Hydro’s Extrusion Americas unit has announced that it has recycled more than 207 million pounds of scrap aluminum last year. Of this, nearly 20 percent was post-consumer waste. The balance was post-industrial waste.
Hydro remelts the scrap at its facilities in Phoenix; St. Augustine, Fla.; and Monett, Mo., where it is combined with primary aluminum using Hydro technology to produce the aluminum billet required for new extruded products for its customers. The new products average more than 70 percent recycled content.
“Although our total 2009 recycling volume was flat compared to the previous year, we’re still pleased. The scrap market was very soft due to the recession, yet we still hit our goal for over 70 percent recycled content,” said Lynn Brown, Extrusion Americas’ senior vice president for sales and marketing. “That success fits with our global corporate mission to provide our customers with environmentally compatible products.”
The company purchases scrap aluminum from a number of sources, including buy-back programs with its industrial customers. The post-consumer waste is purchased, and comprises used auto wheels, wire, old window frames and other aluminum products.