Brembo has launched the use of an alloy with 100% recycled aluminium in the production of its original equipment calipers.
Launched in 2020, the project set out to enhance the environmental profile of Brembo’s manufacturing processes.
Brembo is an Italian manufacturer of high-performance braking systems and components for cars, motorbikes and commercial vehicles. The company also develops braking systems for mountain bike racing.
Aluminium’s unique ability to be infinitely recycled without any loss in quality made it a natural focus for Brembo, offering significant potential to lower environmental impact.
Brembo’s team explored various alloys available on the global market, looking for a solution that could guarantee the same mechanical performance and castability as the original material but with significantly lower CO₂ emissions.
Additionally, Brembo prioritised the identification of an alloy available across all the regions where Brembo has its production plants.
After extensive scouting and testing, Brembo found an alloy made entirely from recycled aluminium. Using this alloy, CO₂ emissions across the entire lifecycle of the caliper can be reduced by 70% compared to conventional alloy.
A reindustrialisation effort was launched to ensure the new solution could be scaled globally across all Brembo plants, delivering the highest quality and performance.
“The adoption of recycled aluminium in the production of our iconic brake calipers embodies our ongoing commitment to innovation for sustainability. This solution is designed to meet the highest standards of performance and environmental responsibility,” said Daniele Schillaci, CEO of Brembo.
“Brembo's journey is one of continuous improvement, unwavering commitment and this innovation we're bringing to the market represents our contribution to building a future where our new products are smarter, safer and more sustainable than the one before”.
Using the new recycled alloy, the calipers will feature a new ALU trademark logo registered by the company, visually distinguishing those made with upcycled aluminium.
For calipers currently in production, Brembo will continue to use conventional aluminium until the end of their product life, while prioritising the adoption of aluminium produced with renewable energy.
