How it's used
MOVING THE WORLD FORWARD, one ingot at a time.
"Aluminium is essential for human progress.”
Impurity-free metal is highly sought after – it is in your smartphone and even goes to space. Discover where Tiwai aluminium is found and the role this magnificent metal plays in progressing the future.
Drinks Packaging
The rise in popularity of aluminium cans for soft drinks, beer and other ready-made beverages reflect both their ease of transportation and infinite recyclability.
Memory Disks and Capacitor Foil
Because aluminium is non-magnetic, lightweight and precisely grindable, it is the metal of choice for memory disks.
Capacitor foils (which are nearly always made from aluminium) are also used in almost every electrical system – from elevators, cake mixers, to x-ray machines. Aluminium is everywhere!
Cosmetic Packaging
Due to its infinitely recyclable properties, aluminium is a great option for the packaging of cosmetic products.
Not only can aluminium protect products from oxygen, light, and chemical absorption, the containers or tubes themselves allow for in-line printing – further increasing its eco-friendly appeal.
Ladders
Aluminium’s strength-to-weight ratio makes a ladder safe and sturdy for use, but also light enough for a single person to pick up and move about.
Unlike timber alternatives, an aluminium ladder requires very little maintenance and can be stored outdoors without deteriorating.
Aircraft Wings
The material used in the construction of aircrafts must be light, rigid, able to withstand extreme pressure and offer aerodynamic ability.
Aluminium, which is highly capable of fulfilling these functions, is used in the wings (and some other critical parts) of all modern planes today.
Mobile Phones
With technology looking to go smaller and lighter when it comes to our smartphones and other handheld devices, aluminium casings have become the predominant way to manufacture mobile phones and tablets – all around the world.
Electronics Casing
From gaming consoles to digital watches, aluminium casing is used in a number of electronic devices due to its ability to withstand high temperatures, block radio waves and remain recyclable – the latter being an increasingly important characteristic as technology evolves at a relentless pace.
Air Conditioning Unit Parts
Making both the evaporator fins and heat exchanger tubes in air conditioning units from aluminium (instead of a copper tube and aluminium fin) offers a lighter heat exchanger, which improves the galvanic balance of the materials used, gives better corrosion resistance, and ensures less heat transfer too.
Bullet Trains
Bullet trains have contributed to a significant decrease in the total carbon dioxide emissions produced.
Those constructed with Ultra High Purity aluminium can carry increased loads more safely, more efficiently and they also retain a high-salvage value when recycled at the end of their service.
Jetboats
Aluminium is the preferred material used to build boats, due to its ductility, UV-resistant, and non-corrosive properties.
As a result, aluminium offers boats a long lifespan, low impairment rate, and high resale value.
Because aluminium is incredibly light, it also provides lower fuel consumption, higher speeds, and ease of launch.
Alloy Wheels
Most wheels today are cast aluminium alloy, meaning they’re made by pouring molten aluminium into a mould.
Aluminium wheels are a good choice for a balance of performance, cost, fuel efficiency and aesthetics.
TVs and Computers
Aluminium is used in televisions and computers because it can capture the heat present in a device and prevent it from heating other key components.
Also, aluminium tends to provide a better look and feel to plastic alternatives, due to the fact it’s soft enough to be precision-machined.
ABS Braking Components
Due to aluminium’s ability to regulate and ‘sink’ heat, it is a key component used in antilock brake systems (ABS).
The transistors are attached to a cast aluminium housing to sink and dissipate the excess heat.
Window & Door Frames
Window and door frames must be robust enough to withstand extreme weather conditions.
Unlike steel, which becomes brittle at low temperatures, the strength of aluminium increases the colder it gets – it’s no surprise about 90% of window and door frames in New Zealand are made of this metal.