18 April 2024 | Four leading flat-rolled aluminium manufacturers and members of the European Aluminium Packaging Group (EAPG), Constellium, Elval, Novelis and Speira, have signed an agreement to engage in a standardisation project to maximise the recycled content levels of the beverage can and thus substantially lower carbon emissions, focused on increased recyclability of the can end.
Today, the aluminium beverage can body and the can end are made from two different aluminium alloys. While the rolled aluminium for the can body already contains a high percentage of recycled aluminium and supports ultra-high recyclability, there is additional sustainability potential related to the can end.
The project will focus on exploring alternative, more- recycling–friendly alloy(s) for the can end. The use of recycled aluminium drastically reduces direct carbon emissions and saves 95% of energy compared with primary aluminium production. An alternative alloy with a high recycled content for the can end will enable can makers to offer cans with strongly reduced carbon emissions. The ultimate aim is to develop an aluminium beverage can which can be produced from up to 100% recycled aluminium and to deploy it on the market.
EAPG will provide the platform to execute the project, building on its vast experience in developing such collaborative activities. The multi-year project aims to fully engage other value chain partners directly involved in the process of can- making, filling, and closing.
“Collaboration and pooling of expertise on this vital topic is something that all company members of the Packaging Group of European Aluminium are fully committed to, and that will help decarbonise our industry“, stated Maarten Labberton, Director of the European Aluminium Packaging Group. “The project is a key driver towards full circularity and will make beverage cans an even more sustainable packaging. In addition, with the steady growth of Deposit Return Systems across Europe, we will be able to recycle more cans via can-to-can remelting solutions, in line with the joint roadmap with the canmakers towards 100% beverage can recycling by 2030.”
About the involved flat rolled aluminium manufacturers
Constellium (NYSE: CSTM) is a global leader in advanced aluminium products and solutions and in aluminium recycling, serving a wide range of industries including packaging, aerospace, and automotive. Constellium leverages its expertise in R&D, manufacturing, and engineering to deliver aluminum products and solutions that contribute to a more sustainable and circular future. Headquartered in Paris, France, Constellium operates a network of 28 state-of-the-art facilities across Europe, North America, and Asia, and generated €7.2 billion of revenue in 2023.
Elval is the aluminium rolling division of ElvalHalcor SA (ELHA:ATH), a global aluminium and copper manufacturer with a strong production base across 15 plants, cutting-edge technology and a solid market presence in more than 90 countries. Elval has 50 years of rolling and recycling expertise, designing and manufacturing innovative aluminium solutions while building trusted partnerships across the globe. The extensive custom-made product portfolio serves the packaging, transportation, automotive, HVAC&R, building and construction, energy and industrial markets.
Novelis Inc. is a producer of innovative aluminium products and solutions and the world’s largest recycler of aluminium. The company aims to be the leading provider of low-carbon, sustainable aluminium solutions and to achieve a fully circular economy by partnering with suppliers, as well as customers in the aerospace, automotive, beverage can and specialties industries. Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, an industry leader in aluminium and copper, and the metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai.
Speira is a European aluminium rolling and recycling company, comprising a total of eleven recycling and production sites in Germany and Norway plus own research and development. Speira recycles up to 650,000 tons of aluminium per year and produces around one million tons of advanced rolled products. With approximately 5,400 employees, Speira supplies industrial companies in the global sectors automotive, packaging, printing, engineering, building and construction.
About European Aluminium
European Aluminium, founded in 1981 and based in Brussels, is a member-based industry association representing the aluminium industry in Europe. The 100+ members include primary aluminium producers; downstream manufacturers of extruded, rolled and cast aluminium; producers of recycled aluminium and national aluminium associations, representing more than 600 plants in 30 European countries. Aluminium products are used in a wide range of markets, including automotive, transport, high- tech engineering, building, construction and packaging.
