Hydro Boosts U.S. Aluminium R&D with New Cassopolis Centre and Recycling Plant
Hydro has announced the expansion and relocation of its Hydro Aluminum Technology Center (HATC) to Cassopolis, Michigan, a move that enhances the company’s research and development capabilities in aluminium products. The new facility aims to support the growing demand for low-carbon aluminium in the U.S., with a focus on key sectors such as automotive, transportation, consumer products, and building systems.
The technology centre is equipped with a state-of-the-art laboratory for advanced testing of mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and metallurgical investigations. The updated design improves both process efficiency and safety for employees. Sharing the same administration building as Hydro’s new recycling plant, the proximity fosters collaboration between operators, engineers, technical staff, and R&D teams. This setup is expected to benefit not only the Cassopolis location but also Hydro’s recycling plants in Henderson, Kentucky, and Commerce, Texas.
HATC is accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation and is the only testing lab within Hydro to offer third-party certified testing for aluminium’s strength, corrosion resistance, and other performance metrics. Alongside HATC, Hydro also operates a technology centre in Troy, Michigan, which supports the company’s extrusion plants throughout North America.
Hydro Aluminum Metals USA President, Duncan Pitchford, emphasized the strategic importance of the new facility, saying, “Having this best-in-class technology centre next to our newest recycling plant in Cassopolis will strengthen our ability to deliver on future growth plans across the U.S.”
The HATC plays a crucial role in Hydro’s global network of laboratories and R&D centres, providing essential performance testing data that supports Hydro's production facilities and customers across North America. In addition to its U.S. operations, Hydro also runs R&D centres in Norway and partners with universities in the U.S. and Europe. Dr. Stig Tjøtta, Head of Technology for Hydro Aluminium Metal, highlighted the importance of these resources in meeting the standards of leading automakers.
The Cassopolis recycling plant, now running at full capacity, enables Hydro to produce over 2.2 billion pounds of recycled aluminium billets annually. Recycling aluminium requires only 5% of the energy needed to produce primary aluminium, contributing to significant reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
The expanded plant will prioritize the production of Hydro’s proprietary HyCrush and HyBeam automotive alloys, supported by the technical expertise of the HATC team. Hydro is also able to offer alloys under the Hydro CIRCAL brand, which contains at least 75% post-consumer scrap and boasts the industry's lowest carbon footprint.
