Hydro’s aluminium manufacturing plant in Hungary is now certified according to the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s (ASI) Performance Standard and its Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard. ASI aims to see sustainability and human rights principles increasingly embedded in supply chains.
ASI’s Performance Standard recognises the responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium. The CoC Standard sets out requirements for the creation of a chain of custody for ASI-certified aluminium, which is produced and processed through the value chain into the downstream sectors. It means that the sites and their practices are certified, and that the physical metal they process also is certified, when obtained from ASI-certified sources.
Certification of Hydro Extrusion Hungary in Székesfehérvár covers all the site’s operations, including its extensive automotive-related activities.
The plant has been producing structural components for electric cars since 2012, when BMW introduced the i3, and its products are used in most of the premium electric cars produced in Europe. Earlier this year, the plant surpassed the delivery of 10,000 tonnes of aluminium profiles to electric vehicle manufacturers, contributing to the sustainable ambitions of Hydro.
“This is a great achievement for us in Székesfehérvár, and a credit to the hard work we put into this. ASI certification is a step forward for us in our sustainability agenda, and it supports our customer demands for aluminium products that are sourced and produced responsibly,” says managing director Frank Iepema.
The Hungarian plant is Hydro’s largest aluminium extrusion plant in Europe, with six presses, surface coating capabilities and 300 machines for fabrication. It employs more than 1,000 people.
The plant is located 60 km southwest of Budapest.
Strong support for customers
“This is another milestone for our strong team in Hungary, and for our organiSation as a whole. Doing business the right way is what our company is about,” says executive vice president Egil Hogna, who leads Hydro’s Extruded Solutions business area.
Extruded Solutions is the largest business area in Hydro with 22,000 employees in 40 countries. It delivers tailored aluminium components and solutions to all industries, from automotive and mass transportation to building and construction, electronics, offshore and maritime.
The business area serves more than 30,000 customers across the world.