Closed loop recycling of aluminium
At the start of 2024, Svenska Fönster started a new pilot project to investigate the potential of sending waste aluminium from their factory back to their supplier. Very quickly, this closed loop recycling scheme proved a success and at the end of 2024, 52 tonnes of aluminium had been returned for reuse.
Aluminium is an integral part of Svenska Fönster’s range of aluminium clad wooden windows, yet it is one of the materials with the highest carbon footprint. By collecting the cutoffs – the long profiles over 1.2 metres – from the production and sending them back to the supplier, this valuable material can be remanufactured and used to create low carbon aluminium.
The new take-back scheme builds on the existing delivery process with the
supplier. Previously the aluminium would be delivered on racks, which were unloaded and then the empty racks would be taken away. Now the racks are unloaded and some are left at Svenska Fönster to collect the cut-off pieces that cannot be used in window production. These are collected by the aluminium supplier when they deliver new aluminium profiles and taken back to their production site for recycling.
Not only is this great in terms or reusing this valuable material, but it also makes good economic sense from a transport perspective as it removes empty truckloads.
