Diageo announces the British Aluminum Consortium for Alloys (BACALL), a group of industry experts who have created a circular economy system to produce aluminum in the United Kingdom. The consortium will build a plant to roll hundreds of thousands of tons of aluminum sheets in the United Kingdom that will produce more than 400 million cans of “Guinness” and “Gordon’s” ready to drink.
The consortium will build an advanced aluminum manufacturing and recycling plant to establish a new aluminum supply chain based on a circular economy, preserving aluminum recycling in the UK and consolidating its position as a leader in the adoption of carbon reduction strategies in the industry. Once the plant is operational, the recycled aluminum will make a big contribution to support Diageo’s 10-year action plan, as it will increase the use of recycled aluminum with a “Guinness” cann e% recycling cycle; reducing carbon emissions caused by the export and import of aluminum sheet; to reduce the dependence on raw materials; and contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions in Diageo’s target 3, as the plant will use 95% less energy in the production of aluminum plate, compared to traditional manufacturing methods.
Diageo started working with BACALL in 2021, funding a feasibility study together with the UK government (through UK Innovate) to look at the possibility and how a large-scale circular economy strategy can be adapted to aluminum in the United States. Kingdom Ewan Andrew, Director of Sustainability and Global Supply Chain and Management at Diageo, commented: “We are delighted to be part of a project that will ultimately transform aluminum production in the UK. We now want to work together with business and government to both reduce aluminum’s carbon footprint and bring this part of the supply chain into Bring back the UK”.
David Sneddon, Non-Executive Director of BACALL Aluminum Ltd, commented: “Aluminium is one of the most recyclable materials on the planet; however, more than 15Bn cans made in the UK depend on an energy-intensive supply chain that requires aluminum to be moved in and out of the country. By removing, recycling, by manufacturing and supplying aluminum flat sheets in the UK, we can localize and close the supply chain, significantly reducing carbon emissions.This will help aluminum become a more sustainable industry and future-proof production capacity for ultra-low carbon alloys.
Geoff Scamans, professor of metallurgy at Brunel University, commented: “Aluminum has the potential to be zero carbon, but the entire supply chain needs a sharp reduction in emissions. The UK now exports a lot of its aluminum scrap, but at the same time it imports almost all of its aluminum sheet. This change should allow for a significant reduction in the carbon footprint.I commend Diageo and BACALL for starting this process.
