Hindalco builds India’s first all-aluminium railway rake, says Kumar Mangalam in 63rd AGM

On Tuesday, August 23, Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla announced in the 63rd Annual General Meeting of Hindalco Industries that the company developed India’s first all-aluminium railway wagon. The railway rake made from lightweight, high strength aluminium alloys is 180-190 tonnes lighter than a steel rake.

According to Mr Mangalam, the railway rake made of aluminium will be a game changer, saving 1,500 tonnes of carbon emissions a year. It will also improve the logistics efficiency of coal transportation and accelerate India’s decarbonisation journey, said Birla.

He calculates that if five per cent of the 2 lakh railway wagons that India government plans to introduce are of aluminium, around 15 million tonnes of carbon emissions can be saved in a year.

Hindalco’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments include achieving net carbon neutrality, water positivity, biodiversity conservation and zero waste to landfill by 2050.

Kumar Mangalam also noted in the meeting that Hindalco reserved a total capital expenditure of about $8 billion for its arm Novelis and India. Novelis has discovered potential investment opportunities of $4.5 billion, while its India arm has identified opportunities of nearly $3 billion.