Aluminum with Minimal Carbon Footprint Working for the Climate

Able to trace its roots back to Norway in 1905, Hydro has grown into a key part of the international aluminum supply chain and industry, with around 35,000 employees in 40 countries across the globe. The firm is a primary producer of aluminum, and rolled and extruded products, as well as extracting bauxite, refining aluminum oxide and generating energy. It has over a century of experience of actively working to adopt an environmentally sustainable manufacturing strategy that works both in the short-term by lifting profitability, and in the long-term by driving sustainability. Drawing inspiration from the recent international focus on resolving environmental issues - as epitomized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development -,
Hydro has challenged itself to become carbon neutral from 2020 and to achieve a 30% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. The lightness of aluminum inherently helps reduce transport consumption and emissions, but it is also fully renewable, with recycling only requiring 5% of the energy needed to produce the primary metal. Yet, Hydro’s real strength on the environmental front is its ability to embrace the entire aluminum supply chain, meaning it is competitive internationally with 70% of its primary production already using renewable energy sources. The company is further pushing sustainability by having helped to develop the Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI) standards, which Hydro uses to certify its own plants, including the extrusion plant located in Atessa in central Italy. The company adopts highly technological solutions to provide clients, architects and designers with guaranteed high-quality solutions that have zero emissions. For example, Hydro Reduxa^® is the company’s brand of low-carbon, sustainably produced aluminum. By using renewable sources or
self-produced energy, Hydro is able to reduce the carbon footprint to a maximum 4.0 kg CO₂-equivalents per kg of aluminum -
less than one-fourth of the global average. All Hydro Reduxa^® products are certified by DNV GL.

Another example of its exclusive products is Hydro Circal^®, made with post-consumer scrap aluminum. The certification of the recycled material guarantees the quality of the finished products, while the use of advanced sorting technologies means such products contain a minimum of 75%
post-consumer scrap, which is one of the best figures on the market, and have a carbon footprint of less than 2.3 kg
CO₂-equivalents per kg of aluminum.

The Wicona brand already has a range of solutions that use the Hydro Circal^® alloy in its products, such as Wicline 75 MAX, a window in which the handle is concealed in the sash. This produces a wonderful design element as it makes it impossible, from the outside, to see which windows are fixed and which can open.

 

HYDRO BUILDING SYSTEMS

Via A. Ponchielli, 3 - I - 20063 Cernusco sul Naviglio (MI)

Tel. +39 02 924291

E-mail: [email protected] - www.wicona.it

E-mail: [email protected] - www.domal.it