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Creating value
throughout the life cycle of aluminium

Aluminium is the world’s third most abundant element and a vital material for the 21st century. Here, we explain the various stages of production and outline our role in the process. We are committed to improving the overall footprint of aluminium’s life cycle and to creating value for customers, suppliers, and society.

  • 1
    Extraction
    and refining
  • 2
    Smelting
  • 3
    Casting
    rolling
    and extrusion
  • 4
    product
    design and
    manufacturing
  • 5
    product
    use
  • 6
    collecting
    and sorting
  • 7
    recycling
1. Extraction and refining

Aluminium is produced from bauxite ore, mostly extracted from open cast mines. Bauxite is then chemically processed in refineries into alumina (pure aluminium oxide). Two to three tons of bauxite are required to produce one ton of alumina.

2. Smelting

Primary aluminium is produced in smelters, where pure aluminium is extracted from alumina through an electrolysis process.

3. Casting, Rolling
and Extrusion

Casting: Other metals are added to the molten aluminium to create customized alloys, and then cast into billets or slabs.

Rolling: We roll slabs to produce plates, sheets or coils which can then be used to produce cans, car hoods or aircraft wings.

Extrusion: Billets are transformed into extruded products which we use to produce structural parts such as Crash Management Systems.

4. Product design
and manufacturing

Our R&D and production teams work in partnership with our customers to leverage aluminium’s inherent advantages, include lightness, flexibility, durability and recyclability.

5. Product use

Our products are primarily used in the aerospace, automotive and packaging sectors.

6. Collecting and sorting

We have rigorous process in place to recycle aluminium within the manufacturing process by collecting and sorting scrap at our facilities and offering these services to our customers.

7. Recycling

Aluminium can be endlessly recycled without losing its properties. We recycle scrap produced during our process, during our customers’ process, and at the end of a product’s life.