Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, recently organised AutoEdge 2024, an industry conclave for the automotive sector, in New Delhi. Aluminium, responsible for enabling several forms of modern transportation, has also established itself as a critical raw material for automotive manufacturing. The event featured expert-led sessions on the future roadmap of the sector and the role of aluminium in its transformation and was an opportunity to identify new areas of collaboration. Top automakers and essential component manufacturers from the industry participated in the event.
Aluminium is a lightweight metal with properties such as a higher strength-to-weight ratio, excellent electrical conductivity, superior corrosion resistance and infinite recyclability. These properties make it a natural choice for many applications within the fast-growing automotive sector, which is expected to contribute to nearly 15% of India’s GDP by FY31. On average, an internal combustion (IC) engine vehicle contains nearly 180 kgs of aluminium, whereas an electric vehicle contains nearly 260 kgs of aluminium today.
Commenting on the event, John Slaven, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “We offer our customers in the automotive industry an unmatched combination of advantages: global expertise, cutting-edge technology, customized alloys, ease of doing business, a reliable supply chain and most importantly, an unyielding commitment to sustainable business practices. Backed by innovative product development, technological sophistication and localisation, they represent an opportunity for Indian automotive players to compete at the same level as global companies.”
Gaurav Vats, Senior General Lead – Corporate Materials, Uno Minda, added, “Vedanta Aluminium offered rich insights into how the automotive sector is poised to evolve, and the several ways aluminium could help us derive maximum value from this transformation. Collaborative efforts always result in improved solutions, and so we look forward to our fruitful partnership with Vedanta Aluminium for unlocking enhanced innovation and business growth.”
Recognising aluminium’s potential for sparking innovation in the automotive sector, Vedanta Aluminium offers several high-quality products tailored for the industry. Some of these include specialised primary foundry alloys (PFAs) for developing cylinder heads and alloy wheels, and billets for crash-resistant extrusions that are ideal for applications requiring high impact resistance. In addition, the company also offers ingots, rolled products, and wire rods for various automotive applications. They are produced using world-class technologies sourced from the USA, Spain and Italy among others, and supplied to customers in over 60 countries for high-end applications, attesting to their high production quality and demand.
Vedanta Aluminium has consistently focused on a ‘customer-first’ approach to product innovation. The company’s Customer Technical Services team works closely with customers to develop products as per their specifications. At the company’s upcoming Aluminium Park in Jharsuguda, Odisha, downstream companies can set up their units to access just-in-time molten metal drawn from Vedanta’s mega aluminium smelter nearby. Vedanta Aluminium has also recently launched Vedanta Metal Bazaar, the world’s largest e-superstore for over 750 primary aluminium products, with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based features offering a simplified end-to-end buying experience for customers.
The company has been recognised as the world’s most sustainable aluminium producer, as per the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023. Its operations, which include the world’s largest aluminium smelter in Jharsuguda and India’s iconic aluminium producer BALCO at Korba, Chhattisgarh, are both certified by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) as per its rigorous performance standards. In addition, the company’s wide range of high-quality aluminium products are verified as sustainably produced by Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) International.
Vedanta Aluminium is the first in India to achieve IATF 16949:2016 certification for its smelting operations, and the first to achieve certification for its vast product range as per all applicable standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). It is also the first to offer low-carbon, ‘green’ aluminium under its Restora range. Restora, manufactured using renewable energy, has a Green House Gas (GHG) emission intensity that is less than 4 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) per tonne of aluminium manufactured – the global threshold for aluminium to be considered as low carbon. Restora Ultra, made from recovered aluminium, has an even lower carbon footprint, amongst the lowest in the world. Together, they represent the company’s deep commitment to making sustainably produced materials available to the global automotive industry.
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s total aluminium production i.e., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging aluminium applications as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
