Part of the Green Solution: Aluminum

Understanding the value aluminum delivers in terms of the environment is important for all businesses. China is the world's largest consumer of aluminum while the U.S. is the 4th largest producer of primary metal. Aluminum is the most commonly recycled metal in the world. More than 1/3 of all the aluminum currently produced globally originates from recycled metal. Recycled aluminum ingot requires only about five percent of the energy necessary to produce primary aluminum ingot. Using a product that can easily be recycled in your business... just makes sense.

Aluminum

Aluminum is made from two sources: primary metal, produced from ore and secondary metal, produced from scrap.

The atomic structure of aluminum is not changed during melting so it can be recycled again and again without losing its inherent properties. The life cycle of an aluminum product is a renewable "cradle-to-cradle" sequence instead of the traditional "cradle-to-grave" as illustrated by the following production steps:

	1.	Bauxite mining;
	2.	Extraction of alumina from the bauxite;
	3.	Production of primary aluminum by electrolysis;
	4.	Semi-fabrication, which includes several industries like rolling, casting and extrusion;
	5.	Product manufacture, when aluminum is formed into products;
	6.	Use phase, where the major outlets for aluminum products are in transport, building, construction, packaging and engineering; and
	7.	Recycling, where all collected aluminum products are recycled and used again in further manufacture.

How AEC Makes a Difference

Alexandria Extrusion Company is committed to doing business with suppliers that strive to improve business practices as they relate to the environment. A team of AEC employees oversees the business operations and how they affect our environment. AEC is currently tolling all of its scrap aluminum and purchasing 20% of its aluminum billet requirement as remelt secondary billet. In 2007 AEC recycled over 5 million pounds of aluminum scrap. The energy saved by recycling this amount of scrap is over 33 million kilowatt hours of power. which is equivalent to the electricity used in 2,770 homes in one year (based on an average use of 1,000 kilowatt hours per month). AEC is proud to be involved in this tolling and recycling partnership.

Services

Extrusion Capabilities Overview

Precision Aluminum Extrusions

Aluminum Extrusion Process

Aluminum Finishing

Alex Plastics

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Alexandria Extrusion Company | 401 County Road 22 NW | Alexandria, MN 56308 • Phone: 320-763-6537 • Fax: 320-763-9250