Aluminium

Aluminium …

… is the most plentiful metal element in the earth's crust, with only oxygen and silicon present in larger quantities. The earth's resource of the metal is enormous and far more abundant than even the most ambitous predictions of the future demand. Bearing in mind the already high and constantly rising proportion of aluminium being recycled into the manufacturing stream, reserves of the metal are never likely to be depleted.

Versatility

With all its positive attributes and the many alloys available, each with its own special strengths, aluminium is probably the most versatile of metals - a versatility which has yet to be exploited to the full.

Low weight

At 2.7 its specific gravity is only about one-third that of steel. Aluminium's Weight saving is well known and is one of its greatest assets.

Strength

Not so well known is the way in which certain alloys can better the strengths of some commonly-used steels. This combination of low weight with high strength has brought the metal great success in transport and aviation applications.

Recyclability

A major asset in an age of environmental concern. Modern techniques have perfected ways of returning used aluminium to a "new" metal without the loss of purity or mechanical characteristics. The energy cost represents just 5% of the extraction energy required to produce from scratch.