AMU
January 9, 2026
Novelis says Oswego repairs to cost $255 million, restart TBD
Written by Stephanie Ritenbaugh
This piece was first published by SMU’s nonferrous sister publication, Aluminum Market Update. To learn about AMU, visit their website or sign up for a free trial.
Novelis expects it will cost $255 million to repair the damage to facility after major fires at its rolling mill this fall in Oswego, N.Y.
It remains unclear how long the repairs will take, as the second fire in November damaged the hot mill’s finishing mill, the company said in an application seeking financial assistance filed with the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency.
The first fire occurred on Sept. 16. A smaller fire broke out in October, and a third blaze happened on Nov. 20.
The Sept. 16 fire hit the hot mill, with the roof experiencing the most damage. Other areas of the plant were affected “due to 5 million gallons of water used in fire suppression efforts,” the aluminum producer stated in the application, which provides additional details on the facility repairs.
Novelis began repairs in September, estimating they would be complete in December at a cost of about $550 million–$650 million.
However, the November blaze, which tore through the finishing mill, upended that plan.
“The finishing mill’s parts are highly specialized and all need to be inspected for reconditioning or rebuilding needs. Due to this, a recovery timeline is still to be determined,” the company said in the application.
The financial assistance—which allows materials purchased to repair the facility to be exempt from sales taxes—was approved unanimously this week. The exemption comes to about $15 million.
The company has already spent about $165 million on rebuilding.
“What’s important to understand is Novelis is the largest manufacturer in Oswego and one of our largest employers,” Austin Wheelock, CEO of the county of Oswego industrial development agency, told AMU. “It’s important to the county and residents that Novelis can rebuild and have the resilience to go forward.”
The plant employs about 1,122 employees and supports roughly $180 million in payroll.
The facility is the largest producer of automotive alloys in North America and a key supplier to automakers. More than 90% of the site’s projected 2025 flat-rolled product output was dedicated to automotive body sheet and structural sheet, with a small fraction serving the beverage can market, according to estimates from CRU Group, AMU’s parent company.
Novelis’ Oswego location is the company’s largest wholly owned fabrication facility in North America. Novelis is a subsidiary of Mumbai, India-based Hindalco Industries Limited.
This week, the company also confirmed leadership changes at the Oswego plant.
Plant Manager Kristen Nelson and several other members of management have parted ways. A company spokesperson did not specify who the other plant leaders were or how many departed.
