Ford recycling creates 30,000 F-150 bodies worth of aluminium every month

A recent publication on the consumption of aluminium by auto industry showed that Ford produces about 20 million pounds (9 million kg) of aluminium stamping scrap per month, which is recycled as a part of the company's closed loop recycling system and goes on to provide parts for the F-150.

Opting for aluminium over steel in new automobile construction is the best way to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, according to Oak Ridge National Lab.

Recycled aluminium avoids 95 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with primary aluminium production. It uses significantly less energy and water – another reason Ford F-150 leads the full-size truck pack in terms of lifetime carbon footprint, according to Automotive Science Group.

Ford recycling closed loop system:

• First, special recycling equipment separates the aluminium from other metals, divides it into six different alloys, cleans it, shreds it and transports it to special trucks.
• The trucks then deliver the processed aluminium back to the supplier, who melts it down to remove any impurities.
• The molten metal is reshaped into coils and then shipped back to Ford stamping plants, where it is reintroduced back into the manufacturing process and used to make parts for the F-150 produced at Ford’s Dearborn Truck and Kansas City Assembly Plants.

Weight savings from aluminium alloy helps the F-150 reduce its lifetime emissions compared to the previous steel-body version. Between 30-40 per cent of a typical aluminium coil is turned into scrap in the stamping process. The Ford recycling team then turns it into new metal for the truck using the closed-loop system.

Using Ford’s 2.7L EcoBoost engine with standard Auto Start-Stop technology, F-150 4×2 has best-in-class EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway (actual mileage will vary).

F-150 SuperCrew and SuperCab with available collision warning are the only trucks in their class to earn a Top Safety Pick from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. F-150 also is the only full-size, light-duty truck to earn National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s highest rating, a five-star overall vehicle score and five-star rating for driver and passenger for all crash test modes and cab configurations.