EMR leads UK recycled aluminium research drive

A world-leading facility in the UK to produce aluminium extrusion billet with less embodied carbon is the goal of a collaborative project which includes metals recycler EMR.

The project, ReCircAl, is being supported by a £3.4 million grant from the UK Government’s Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).

Led by EMR, the consortium includes key players in the supply chain: aluminium manufacturer and automotive tier 1 supplier Constellium; academic metals centre of excellence BCAST at Brunel University in London; advanced multi-disciplined surface treatment expert BCW Treatments and digital integration and rapid life cycle assessment specialists Riskoa. Automotive manufacturer Stellantis leads a technical advisory group.

Industrial scale

APC’s funding will provide support to establish the requirements for a world leading metals processing facility. Such a facility would create components made from up to 100% recycled aluminium at an industrial scale which, for the first time, will match the mechanical and durability performance of primary aluminium.

End-of-life aluminium will be processed by the consortium to provide a range of high-strength, impurity tolerant billets. The expectation is they will be validated through rigorous qualification protocols established by the OEM partners.

Landmark

Bruce Miller, commercial director at EMR, says it is a landmark moment for the aluminium industry and the automotive sector. ‘By proving that high-performance automotive components can be produced from recycled materials, we are helping to create a more circular vehicle manufacturing industry in the UK.

‘The support from the APC enables us to push the boundaries of what recycled aluminium can achieve. This collaboration will not only reduce the carbon footprint of UK manufacturing but also deliver significant economic benefits, securing future investment and jobs.’

Martin Jarrett, technology director of Constellium’s automotive structures and industry business unit, adds that another collaboration, the CirConAl project, pioneered the use of post-consumer scrap in a range of impurity tolerant alloys.

‘This has provided the foundation for ReCircAl, which is aimed at developing the end-to-end recycled aluminium supply chain as a strategic resource for low-carbon aluminium production, creating a paradigm shift in the industry.’