Constellium to lead Close the Loop project to accelerate automotive aluminium circularity
- Constellium SE is at the forefront of the Close the Loop initiative, partnering with recycling companies in France to develop advanced technologies for aluminium recycling from end-of-life vehicles.
- The project is funded by the French Environmental Agency ADEME under the France 2030 program, emphasizing the importance of sustainability and circular economy practices.
- Recycling aluminium from end-of-life vehicles requires significantly less energy compared to producing primary metal, reducing GHG emissions by 95% and contributing to environmental preservation.
- Constellium's research and development center, C-TEC, will prototype new aluminium Auto Body Sheet alloys with improved impurity tolerance, aiming to enhance the efficiency of recycling operations.
- The company is dedicated to providing low carbon footprint aluminium to automotive customers, aligning with the increasing demand for sustainable mobility solutions in the market.
- None.
Insights
The initiative spearheaded by Constellium SE to develop the 'Close the Loop' project is a significant step towards enhancing sustainability within the automotive industry. By focusing on the recycling of wrought aluminium from end-of-life vehicles, the company is addressing a critical aspect of the materials economy: the transition from a linear to a circular model. This approach not only preserves the intrinsic value of aluminium but also substantially reduces the environmental impact associated with the production of new metal.
The project's alignment with the France 2030 program and partial funding from ADEME underscores the strategic importance placed on sustainable development by national stakeholders. The collaboration with specialized recycling companies INDRA, GALLOO and MTB RECYCLING suggests a comprehensive approach to tackling the technical and economic challenges of recycling complex materials. The successful development and integration of new aluminium alloys and decarbonization technologies could catalyze industry-wide adoption, potentially leading to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption in the sector.
The 'Close the Loop' project represents a proactive response to the evolving demands of the automotive market for sustainable materials. As automotive manufacturers continue to seek lightweight alternatives to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, aluminium has become increasingly important. Constellium's initiative to create a closed-loop system for aluminium recycling directly caters to these market trends, potentially strengthening the company's competitive position.
By prototyping new aluminium Auto Body Sheet alloys with increased tolerance to impurities, Constellium is not only addressing the immediate needs of the automotive industry but also anticipating future challenges related to material purity and recycling efficiency. This forward-thinking approach may provide Constellium with a strategic advantage, particularly as manufacturers and consumers alike prioritize sustainability in their purchasing decisions. The impact on the stock market will likely be tied to the perceived success and scalability of these innovations, as well as their adoption by leading automotive players.
From an economic standpoint, the 'Close the Loop' initiative could signify a shift in resource utilization within the automotive sector, leading to potential cost savings and price stabilization for aluminium. The dramatic reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with recycling aluminium—95% less than producing primary metal—implies that the project could have a favorable impact on the operational expenditures of companies adopting these recycled materials.
Furthermore, the development of technologies to decarbonize melting operations at Constellium's C-TEC research and development center could have implications beyond the automotive sector, potentially influencing other industries reliant on aluminium. The economic benefits of these advancements may extend to reduced regulatory pressures and potential financial incentives for low-carbon technologies, thus affecting the broader stock market by shaping investor perceptions of the material sector's future profitability and risk.
PARIS, Feb. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constellium SE (NYSE: CSTM) today announced that it is leading a new R&D initiative called “Close the Loop” in partnership with an ecosystem of recycling companies in France, including INDRA (automotive recycling), GALLOO (metal recycling) and MTB RECYCLING (metal shredding & sorting).
Funded in part by the French Environmental Agency ADEME under the France 2030 program, the Close the Loop project aims to develop technologies to dismantle, sort and remelt wrought aluminium from end-of-life vehicles to be used in future vehicles. Recycling aluminium requires only
As the amount of aluminium on end-of-life vehicles continually increases thanks to automakers’ growing use of lightweight aluminium over the past 20 years, it is essential that the metal is efficiently recycled and repurposed into new vehicles, preserving its value and contributing to a circular economy. Several options, including full vehicle shredding and dismantling aluminium-rich components, will be assessed both technically and economically. New aluminium Auto Body Sheet alloys with increased tolerance to impurities will be prototyped at Constellium’s C-TEC research and development center, which is also investigating new technologies to decarbonize melting operations.
“We are proud to lead the Close the Loop project and look forward to further demonstrating Constellium’s commitment to providing low carbon footprint aluminium, as well as the benefits and feasibility of circularity, to our automotive customers,” said Ludovic Piquier, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing Excellence and Chief Technical Officer. “We believe this project will further strengthen aluminium’s position in the automotive market as manufacturers and consumers demand more sustainable mobility solutions.”
Constellium is a leading full-service supplier of rolled and extruded aluminium solutions for the global automotive market and is collaborating across the value-chain to help drive the low-carbon transition and promote a circular economy.
About Constellium
Constellium (NYSE: CSTM) is a global sector leader that develops innovative, value-added aluminium products for a broad scope of markets and applications, including aerospace, automotive and packaging. Constellium generated
| Jason Hershiser – Investor Relations Phone: +1 443 988 0600 investor-relations@constellium.com | Delphine Dahan-Kocher – Communications Phone: +1 443 420 7860 delphine.dahan-kocher@constellium.com |
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