Closed-loop Recycling for Megane E-TECH by Constellium
Constellium SE has partnered with Renault Group to create a closed-loop recycling process for the latest Megane E-TECH Electric.
Aluminum, which is lightweight and 100% recyclable, is the preferred material for electric vehicle (EV) production. Constellium is equipped with innovative products and solutions to support this shift towards EVs.
Renault Group has created a closed-loop recycling system that involves sending production scrap from the stamping process directly to Constellium, resulting in a lower CO2 footprint. The closed-loop process follows industry best practices to avoid mixing 5xxx and 6xxx alloys and compacts scrap for efficient logistics at Renault Group. This process ensures that the alloys are recycled without any loss of properties and with no downcycling so they can be reused in Renault Group's production.
To manufacture the latest Megane E-TECH Electric, Constellium provides top-quality aluminium Auto Body Sheet for outer panels, sourced from its Surfalex® product line. This sheet boasts high strength, superior surface quality, and exceptional hemming properties. Constellium also supplies the inner panels with Formalex®, a product range optimised for forming.
Hervé Ribes, Director of Technical Customer Service Automotive for Constellium's Packaging & Automotive Rolled Products business unit, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership with Renault Group in developing sustainable and effective aluminium solutions. He stated that both companies are committed to the circular economy in the automotive industry and to achieving their respective sustainability goals. Additionally, Ribes emphasised that Constellium has a history of converting R&D expertise into large-scale industrialisation, and the fruitful partnership with Renault Group is a testament to this approach.
Yvan Chastel, Expert Leader for Metals and Processes at Renault Group, expressed excitement about expanding their collaboration with Constellium to achieve carbon neutrality. Chastel stated that the closed-loop recycling process first established for previous vehicles produced in Douai has been further improved to accommodate the production volumes of the new Megane E-TECH Electric. The collaboration demonstrates Renault Group's commitment to leading the way in decarbonising mobility and reducing CO2 emissions throughout their vehicles' life cycle.
This announcement marks another milestone in the long-standing and fruitful partnership between Constellium and Renault Group in sustainable automotive aluminium solutions. The two companies have been collaborating on R&D projects for alloys and solutions that facilitate closed-loop recycling since 2021, including the ISA3 collaborative initiative with ESI Group, Institut de Soudure (Welding Institute), and the University of Lorraine.
Constellium has identified recycling as a crucial element in its 2030 sustainability goals, and its partnership with Renault Group on closed-loop recycling aligns with this objective. The company is significantly increasing its recycling capabilities, with a €130 million investment in a new recycling centre at its Neuf-Brisach facility in France, which is anticipated to add roughly 130kt of recycling capacity by 2025.
Constellium is a comprehensive provider of rolled and extruded aluminium solutions for the worldwide automotive industry, supplying aluminium for 25% of vehicles produced in Europe and the U.S. The company assists automakers in developing lighter, safer, and more fuel-efficient vehicles, as well as electric vehicles with extended range. Renault Group sources its aluminium from Constellium's Neuf Brisach facility in France, which is certified by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI).
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Source: Constellium
