Nexans – Nexans and Trimet improve the eco-balance of power cables
Aluminum producer Trimet and Nexans have laid the groundwork for improving the eco-balance of power cables. In a joint breakthrough development project, the two companies have developed a material with recycled aluminum content for the production of aluminum rod used in electrical cables.
Trimet and Nexans have developed a new product able to meet the high technical requirements on the mechanical properties and conductivity of the alloy while reducing the product’s carbon footprint. Until now, power cables have been manufactured exclusively on the basis of primary aluminum.
Melting and recycling of aluminum scrap requires only a fraction of the energy needed to produce primary aluminum. However, recycled aluminum contains impurities that adversely affect the material’s specific properties. The collaborative project between Nexans and Trimet aimed to coordinate optimized raw material supply and innovative material development. For example, Nexans has refined the sorting of aluminum scrap at its production sites in Europe through RecyCâbles, a Nexans-Suez joint venture, while gearing its collection to recycling for electrical cables. Trimet has closed the material cycle with its recycling concept and used the scrap obtained to develop a high-quality alloy that meets the full range of quality requirements for mechanical and electrical performance.
” Our project shows that recycling offers enormous potential to reduce CO2 emissions. I am proud that Nexans can now offer its customers a product that combines superior quality while ensuring a higher level of circular economy. Nexans thus pursues its strategy to constantly look for new sources of value for its customers. ”
Vincent Dessale, Chief Operating Officer of Nexans
” Recycling is an important component of sustainable aluminum production for us. The development of high-quality alloys with the smallest possible carbon footprint makes a significant contribution to this. ”
Philipp Schlüter, CEO of Trimet Aluminum SE and President of Trimet France SAS
Nexans plans to maximize the use of aluminum rod with recycled aluminum content in 2023. This enables the global company to meet its customers’ growing demand for products with a favorable eco-balance. For its part, Trimet is expanding its range of recycled products in the aluminum wire sector. In so doing, the materials specialist is building on its commitment to decarbonize production while making a further contribution to the energy transition.
Source
Nexans
EMR Analysis
More information on Nexans: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services
More information on Christopher Guérin (CEO, Nexans): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services
More information on Vincent Dessale (Chief Operating Officer and Senior Executive Vice President in charge of Building & Territories Northern Business Group, Nexans): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services
More information on Trimet Aluminum SE: https://www.trimet.eu/en/ + As an innovative, medium-sized, family-owned company, TRIMET develops, produces, recycles, casts, and sells modern light-metal products made of aluminium at nine locations.
A staff of about 2,400 ensure, together with our customers, that automobiles are more economical, aircraft are lighter, wind turbines and electricity plants are more efficient, buildings are more modern, and packaging is more ecological.
We have acquired unique knowledge about our material since we first started in 1985 and have been able to retain three things in particular: authenticity, reliability, and, of course, our passion for aluminium.
- 765,000 Tons production capacity Business year 2020/21
- 1.5 Billion euros in sales Business year 2020/21
- 74 Million euros Investments Business year 2020/21
More information on Philipp Schlüter (CEO, Trimet Aluminum SE + President, Trimet France SAS): https://www.trimet.eu/en/trimet/organization + https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipp-schl%C3%BCter-133786238/
More information on RecyCâbles: https://www.suez.com/en/our-offering/success-stories/our-references/recycables-provider-of-waste-cable-recovery + https://www.nexans.com/en/newsroom/news/details/2018/10/Recycables-expansion.html + leading provider of cable waste recovery. Waste recovery from complex or basic cables requires leading-edge technology expertise. In 2008, SUEZ and Nexans established RECYCÂBLES, which quickly became the leading recycler of cables and non-ferrous metals in France.
EMR Additional Notes:
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
Primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities. Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and other biological materials, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere (or “sequestered”) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle. - Decarbonization:
Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the use of low carbon power sources, achieving a lower output of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.