Prolind Aluminum, headquartered in São José dos Campos, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, opened a new facility this February, in the Paraíba Valley. The new remelting plant recycles aluminum profiles, which will be used for the production of new products. Consequently, the company is positioning itself as the only Brazilian company in the sector with an integrated operation that includes remelting, extrusion, and the manufacturing of aluminum parts.
The new remelting plant has a production capacity of 50,000 tons of aluminum per year, in its first phase. With the inauguration, Prolind expects to grow 120% in 2021 (compared to 2020), with about 100 new jobs offered.
A Greener Aluminum
“We will start developing special aluminum alloys, not [currently] available on the market,” said Erivam Boff, business director at Prolind. “This plant will start at a time of international restriction on metal supply; therefore, we hope to double our economic participation in the region where we are located, starting with our commitment to the environment.”
Reinforcing its commitment to sustainability, Prolind fitted the Paraíba Valley facility with state-of-the-art industrial production equipment and technology, which will cause little environmental impact. Recycling aluminum scrap will provide the company with a 95% reduction in electricity consumption, when compared to the production of primary aluminum. Furthermore, their furnace system contributes to a 30% reduction of natural gas consumption versus conventional systems, and has a filtering system of exhaust gases that allows for the use of up to 10% of organic material into the process of aluminum recycling. In addition, all materials to be used in the manufacturing process are at least 80% recyclable.
Probably the most noticeable sustainability feature of the new plant is the roof. Solar panels adorning the roof will provide energy for the plant, and cisterns will recover rainwater to be reused as part of the industrial input (with capacity to store up to 20,000 liters of water).
About the Company
Prolind Aluminum has been developing aluminum products for 30 years. The company provides solutions for a number of broad market segments, such as transportation, civil construction, automotive, aeronautical, electrical industries, etc. Prolind has an industrial park located in São José dos Campos, in the state of São Paulo and is among the largest producers of extruded aluminum profiles and industrial parts in Brazil. Currently, Prolind Aluminum has about 200 employees. They’ve achieved certifications ISO 9001, ISO 14001, IATF 16949 and the Diploma VDA – B (Verband der Automobilindustrie).