As the third most abundant element and the most common metals on Earth, aluminum has become one of the most used materials in construction, machinery, and every day products. This low density metal is both highly versatile and resists corrosion well. Pure aluminum was first found by Denmark’s Hans Christian Oersted in 1825.
Initially, Aluminum was expensive to make and was considered a novelty or decorative item. In the late 1800s, a cheaper process was discovered and aluminum began to be more widely used. Today, it is used to make everything from soda cans to Boeing 747s. It is cheaper and lighter than other metals and conducts electricity well. In 2010, almost 2 million tons of aluminum were used to make containers and packaging. Another 1.5 million tons were used to make durable goods.
Aluminum is environmentally friendly. It is one hundred percent recyclable. Recycling aluminum requires only five percent of the energy used to initially make it. With its common use in drink cans and collection machines that pay for returning them, the awareness of its recyclability is high, causing people to actually do so. Metal suppliers In Europe, over forty percent of aluminum cans and nearly all aluminum from retired transport vehicles are recycled. Recycled aluminum is both desired and widely used. Many drink cans are made in whole or in part from cycled aluminum. Car manufacturers use recycled aluminum to build car frames.
Some of the lesser known uses of aluminum include making coins, camera covers, ship masts, and guitars. Countries using aluminum coins include France, Italy, Poland, Finland, Romania, Israel, and Yugoslavia. In the future, its use in car manufacturing is expecting to increase due to its lightweight nature and the growing demand for fuel efficient cars to offset higher oil prices.
Aluminum Louisville is easy to find in many forms. It is divided into different numbered alloys with the lower numbers generally being more flexible and the higher numbers generally being stronger. It can be custom ordered or purchased in ready made form such as sheets, plates, and tubes. Aluminum Louisville can be delivered by truck to surrounding areas if necessary.
