Novelis and DRT Partner to Drive Breakthrough in Sustainable Beverage Can Ends

Novelis, a global leader in rolled aluminum and recycling, has entered a joint development agreement with U.S.-based DRT Holdings, LLC to accelerate the shift toward more sustainable beverage packaging. The partnership focuses on creating high-recycled-content alloys for beverage can ends, with the goal of mainstreaming a “uni-alloy” design that could significantly reduce the industry’s environmental footprint.

According to Novelis, the initiative will explore ways to manufacture can ends using the same alloy as the can body — a move that enables up to 99% recycled content in end production. Early data suggests this innovation could cut the carbon footprint of can ends by more than half while simplifying recycling processes.

DRT, a long-standing supplier of high-speed equipment for beverage can ends, brings expertise in machinery capable of producing up to 3,000 ends per minute. Novelis contributes its global recycling and low-carbon aluminum technologies, with an existing track record of achieving around 85% recycled content in its beverage packaging worldwide.

“By working with an industry leader in can end manufacturing, we believe we can ensure that beverage brands and can makers have solutions to accelerate uni-alloy adoption without compromising quality,” said Greg Schlicht, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Novelis.

Echoing that sentiment, Brandon Rinehart, Vice President of Innovation at DRT, added: “DRT has a long-standing legacy of innovation, having helped bring the easy-open end to market, and today we’re building on that legacy with a clear focus on sustainability and smart engineering.”

The announcement comes at a critical moment for the beverage packaging sector. Rising consumer demand for sustainable products, coupled with tightening regulations in key markets such as the European Union and North America, has put pressure on manufacturers to innovate.

Industry analysts note that aluminum already holds an advantage as a packaging material due to its near-infinite recyclability, but can ends have traditionally lagged behind can bodies in recycled content. The development of uni-alloy technology could close that gap, potentially setting a new standard for circular packaging in the beverage industry.

If successfully commercialized, the technology may also reduce dependency on virgin aluminum, strengthen closed-loop recycling systems, and create cost efficiencies for beverage companies facing carbon reduction targets.

The Novelis-DRT collaboration is positioned as a step forward in transforming beverage packaging into a fully circular system. As pilot projects progress, the companies anticipate broader industry adoption, helping brands meet sustainability commitments while advancing global climate goals.

Source: Novelis