EMR Secures Funding for Recycled Aluminium Manufacturing Project in the UK

Plans to transform aluminium production in the UK received a significant boost with a £3.4 million grant awarded to EMR by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). The grant will support a collaborative research project aimed at creating a world-leading metals processing facility, focusing on producing aluminium extrusion billet with reduced carbon content.

The proposed facility will utilize recycled aluminium to produce billets, significantly reducing embedded carbon and promoting a more circular economy. This innovative approach aims to replace conventional primary aluminium with post-consumer metals, thereby reducing emissions and contributing to a more sustainable aluminium supply chain. The facility will be able to produce aluminium extrusion billet using up to 100% recycled content for the first time.

EMR is leading the project, known as ReCircAl, which brings together expertise from across the aluminium supply chain. Key partners include Constellium, an aluminium manufacturer and automotive supplier, BCAST at Brunel University of London, BCW Treatments, Riskoa, and multinational automotive manufacturer Stellantis, which is acting as a technical advisory group leader.

Constellium is playing a central role, leveraging its expertise in aluminium alloy development to ensure the production of high-quality recycled aluminium products. EMR and Constellium, along with other consortium members, aim to create a new benchmark in the industry for low-carbon aluminium billets that meet the mechanical and durability standards of primary aluminium.

The project will enable the creation of aluminium components made from up to 100% recycled material, meeting or exceeding the quality of those produced from primary sources. End-of-life aluminium will be processed within the consortium to create high-strength, impurity-tolerant billets, suitable for manufacturing structural automotive components. These billets will undergo rigorous testing to meet automotive quality and performance standards.

EMR's Commercial Director, Bruce Miller, described the project as a "landmark moment" for both the aluminium industry and the automotive sector. "By proving that high-performance automotive components can be produced from recycled materials, we are helping to create a more circular vehicle manufacturing industry in the UK. The support from the APC enables us to push the boundaries of what recycled aluminium can achieve," said Miller.

Martin Jarrett, Technology Director of Constellium's Automotive Structures and Industry unit, added that the project marks a significant step towards developing a recycled aluminium supply chain as a strategic resource for low-carbon production. BCW Treatments' Managing Director, Dr. Andy Wilson, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of advancing the use of post-consumer scrap to drive the transition to a circular economy.