Building “Dream Team” at new aluminum recycling plant in Cassopolis
Hans Bjerkaas, Head of Operations at Hydro Aluminium Metal Recycling wants to recruit a high-performing team that puts safety first, embodies an improvement culture and lives the Hydro values of care, courage and collaboration.
The state-of-the-art recycling plant in Cassopolis, Michigan will strengthen Hydro’s ability to supply car makers and other industries in the U.S. with recycled aluminum. The project is on track for start-up during the second half of 2023. While electric vehicles are now a small percentage of the overall market, amounting to less than 3% of U.S. new auto sales last year, forecasters expect big increases in the next decade.
Bjerkaas talks about the importance of establishing a solid foundation from day 1.
“I am very excited that we have started recruiting the key positions for our state-of-the-art project in Cassopolis. My ambition when building this organization is that we must establish the foundation for a strong HSE and performance culture from day 1,” Bjerkaas says.
Aims to build a “Dream Team” of 70 employees at Cassopolis
The Cassopolis plant has already recruited Ingrid Guddal as Operations Director. Guddal has a proven track record in the aluminum industry with extensive leadership experience and is currently plant manager for Hydro’s primary aluminium plant at Karmøy in Norway.
When Bjerkaas talks about what kind of people they are looking to recruit, he states the project is looking to shape a “Dream Team” to take the next step in Hydro’s US aluminium recycling portfolio.
"We are looking for people who want to play an important part in Hydro’s exciting recycling growth agenda – and be part of building a dream team of skilled, motivated employees that want to learn and continuously improve on the job, while having fun doing it. We really are looking for the best of the best," says Bjerkaas.
When completed, the plant will provide 70 new, local jobs, aid in automotive innovation and will be a key stepping-stone in Hydro’s ambition of doubling recycling of post-consumer aluminum by 2025.
First out – positions in HSE, Maintenance, Finance and HR to be part of management team
The first positions, which will be part of Ingrid Guddals’s management team, are already posted. The positions are Finance Manager/Plant Controller, Human Resources Manager, Maintenance Manager and Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Manager.
We must establish the foundation for a strong HSE and performance culture from day 1
- Hans Bjerkaas, Head of Operations, Hydro Aluminium Metal Recycling
In addition, the plant will look to fill more positions in areas such as production, process, quality, and materials management.
The operator & production positions will be posted around December 2022. You will find all the vacant positions at Hydro’s aluminium recycling plant in Cassopolis here.
The Cassopolis plant will be the first large-scale producer of Hydro CIRCAL® in North America
Hydro will invest an estimated 150 million dollars to complete the project. Applications for the aluminum produced in Cassopolis will include critical automotive applications as well as other transportation uses, consumer and building system applications.
The Hydro Cassopolis recycling plant will produce 120,000 tons of recycled aluminum extrusion ingot per year. The Cassopolis plant will be the first large-scale producer of Hydro CIRCAL in North America. Unique to Hydro, Hydro CIRCAL aluminum extrusion ingot contains at least 75% post-consumer scrap, certified by third-party auditors DNV GL, and has a market-leading CO2 footprint of just 2.3 kg CO2 e/kg aluminum. With a growing focus on sustainably produced aluminum, several North American customers have expressed interest in Hydro CIRCAL.
Hydro is a leading industrial company that builds businesses and partnerships for a more sustainable future. We develop industries that matter to people and society. Since 1905, Hydro has turned natural resources into valuable products for people and businesses, creating a safe and secure workplace for our 31,000 employees in more than 140 locations and 40 countries.
Hydro is present in a broad range of market segments for aluminium, energy, metal recycling, renewables and batteries, offering a unique wealth of knowledge and competence to our customers and partners. Hydro is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: NHY).