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Products & Services—Approach
Aluminum is one of the world’s most sustainable materials, with about 73% of the metal ever produced still in use. Most other materials likely have substantially lower values due to their material properties, longer history of production, or lower recovery/recycle value. Aluminum also offers a significant range of benefits—high strength, lighter weight, longer life, etc.—that helps our customers’ products become more sustainable as well.
That’s why we are focused on better understanding the sustainability of our current products and opportunities for improving and generating new ones. We are involved in developing products and processes to increase both the amount of aluminum used throughout the world and that which can be recovered for recycling.
We are also the first aluminum wheel manufacturer to buy back our used wheels through a new program launched in the United Kingdom called “Value for Life.” Specifically, we offer to buy back used Alcoa aluminum wheels when customers replace them. The program provides customers with high-quality products that offer a lifetime of value and an environmentally friendly solution.
In 2008, our Kawneer North America business—the leading manufacturer of architectural aluminum products and systems for the commercial construction industry—was awarded Cradle to CradleSM environmental product certification at the silver level for its 1600 Wall System®1 and 1600 Wall System®2, InLighten® Light Shelf, and 1600 SunShade®. Cradle to Cradle (C2C) is an independent U.S. environmental certification process for materials and products, assessing the total impact of a product on human health and the environment.
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