Constellium eyes airplane circularity

Paris-based metals producer Constellium SE has agreed to work with France-based Tarmac Aerosave to explore the development of technologies and processes to recover aluminum from end-of-life aircraft and reutilize it within the aerospace value chain.

Tarmac Aerosave is involved in the storage, maintenance, refurbishment and dismantling of airplanes. It has three primary shareholders: aircraft producer Airbus, aerospace components firm Safran and environmental services firm Suez.

“The footprint of aluminum compares very favorably with competing materials used in aircraft production, and recycled aluminum adds to this advantage,” Constellium says in its news release announcing the agreement.

Constellium says recycled aluminum uses 5 percent of the energy required for primary metal production, thus resulting in 95 percent fewer CO₂ emissions for the aluminum produced for commercial aircraft.

The research project is being designed to benefit from Tarmac’s dismantling experience and Constellium’s “know-how" in metallurgy, aluminum recycling and alloy design.

“Dismantling of the aircraft and reuse of components and materials are already part of our core business," says Sebastien Medan of Tarmac Aerosave. "This collaboration with Constellium encourages us to explore the valorization of the end-of-life airframes even further, and to expand our contribution toward the ambitious decarbonization targets set by the commercial aviation sector.”

“Recycling is at the core of Constellium’s strategy,” says Ingrid Joerg, president of Constellium’s Aerospace & Transportation business unit. “Returning aluminum from end-of-life metallic aircraft structures back into our process is critical to achieving full circularity for commercial aviation.

“Aircraft recycling currently faces many technical challenges, but every effort to decarbonize the aerospace industry is necessary. As a technology and market leader in aluminum solutions, Constellium is committed to play its part.”