The company is aligning sustainability throughout its value chain thanks to the investments made over recent years aimed mainly at reducing its ecological footprint. These developments have increased Aludium’s global aluminium recycling capacity, reaching 200 KT by the end of 2020, which translates into a reduction in CO₂ emissions equivalent to 350,000 tonnes per year. This strategy, the construction of the most efficient recycling circuit for aluminium, is in line with the Paris Agreement and the European Circular Economy Action Plan. In terms of company performance, the health and safety of its employees remained Aludium’s number one priority in 2020, at year close there had been no covid cases at any of its plants.

Aludium has published its 2020 Sustainability Report, highlighting aluminium recycling as one of the pillars of its business leadership. The company has focused its strategy on increasing its ability to produce recycled aluminium and increase the use of scrap. Its global recycling capacity reached 200 KT in 2020 thanks to the investment carried out over recent years. It should be highlighted that one of Aludium’s investments, the Amorebieta plant’s DC3 multi-chamber furnace, has increased the percentage of scrap recycled by the plant by 300% in 2020 as compared to 2018.

Furthermore, with the reopening of the smelter at the Alicante plant in 2019, inactive since 2008, the group has increased the overall amount of recycled aluminium. Currently, Alicante is remelting all the scrap generated by the plant, thus preventing it from being shipped to Amorebieta, and is also re-smelting third-party scrap units.

As reflected in the sustainability report, Aludium helps protect the planet through using renewable energy and by improving energy efficiency, reducing polluting gas emissions, protecting biodiversity, managing natural resources responsibly, reducing primary aluminium use and increasing the recycling of scrap, among other things. Currently Aludium’s entire metal supply chain is being transformed by embedding recycled aluminium deeper into its processes. As set out in the report, a success story in 2020 is the development of the closed-loop recycling programmes that Aludium established with major customers.

The corporate document includes the company’s sustainability activity during 2020. “Our environmental commitment to our customers, the planet and society is to work on finding and designing more sustainable, innovative and environmentally friendly solutions using a higher percentage of recycled aluminium.” Lionel Chapis, Aludium’s CEO, declares. Recycling is essential for sustainable development since it facilitates the protection of natural resources and helps reduce the use of raw materials. “Our present has a shape, and it is circular. Thanks to the developments made over recent years, we are now able to remelt 70% of the sheet metal ingot we need ourselves, and we see greater future potential with new investment. A few years ago, this proportion was less than 40%”, adds Chapis.

Health and safety, Aludium’s highest priority in 2020

2020 has been a year full of changes marked by the pandemic. However, the commitment to protecting its workforce’s health and safety did not buckle when confronted by the new circumstances. Aludium closed the business year with zero covid case transmission in its facilities and the safety goals it set itself were reached: reduce the overall recordable incidents rate (TRIR) and the total recordable frequency rate (TRR). We are very pleased with our rates since, compared to other companies in the sector, our total recordable accident rate (TRR), remains low. However, we will not let our guard down and will continue to work to offer the best solutions to our clients while creating safe, motivating and healthy work environments to protect our most precious asset”. Lionel Chapis concludes.

Download the Sustainability Report 2020 using this link.