The threat of climate change, and the growing focus on a carbon-neutral world and the implementation of a circular economy has changed the way heavy industries operate now. The result was the Paris Agreement in 2016, which set up an aim of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius over the 21st century. This transformation […]
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Obama’s 2010 mandate that obligates car manufacturers to double new-car average fuel economy by 2025 has pushed the car industry to produce more fuel efficient cars at a faster rate. Ford’s next F-150 — the US’s largest selling vehicle — is currently being redesigned and rebuilt with an all-aluminum body, a huge helping hand to […]
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Before the 1980s, banking institutions weren’t allowed to own non-financial businesses — Congress wanted to reduce the risks banks take, as well as safeguard depositors. However, in the 1990s, Congress and the Federal Reserve’s rules were relaxed, soon permitting some banks to develop businesses in storing and transporting commodities. In 2010, Goldman Sachs bought Metro […]
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Before you start reading the blog below, consider the following THREE facts about aluminium and China: 1. China is now the world’s largest producer (> 50%) of primary aluminum using mostly (> 80%) coal-generated electricity; 2. Production of primary aluminum requires large quantity of electricity, and therefore emits a large quantity of GHG (12 tonnes […]
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In order to remain in competition with rival Ford Motor, General Motors is planning to scale down the weight of its full-size pickup trucks by employing more aluminum from manufacturers like Alcoa and Novelis. GM’s 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are 250-400 pounds lighter than previous models, but Ford’s 2015 F-150 is anticipated to […]
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In 2009, in a joint effort, aluminum companies Alcoa and Novelis decided to centralize their aluminum can collection. In 2011, the two companies accumulated 40 billion cans. However this past August, in order to start its own collection program, Novelis split from Alcoa. Both companies are now at war, trying to out-collect the other. In […]
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In some of our recent posts, we have observed that recycling has become an increasingly globalized industry, with recycled material collected in one country (mostly from US and Western Europe) and then processed in another (often China and India). As a result of this trend, radioactive materials are occasionally slipping into our stocks of recyclable […]
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America has been worried about its weight problem for years, and one of the broader solutions for the US’s growing obesity will affect the aluminum industry. Aluminum can sales in the US are slated to decrease in 2013 as people are opting for water, iced teas and other healthy alternatives to soda. Many anti-soda initiatives […]
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Brazil’s 2011 aluminum can recycling rate was an unprecedented and ‘historic’ 98.3%, again allowing them to retain the title of Aluminum Can Recycling Champion. Since 2001, Brazil has been ranked as the number one country with the highest aluminum can recycling rate, cementing the country as the global leader and forerunner in this domain. According […]
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A World View Most of the US’s raw materials based products and processes were designed in the 1950’s and 1960’s, and were created based on the idea that we have an unlimited supply of primary materials. At that time, the world population was 4 billion, and consumption was relatively low. Now, in 2012, the world […]
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