YKK AP America Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, announced that 80% of its aluminum is now being supplied from low-carbon North American producers. The company noted that this is an important milestone in its Evolution 2030 initiative, established in 2023 with the aim of contributing to the global environment, creating new value for customers, and prioritizing employee well-being and engagement.
“At YKK AP, we are committed to our organizational sustainability goals to reduce carbon intensity, with a combination of sourcing low carbon aluminum, and improving manufacturing practices and recyclability,” said Raymond Shelton, chief sustainability and communications officer, YKK AP.
YKK AP is a major supplier of architectural products, including storefronts, curtain wall, windows, doors, and sunshades. The company operates a number of manufacturing plants and sales offices across the U.S., as well as Erie Architectural Products plant in Lakeshore, ON, Canada (acquired in 2019). All of its plants are ISO 14001 certified, a standard which acknowledges the reduced environmental footprint of a business, as well as the decreased pollution and waste a business produces.
Responsible material sourcing is fundamental to the company’s sustainability goals, ensuring that its already energy-efficient products contribute to an overall lower carbon footprint. This commitment extends beyond the raw materials from outside suppliers that are delivered to YKK AP’s vertically integrated manufacturing processes. In addition, the company melts and casts its own aluminum billets in house, ensuring consistency while also incorporating a circular production model by recycling 100% of in-house aluminum scrap and maintaining at least 30% recycled content in its aluminum billets. These integrated capabilities enable the company to maintain full control over production, quality, and sustainability.
“In one year, we cut carbon emissions in the manufacturing of our aluminum billets by 50% compared to the previous year. We take great pride in this progress, and yet we understand there is more work to be done,” said Shelton. “We plan to continue investing in production upgrades, energy efficiency, automation, and the conversion to electricity and renewable energy to continue to meet our goals.”
YKK AP is regularly recognized for its environmental practices. Most recently, the Georgia Water Coalition presented the company with the Clean 13 Award, which recognizes organizations whose initiatives have led to a more sustainable future for Georgians. In 2009, the company was the first manufacturer to bring products to market designed specifically to address energy needs. In 2015, YKK AP elevated its commitment to sustainability by becoming the first façade manufacturer to voluntarily provide third-party certified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for all products in its portfolio.