BRAZILIAN ALUMINUM - solutions for sustainable living

BRAZILIAN ALUMINUM SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING 6 T he Brazilian aluminum industry has coped with an environment that has likely been the most challenging in the past decades. It is surely one that has unfolded the biggest changes, thus reminding us of the “Liquid Modernity” theory by Zygmunt Bauman. The said sociologist and philosopher sought to explain the contrast between the “solid” world with which we were so used and the contemporary world, in which the overwhelming speed of technologies and the access to information have spawn a sense of accelerated change and transience. The moves taking place have caused the need for ABAL and its member companies to act proactively and effectively, and quite continuously respond to an ever-changing business environment. Over the past ten years, our sector has begun to deal with new realities, where some beliefs then deemed as “sound” have disbanded:  Although not owning good quality bauxite reserves, China has begun to account for over 50% of the world primary aluminum production;  The Chinese aluminum products have landed in Brazil, thus threatening our manufacturing industry;  Hydropower, which seemed to have a huge potential in our country, has turned into a scarce and costly one, making some primary aluminum production plants unfeasible;  The concern about climate change has grown to the point that many organizations have now advocated carbon pricing as the key to face the climatic risks;  The socio-environmental demands and costs for those operations using natural resources have multiplied. Moreover, those operations, which are often located in regions lacking minimum public infrastructure, do end up playing the role of the State, by means of permits and conditionings;  Both credibility and reputation of an organization have become paramount assets and businesses have been under huge pressure for greater governance and transparency;  New disruptive technologies have emerged, such as 3D printing and the “Internet of things” unfolding a potential to remodel some traditional processes;  The circular economy and life-cycle thinking have focused on what our industry used to put into practice. Recycling has become vital. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT