YKK AP ups its sustainability game, plans to source 80% of aluminium from North American low-carbon providers

YKK AP America, a brand that designs and manufactures high-quality architectural products for the construction industry, has unlocked a significant milestone. YKK AP will now source 80 per cent of its aluminium from low-carbon suppliers across North America.

This is a great achievement in a time when sustainability is one of the most sought-after criteria. The company's commitment goes beyond sustainable materials, extending to its vertically integrated manufacturing processes for full control over production, quality, and sustainability.

According to company officials, this milestone is part of YKK AP's "Evolution 2030" initiative. YKK AP melts and casts its own aluminium billets in-house, ensuring consistency while embracing a circular production model — recycling 100% of in-house aluminium scrap and maintaining at least 30% recycled content in its billets.

"At YKK AP, we are committed to our organizational sustainability goals to reduce carbon intensity, with a combination of sourcing low-carbon aluminium and improving manufacturing practices and recyclability. In one year, we cut carbon emissions in manufacturing our aluminium billets by 50% compared to the previous year. We take great pride in this progress, yet we understand more work must be done. We plan to continue investing in production upgrades, energy efficiency, automation and the conversion to electricity and renewable energy to continue to meet our goals," said chief sustainability and communications officer Raymond Shelton.

Advancing its game of sustainability

YKK AP continues to advance its sustainability efforts, with manufacturing plants — including the Erie Architectural Products facility in Lakeshore, Ontario — holding ISO 14001 certification. This standard helps minimize environmental impact by reducing pollution and waste.

The company's environmental leadership has earned recognition, including the Georgia Water Coalition's Clean 13 Award for driving a more sustainable future for Georgians. In 2015, YKK AP became the first facades manufacturer to voluntarily offer third-party certified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its entire product portfolio, further solidifying its commitment to transparency and sustainability.