and next-gen high-precision engineered products to customers,” he said.

Birla added that the company has emerged as a global leader in aluminium, copper, and specialty alumina. “Our primary aluminium production has expanded from a modest 20,000 tonnes in Renukoot to 1.3 million tonnes today, making us India’s largest fully integrated producer,” he said.

The subsidiary Novelis, with a capacity of 4.2 million tonnes, is the world’s largest producer of flat-rolled aluminium products. It is also the largest aluminium recycler, processing around 82 billion beverage cans annually.

“Hindalco’s journey is deeply interwoven with India’s industrial progress, self-reliance, and aspirations for a better future,” said Birla. Founded more than 65 years ago in Renukoot, Uttar Pradesh, as a small aluminium producer, Hindalco’s role in building a newly independent nation was anything but small, he added.

In copper, Hindalco is the second-largest producer of copper rods outside China and is on track to surpass 1 million tonnes of refined copper production. Meanwhile, the alumina business has scaled from 3,000 tonnes to 3.7 million tonnes, placing the company among the world’s top three players in specialty alumina, said Birla.

Hindalco has 52 plants across 10 countries. Hindalco’s net sales stood at ₹58,390 crore, up 10.57% in December 2024. The net profit jumped 60.23% to ₹3,735 crore. EBITDA stood at ₹8,092 crore. Earnings per share increased to ₹16.82 from ₹10.50. Hindalco’s shares were up over 1% and closed at ₹706. In the automobile sector, Hindalco is enabling lighter, more fuel-efficient, and EV-ready vehicles. “We have helped design and manufacture lightweight battery enclosures for two-wheeler and car OEMs — enhancing durability, safety, and driving range,” said Birla.

In packaging, the company is driving circularity with sustainable aluminium solutions. “We have India’s only can-body stock plant and are working to create a circular model that uses over 80% recycled beverage cans as raw material,” said Birla. In green energy, the company’s materials are used to create solar and wind infrastructure. Aluminium, copper, and alumina are integral to solar modules and battery storage.

“In battery materials, we are pioneering the metals that will drive India’s EV revolution,” said Birla. “From aluminium and copper foils for anode and cathode materials to specialty separators, we collaborate with cell manufacturers and innovators across the value chain. Our Battery Foil plant at Aditya and the fabrication plant at Chakan are set to provide high-performance, sustainable alternatives to traditional automotive components, especially for the EV industry. We are also setting up India’s first copper foil facility for EVs,” he said.

“We are developing hard alloy products for defence and working with ISRO on one-of-a-kind components for Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan,” he added. In Odisha, Hindalco has pioneered a 100 MW renewable energy solution for aluminium smelting — combining wind, solar, and pumped hydro storage for stable, round-the-clock energy. It is producing 200 MW of renewable energy and plans to scale up to 350 MW.