Aluminum Scrap Markets
August 11, 2026
Hydro’s recycled, low-carbon product line to be featured in more EVs in US, Europe
Written by Stephanie Ritenbaugh
General Motors’ Cadillac OPTIQ electric vehicle will feature a front bumper system made with Hydro CIRCAL, an aluminum alloy made of 75% post consumer scrap.
The product is made at Hydro’s newest US-based recycling facility in Cassopolis, Mich.
It’s part of a collaboration between Hydro, the Detroit automaker, and automotive supplier Shape Corp. The partnership marks one of the first US implementations of Hydro’s recycled product line in a structural, safety critical vehicle application.
“By bringing recycled aluminum back into demanding vehicle applications, we can reduce embedded emissions, strengthen material circularity and make better use of the resources already in circulation,” Duncan Pitchford, vice president of recycling at Hydro Aluminum Metal, said in a statement.
The front bumper beam is a structural crash management part located at the front of the vehicle, behind the visible bumper cover. It absorbs and distributes impact energy in collisions to help protect passengers, pedestrians and critical EV systems.
The announcement comes on the heels of another automotive deal. Hydro is expanding its partnership with Mercedes-Benz to increase the use of recycled and low-carbon aluminum across Europe.
Mercedes-Benz is the first European automaker to use CIRCAL in series production for the next generation of large electric vehicles.
The companies signed a letter of intent in 2022 outlining a low-carbon technology roadmap between 2023 and 2030. In 2024, Hydro and Mercedes-Benz extended their collaboration to cover the entire aluminum value chain.
“The next generation of automotive supply chains will be defined by higher levels of circularity, a lower-carbon footprint and a deeper level of localization to enhance resilience and quality. Together with Hydro, we are helping to shape that future,” Yanni von Roy-Jiang, head of procurement and supplier management at Mercedes-Benz, said in a statement.
