Constellium affirms efforts to boost US beverage can recycling rate

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Constellium has released the Business and Sustainability Performance Report 2016. The report analyzes the performance of the company during the calendar year 2016 against its 2020 targets.

According to the report, Europe is well on track to achieve the target of 80% recycling rate set for 2020. Major beverage can consuming countries have reported increased or steady recycling rate, thanks to efforts undertaken by the European Aluminum Association. On the contrary, the US beverage can recycling rate reported decline in 2016 from 54.4% to 49.5%.

The company noted that it would continue to work with industry participants and other stakeholders including the Aluminum Association and the Can Manufacturers Institute to increase cans recycling capacity in the US. For instance, installation of the new recycling furnace at its Muscle Shoals, Alabama facility is expected to boost the company’s recycling capabilities in entire North American region. The new furnace is expected to improve the total recycling output of the plant by 170 million pounds. Also, the plant’s recycling capacity is expected to touch 20 billion used cans per year, upon full operation. The Business and Sustainability Performance Report claims that the Muscle Shoals plant is a key element in its commitment to ‘close the loop’ in beverage can recycling.

Constellium notes that Aluminum can be endlessly recycled to create new products with similar properties as the original products. The company recycles the scrap produced during its processes, scrap collected from its customers and the scrap recovered at the end of a product’s life cycle. The report commits to improve recycling of aluminum through collaboration with customers, associations and research centres.

The report outlines the various strategic initiatives undertaken by the company to expand its footprints. The company opened new facilties to meet growing demand from automotive industry. The new finishing line at Neuf-Brisach facility in France is expected to increase the total annual production capacity by 100 kt thereby equipping the company to meet the growing demand from European OEM customers. Efforts are already underway to ramp up the 100 kt Auto Body Sheet finishing line in association with joint venture partner UACJ Corporation of Japan at the Bowling Green, Kentucky facility. The company also launched a new initiative to upgrade the cold rolling capabilities at Singen, Germany facility. Incidentally, the plant had demonstrated a new initiative in partnership with Nespresso to transform end-of-life coffee capsules into knives, peelers as well as new capsules.

In addition, Constellium had recently announced plans to build a new greenfield plant at San Luis Potosi, Mexico, whose production is expected to commence next year. The nearly $10 million investment is aimed at tapping the potentials of Mexico-one of the world’s largest automotive industries. Also, the company had announced plans to build a new automotive structures plant in Bartow County, Georgia and upgrade works at its plant at Decin, Czech Republic.