The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) has published the 2023 Buyers' Guide, spotlighting aluminum extrusion production resources of AEC members. The newly updated guide provides alphabetical listings of extruder members, including press information, extruder plant capabilities, certifications and staff contacts, all under one cover. In addition, supplier and producer members are cataloged in distinct sections with complete contact information and web addresses for easy access.
The guide's easy-to-use sections include a geographical listing of extruder members and a comprehensive capabilities chart featuring each extruder members' plant locations and manufacturing data, such as press maximum circle sizes, finishing, fabrication and other capabilities. The digital version of the guide is accessible online at aecguide.org and the printed buyers' guide is available to designers, material specifiers, engineers, architects and others upon request.
The Buyers' Guide promotes extrusion use with value-added content citing the benefits of designing with aluminum extrusions for many applications in key industries. The option of sourcing locally is made easier with member listings for each plant location and the geographical listing of extruder members.
The Guide includes a feature article that highlights aluminum extrusions' supportive role in reducing the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of a product through the careful sourcing of aluminum billet?the feedstock for the aluminum extrusion process.
The article notes, "Aluminum billets are produced using either primary aluminum exclusively or a combination of primary aluminum and pre- and post-consumer aluminum scrap. Virtually all primary aluminum is imported, with carbon content being a function of the power source for smelting. One major lever to impact extrusion GWP is the use of recycled materials in the billet. Reducing the prime aluminum content from 47% (the AEC Aluminum Extrusion 2022 EPD baseline) to 30% virtually offsets the carbon contribution from the whole extrusion process. And, reducing prime aluminum to 10% offsets the contribution from extrusion, finishing and thermal enhancement."
The second major lever is to change the source of the primary aluminum used in the billet to a lower carbon-intensive smelting source (i.e., using aluminum produced using hydro power versus coal power).
In addition, the article also noted: "AEC members are increasing their investment in remelt capacity. More than 625,000 metric tons of secondary aluminum billet capacity is expected to go online through 2024."
To read the full article, download the digital 2023 Buyers' Guide or request a printed copy in the Resources/Publications section of AEC.org.
For more information contact:
Aluminum Extruders Council
1000 N. Rand Rd.
Suite 214
Wauconda, IL 60084
www.ataecguide.org