Boeing, Chicago, and Alcoa, Pittsburgh, announce that they have formed a closed-loop program to significantly increase the recycling of internal aluminum aerospace alloys. The program calls for recycling of 2XXX and 7XXX-series aluminum alloys used in the production of wing and fuselage components of Boeing airplanes. The forms will include aluminum extrusions, sheet, and plate products. At the outset, approximately eight million pounds of aluminum is expected to be recycled annually.
The closed loop recycling program will entail inter-modal transport of aluminum alloy scrap material, including advanced alloys, from Boeing facilities in Auburn and Wichita, as well as third-party processors in Auburn, to Alcoa’s facility in Lafayette, Ind., for melting and recycling into new aerospace materials.
The new program also lays the groundwork for expansion of the effort to capture scrap from Boeing sub-contractors, and is to be expanded to include other aluminum scrap forms, including chips that remain after machining.
“This program will maximize the value of aluminum scrap materials throughout the supply chain while also reducing waste,” says Leslie Shuman, Director of Supply Chain for Alcoa’s Aerospace, Transportation and Industrial Rolled Products. “It also allows us to work closely with Boeing to ensure the quality and integrity of the materials we bring into our system for recycling.”
