Promoting sustainability: Top 10 ASI certifications in 2023

The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), an international, non-profit organisation aiming to maximise aluminium's contribution to a sustainable society, works to enhance sustainability across the whole aluminium value chain. ASI Aluminium is a metal produced and acquired following ASI Standards, beginning with its mined or recycled source and continuing through all value chain stages. The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) seeks to enhance sustainability across the aluminium value chain, such as packaging, transportation, construction, engineering, and upstream and downstream manufacturing sectors. ASI certification helps both the aluminium industry and consumers by demonstrating their commitment to social, environmental, and ethical standards.

Some of the notable companies that earned different forms of ASI Certifications in 2023 are:

Alba

Alba became the first Middle Eastern entity to have received the ASI CoC Standard V2 certification for the production and marketing of primary aluminium from alumina, petroleum coke calcination, water desalination, anode manufacturing, smelting, casting, and captive power generation at the Alba Calciner and Alba Smelter in Bahrain. Alba is one of the largest smelters in the world, generating around 1.56 million tonnes of primary aluminium each year. Alba received ASI Performance Standard V2 certification in January 2020.

Hydro Reynosa plant

Hydro's Reynosa plant in Mexico achieves its first Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification. Hydro's Reynosa facility, located on the Rio Grande River's southern bank, employs about 320 people. Since its beginning in 2006, the factory has undergone a series of growth initiatives, positioning it as the area's most proficient producer of aluminium heat exchange systems. Hydro's Reynosa facility primarily serves the automobile and HVACR industries. Hydro Extrusions is Hydro's largest business branch, providing precision-built aluminium components and solutions to all heavy sectors, including automotive, logistics, construction, electronics, offshore, and marine. Hydro's extrusion company meets the needs of over 30,000 clients worldwide.

BALL Corporation 

The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) accredited BALL Corporation's Global Aerosol Packaging division for Performance and Chain of Custody Standards. The accreditation applies to all nine Ball manufacturing plants and aerosol canisters and slugs worldwide. As a result, Ball became the first extruded aluminium producer to provide its clients ASI-certified aluminium aerosol cans, slugs, and bottles. The decision was consistent with Ball's 2030 environmental goals, which included converting to 100% renewable energy by 2030 and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Fusão Ligas

Fusão Ligas Comércio e Indústria Ltda. (Fusão Ligas) was also certified against the Performance Standard V2 (2017) Certification by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) on June 27. The company's production plant in Joo Monlevade, Minas Gerais, Brazil, received accreditation for producing items from industrial byproducts and trash such as slag and sludge created during the aluminium smelting process.

Sohar Aluminium

Sohar Aluminium received Provisional status from the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) for its smelter and casthouse complex in Sohar, Oman. The company produces high-purity primary aluminium ingots, sows, and hot metals with an annual capacity of approximately 390,000 tonnes, supporting Oman's expanding downstream aluminium industry. ASI enlisted Sohar Aluminium as a Production and Transformation Member in 2021.

Aluphoenix 

The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative awarded Aluphoenix the Performance Standard V2 (2017) Certification for its remelting and casting factory in Riese Pio X, Italy. The plant has an annual capacity of about 50,000 tonnes of aluminium ingots for shipment. Aluphoenix specialises in melting and amalgamation of high-grade aluminium into ingot alloys, such as pre-and post-consumer scrap. These goods are utilised in the aviation and maritime transportation, renewable energy, and automotive industries. Last year, the business produced 11,291 tonnes of recycled aluminium alloys.

Capral Aluminium

Capral Aluminium Industrial Solutions, Australia's biggest manufacturer and distributor of aluminium products and architectural and construction solutions, received dual ASI accreditation to manufacture extruded products. Capral is Australia's first extruded aluminium product producer to achieve the certifications. On Thursday, June 8, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative reported that Capral was successfully certified against Performance Standard V3 (2022) and Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard V2 (2022). The certificates apply to all of Capral's 26 sites in Australia, which include mills, distribution hubs, and trade centres scattered throughout every state and territory.

Yunnan Aluminium

Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) enlisted Yunnan Aluminium Co., Ltd with the Performance Standard V3 (2022) and Chain of Custody Standard certifications. They are spread throughout six prefectures of Yunnan, China. Yunnan Aluminium operates vertically throughout most of the aluminium value chain, including bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting, casting, and semi-fabrication of aluminium products. It has a yearly capacity of around 3 million tonnes of smelted aluminium.

Hindalco:

Hindalco's sheet rolling operation at Taloja bagged the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Standard V2 (2017) certification. ). After Mouda and Hirakud FRP, which achieved ASI Performance Standard Certification in February and December 2022, respectively, this facility is Hindalco's third ASI-certified rolling factory.

TRIMET

TRIMET Aluminium SE, located in Essen, Germany, was accredited against the ASI Performance Standard Certification for developing, producing, and selling various aluminium products. These included extrusion billets, rolling ingots, and primary die-casting alloys from primary and secondary aluminium inputs. The plant has an annual capacity of 165,000 metric tonnes of raw aluminium and 100,000 metric tonnes of scrap/dross recycling. TRIMET Aluminium SE operates three additional ASI Performance Standard-certified manufacturing facilities in Germany and France.