Aluminum is at the heart of many of our products - from interior design fittings and glass-wall profiles to marine equipment. Its strength, lightness, and corrosion resistance make it indispensable. But aluminum is also essential for its sustainability potential. To understand how the material fits into a circular future, we speak with one of our premium suppliers.
Aluminum’s circular DNA
Jean-Marc Moulin works as Director of Sustainability at Hydro - a global aluminum and energy company that produces low-carbon, recycled and primary aluminum while driving sustainability across the entire value chain.
Jean-Marc explains that aluminum’s sustainability begins with its inherent material properties. “It is lightweight, versatile in design, durable, and - like most metals - infinitely recyclable without loss of quality,” he says. This infinite recyclability gives aluminum a unique advantage in the circular economy:
“Every time the metal is reused, fewer natural resources are extracted and less energy is consumed. Recycling aluminum uses up to 95 percent less energy than producing primary aluminum, dramatically reducing the associated carbon footprint.“
“Every time the metal is reused, fewer natural resources are extracted and less energy is consumed. Recycling aluminum uses up to 95 percent less energy than producing primary aluminum, dramatically reducing the associated carbon footprint.“
High recycled content- and low carbon primary aluminum
Hydro operates globally, but its European operations provide a strong example of sustainable sourcing. According to Jean-Marc, around 70 percent of their extrusion billets come from recycled aluminum, with the remaining 30 percent from primary sources. Even in this category, the company prioritizes low-carbon materials such as Hydro REDUXA 4.0, which emits around 4 kg CO₂e per kilogram of aluminum - significantly lower than global industry averages.
This combination of high recycled content and low-carbon primary aluminum helps compress the total carbon footprint of Hydro’s products, a benefit that directly transfers to ROCA Industry and our customers.
From scrap to new profiles: How aluminum is reborn
Jean-Marc describes the recycling loop as both "sophisticated and constantly improving". Scrap comes from manufacturing offcuts, customer returns, third-party suppliers, and increasingly from post-consumer scrap recovered from various sources and also demolished buildings or refurbishment projects. Once collected, the aluminum undergoes an extensive sorting process using technologies like eddy current separators, sensors, X-ray systems, and LIBS analysis.
Ensuring purity remains one of the biggest challenges. Contaminants - paint, plastics, mixed metals - can lower quality. But Jean-Marc highlights that new sensor-based and AI-enhanced sorting technologies “significantly increase efficiency and quality,” enabling Hydro to return more aluminum into high-grade applications.
Partnerships that close the loop
For circularity to work, suppliers and manufacturers must collaborate closely. Jean-Marc emphasizes that partnerships like the one between Hydro and ROCA Industry accelerate progress: By working together already at the design phase, companies can incorporate ecodesign principles, create take-back systems for scrap, and co-invest in advanced recycling capabilities. “When both parties prioritize transparency and sustainability, we create a mutually beneficial ecosystem,” he adds.
Guided by standards, driven by data
Hydro’s sustainability practices follow many standards like ISO 14001, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), and additional regional frameworks. Jean-Marc notes that ASI certification ensures responsible practices across the entire value chain. Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data across all sites provides further transparency, enabling partners like ROCA to confidently trace the environmental impact of the materials we use.
Hydro monitors emissions, waste, and resource use through automated reporting systems that compare live data with LCA results and digital-twin prognoses. Their annual sustainability report undergoes third-party verification, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement.
A message for sustainability-focused customers
Jean-Marc is particularly excited about upcoming technologies such as the HalZero process, which replaces traditional electrolysis with a method that drastically reduces CO₂ emissions. Other promising areas include fuel-switch projects using biomass or green hydrogen, and increasingly advanced AI-driven sorting technologies.
He concludes with a simple but powerful message: “Aluminum is fun!” Customers should look beyond aesthetics and function, and consider the full lifecycle of the aluminum they choose. Responsible sourcing and recycling not only reduce environmental impact but also encourage the industry to continue innovating toward a cleaner future.
