Aluminium Billet, VERDEX

VERDEX is a specialised type of aluminium billet designed to achieve a significantly lower environmental impact compared to conventional secondary aluminium billets. The key distinction lies in its material composition, as VERDEX billets incorporate a much higher proportion of post-consumer scrap aluminium, reducing the reliance on newly processed secondary aluminium. Additionally, the process integrates low-carbon primary materials, ensuring that any virgin aluminium used has minimal associated carbon emissions. By optimising the scrap sorting, refining, and melting processes, VERDEX achieves a lower carbon footprint while maintaining high mechanical performance and quality standards. This approach not only enhances resource efficiency but also aligns with circular economy principles, making it a preferred choice for industries prioritising sustainability, such as construction, automotive, and consumer goods manufacturing.

This EPD is specific to VERDEX, a newly developed aluminium billet product by Sistem Alüminyum. Unlike conventional secondary billets, VERDEX stands out due to its exceptionally high use of post-consumer aluminium scrap and the incorporation of low-carbon primary aluminium, significantly lowering its environmental impact. VERDEX is not a mass produced item; instead, it is manufactured exclusively based on demand, making it a specialized product within Sistem Alüminyum’s portfolio. Consequently, this EPD is valid for one year, reflecting the product’s unique production approach.

The estimated annual production capacity for VERDEX is 15,000 tons. The production process follows a similar approach to conventional secondary billet manufacturing, with key material inputs including aluminium ingots, scrap metals, and alloying elements. However, what differentiates VERDEX is its high proportion of post-consumer scrap, which constitutes approximately 86-87% of the furnace charge. This scrap is sourced from multiple suppliers and meets strict quality specifications, allowing it to be fed directly into the furnace without the need for additional processing. The environmental impacts associated with the remelting of post-consumer scrap are fullyaccounted for in this analysis.

While maximizing recycled content is a priority, technical constraints and the stringent requirements for billets used in extrusion processes prevent the use of 100% post-consumer scrap. To maintain the necessary material properties and performance, around 11% of the furnace charge consists of primary aluminium, such as ingots. Sistem Alüminyum carefully selects and monitors its primary aluminium suppliers, ensuring that the sourced materials align with its sustainability objectives and contribute to an overall lower carbon footprint.