Hydro Circal available throughout the US

Norsk Hydro ASA, a Norwegian aluminum producer with global operations, has confirmed "widespread availability" of Hydro Circal in the United States.

Circal is a certified aluminum product made with a minimum of 75 percent postconsumer scrap, including obsolete scrap such as old window frames, car parts and consumer appliances like smartphones and personal computers.

Circal production in Commerce, Texas; Henderson, Kentucky; and Cassopolis, Michigan, is verified in a third-party audit process by Norway-based DNV.

It is made with a process that Hydro says reduces carbon emissions, empowering industries like construction, automotive, transport and electronics to lower their environmental impact without compromising on performance or design.

The company says its use of high volumes of obsolete aluminum scrap helps preserve resources, reduce landfill waste and “stimulate a more sustainable, conservation-driven American manufacturing economy.”

“We are now able to bring American scrap back to life in new products through our advanced aluminum recycling facilities that we have adopted from our European business,” says Duncan Pitchford with Hydro’s North America aluminum business unit.

“Call it reborn in America. Aluminum can be recycled endlessly if sorted and treated correctly, and in this way is a very effective way to make use of resources we already have and cut emissions.”

The company predicts Circal will meet growing demand for verified low-carbon and circular materials in several U.S. industry sectors.

Hydro says it can deliver 60,000 tons of Circal annually from its U.S. manufacturing sites to serve manufacturers of furniture, auto components and other products with metal that can meet sustainability goals. The company says that volume is sufficient to secure its customers’ supply chains and is in contrast to many other low-carbon offerings.

According to Hydro, Circal carries a carbon footprint of less than 2 pounds CO₂-equivalent emissions per pound of aluminum, the lowest in the market and up to five times lower than the global average for aluminum.

“We’ve invested heavily in R&D to ensure Hydro Circal meets both the needed sustainability credentials as well as the highest standards of performance and reliability,” Pitchford says.

“From advanced surface treatments to load-bearing automotive applications, this material has been tested extensively across industries. The result is a premium recycled aluminum that performs on par with—or even better than—new material, giving engineers and designers a responsible solution without compromise.”