Capral to offer Australian low emission aluminium products

Major aluminium manufacturer Capral has announced the introduction of its new LocAl aluminium, a lower-carbon primary aluminium option available across Capral’s locally manufactured extruded aluminium products.

The LocAl offer includes two lower carbon aluminium options – LocAl Green with carbon emissions of eight kg CO2e/kg Al and LocAl Super Green at four kg CO2e/kg Al – amongst the lowest carbon aluminium available globally.

In 2022 Capral committed to reaching Net Zero emissions by 2050, a significant step change, driving rapid innovation and cultural evolution throughout the business, most notably within procurement and operations.

General Manager of Supply & Industrial Solutions Luke Hawkins said: “In 2022, 22 percent of the primary aluminium billet Capral uses in its eight local extrusion presses has a carbon content lower than eight kilograms CO2e per kilogram of aluminium.

“Approximately 300 tonnes have a certified carbon content lower than four kilograms of CO2e per kilogram of aluminium.

“This is a strategic change for Capral, driven by our desire to make lower Carbon aluminium accessible to Australian manufacturers.”

Hawkins said the market was looking for this product, and as Australia’s largest extruder of aluminium, the company was making it available.

Aluminium produced with renewables has the potential to be a ‘sustainable metal’.

However, there are significant variations in the carbon emissions generated by smelters – from the electrolysis process – during the production of primary aluminium.

The four aluminium smelters producing primary aluminium within Australia consume approximately 10 percent of the national energy grid.

The carbon emissions in primary aluminium production range from under four kg CO2e/kg Al to over 20 kg CO2e/kg Al, largely dependent upon the energy sources used.

Capral General Manager of Marketing & Technology Michael O’Keefe said: “At eight kilograms of carbon emissions per kilogram of aluminium, the LocAl Green offer has 50 percent lower carbon emissions than the current global average for primary aluminium.

“At four kilograms, LocAl Super Green is 75 percent lower – this is a significant reduction. It gives Australian manufacturers an important opportunity to make more responsible procurement decisions when they source extruded aluminium.”

In addition to lower carbon emissions, the primary aluminium offered under the LocAl brand is sourced exclusively from Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certified smelters.

LocAl aluminium is available across Capral’s locally manufactured, extruded aluminium products, including custom-designed aluminium sections, standard extrusions, geometrics, transport sections, solar rail, and marine.

LocAl Green will be supplied as standard on all Capral proprietary window and door systems from November 2022.

Picture: Capral