Overview

As extensively detailed in AluReport 01/2023, AMAG components has drawn up a master plan, charting the future direction of the company. This masterplan, which will be implemented in several phases at the company’s Übersee and Karlsruhe sites, aims to improve all operational KPIs with the aim of giving customers the best possible service.

When the first issue of AluReport was published in 2008, AMAG had already been focused on increasing the energy efficiency of high-temperature processes at its foundries for some time. While the introduction of the ISO 50001 energy management system in 2013 added a further dimension to these efforts, the vision of climate-neutral foundry operations had still not been formed. Nevertheless, AMAG faced up to the challenge of actively shaping this transformation several years ago and is now taking decisive action to prepare itself as effectively as possible.

AluReport talks to ALMECO Vice President, Tommaso Fiorentini, about the market for bright aluminium products and how ALMECO has evolved from a company focused on the lighting industry to become a leading supplier of bright aluminium products for a wide range of applications.

AluReport chats with Bettina Gupfinger, Technical Director of AMAG service GmbH, and Gerald Steindlegger, founder of Integrated Sustainability Solutions (ISS), during a stroll through the AMAG forest.

Rain is hardly unusual in the autumn. In 2023, however, autumn brought a very different kind of rain to AMAG - with awards raining down on the company. In the space of a few weeks, AMAG received four awards in different disciplines, from sustainability to intelligent data use, and from reporting to outstanding economic performance.

In an earlier edition we had already reported on the adhesive bonding in the automotive industry and the associated challenges regarding the longevity of the bonded joint under corrosive load. Here, the influence of the chemical surface treatment of the final surface was discussed.

How much energy does AMAG consume per year? How is AMAG contributing to achieve climate neutrality?  What is sustainable procurement management? How is AMAG implementing it? And to what extent does AMAG engage with social issues?

The adhesive properties of our products are influenced by many different factors. In addition to influencing characteristics such as texture and surface chemistry, subsequent process steps are also decisive, especially those carried out at our customers. Knowledge and understanding of the relevance of these influencing factors enables the optimization of processes, selection of adhesives or the interpretation of commissioned adhesive tests.

In the automotive industry, the importance of welded joints is increasing and directly connected to lightweight design and recyclability. The welding process and the different welding geometries enable the required mechanical and technological properties and the joints’ visual and decorative demands. Out of the wide variety of welding techniques, resistance spot welding (RSW) is the most used method due to its fast processing time, high degree of automation, and the potential for hybrid joints with adhesive. Other advantages are the weight savings if RSW is compared to rivet or bolt joints and the simplification of the material recycling process without joining elements.

It is far easier to generate electricity from renewables than it is to produce other renewable energy vectors such as hydrogen (H₂) and biomethane.

AMAG components has initiated a comprehensive master plan (see AluReport 02/2023 and 03/2023) with the goal of delivering outstanding quality and efficiency standards for customers.

In the early 1990s, the smelter in Ranshofen was decommissioned, with the site since shifting its activities to the production of high-quality cast and wrought aluminium alloys based on the use of solid metals and with a focus on recycling. At the same time, a clear focus on our customers has remained the foundation of our corporate philosophy and promotes long-term cooperation in a spirit of partnership. In addition to its role as a product supplier, AMAG also considers itself an innovator, a technology specialist, an expert consultant on the entire production chain and a manufacturer of sustainable products. Reducing CO₂ emissions has become an increasingly important objective in recent years. In this context, transporting cast alloys in a liquid state can help to reduce associated CO₂ emissions.
Adopting such a holistic perspective makes it possible to continuously optimize the benefits for our customers. AMAG casting has significantly increased its turnover by focusing on this crucial factor and aims to increase its sales volumes to exceed 100,000 tons in the years ahead.