INDUSTRY NEWS
The road to CO₂ neutrality
Hydro will supply Mercedes-Benz with low-carbon aluminium to reduce the carbon footprint of its vehicle fleet , including EQ models . Both parties have agreed to a common low-carbon technology roadmap from 2023-2030 .
Hydro and Mercedes-Benz will , during this period , collaborate on a joint technology roadmap aiming to develop aluminium solutions approved for automotive applications with a CO₂ footprint of below 3kgCO₂ / kgAl . The ambition is to approach near-zero aluminium by the end of 2030 .
Hydro will deliver its first volumes of aluminium with a footprint below 3kg CO₂ / kg aluminium , Hydro REDUXA 3.0 , to Mercedes- Benz in 2023 . The product will be introduced to a range of Mercedes-Benz models , including its EQ models .
“ Mercedes-Benz is a forward-leaning company and a perfect partner for Hydro . The ambition of making its entire fleet of new passenger cars CO₂-neutral by 2039 matches Hydro ’ s ambition to deliver industrial-scale ,
Image : Mercedes-Benz .
Hydro CEO , Hilde Merete Aasheim , with Markus Schäfer , Member of the Board of Management and Chief Technology Officer , Development & Procurement , Mercedes .
zero-carbon aluminium by 2030 . Partnerships and collaboration in the value chains can accelerate technology developments needed to reduce emissions , and we are excited to have Mercedes-Benz joining us on our path to zero-carbon aluminium ,” said Hilde Merete Aasheim , President and CEO , Hydro .
Carmakers rely on aluminium to reduce weight and carbon emissions without compromising safety . The recyclability of aluminium means that single-use materials can be avoided . Hydro has been supplying Mercedes-Benz with aluminium components for many years . With this partnership , Mercedes- Benz and Hydro will collaborate and further research how low-carbon and recycled aluminium solutions can be used in vehicles . The objective is to utilise the full potential of aluminium as a lowcarbon solution in modern vehicles .
“ Aluminium is becoming increasingly important as a lightweight material in electric vehicles . We
Benefits of using aluminium in automotive
■ Strength / weight ratio .
■ Energy absorption for safety parts .
■ Surface quality for trims .
■ Conductivity for high-voltage battery cables .
■ Recyclability .
are intensively working with our partners on finding levers to lower CO₂ emissions in the aluminium supply chain . Therefore , I am very happy that we now join forces with Hydro as a longstanding expert in producing renewable energies to tackle one of the biggest challenges in the automotive industry . This is an important signal to accelerate change in the aluminium industry and increase the availability of low-carbon aluminium ,” commented Markus Schäfer , Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Chief Technology Officer , Development & Procurement .
Examples of car parts that can be made with aluminium extrusions include side sills ; crush cans ; front crash members ; rear bumpers ; subframes ; battery boxes and exterior details such as roof rails and trims .
Hydro is committed to delivering a 30 percent reduction in its CO₂ emissions by 2030 . For primary aluminium production , emission reductions will come from reducing emissions in its alumina production facilities in Alunorte , Brazil , and through further optimisation of its electrolysis and cast-house operations . Hydro is developing carbon capture solutions for its existing aluminium production facilities while spearheading a new , zero-carbon primary aluminium technology . It aims to have industrial scale pilots for such technologies by 2030 . n
CBM Annual Dinner & Awards
The Confederation of British Metalforming ( CBM ) in the UK will be holding its Annual Dinner and Awards evening on 30 March 2023 at The Grand Hotel in Birmingham ( UK ). The annual industry awards recognise excellence within the CBM membership .
“ The annual CBM Metalforming Awards are a wonderful way to promote a company . As the voice of [ the UK ’ s metalforming ] industry , we can ’ t wait to recognise accomplishments and show the wider supply chain and business community what has been achieved ,” the CBM told ISMR .
The four categories this year are : ‘ Company of the Year ’; ‘ Apprentice of the Year ’; ‘ HSE Initiative of the Year ’ and ‘ Energy Efficiency
Initiative ’. Sponsorship opportunities are available .
“ Each category will have its own independent judging panel ( whose decision is final ). Submission deadline is Thursday 9 February 2023 , with the shortlist announced on 1 March 2023 . The winners will be announced on 30 March 2023 at the CBM Annual Dinner & Awards ,” added the CBM .
Above : ( L-R ) CBM President Stephen Morley with 2019 Emerging Engineer of the Year award winner Steven Hill and Mark Evans , Crowe UK .