Hydro Circal to be used by US lighting company

Vode Lighting LLC, based in Sonoma, California, will become the first company in North America to use recycled-content Hydro Circal in its products, aluminum producer Hydro has announced.

During the last few years, Hydro, based in Norway, has invested to expand or build new recycled-content aluminum production plants in North America as well as sorting technology designed to broaden Hydro’s use of postconsumer aluminum scrap.

According to Hydro, those investments have helped companies like Vode Lighting deliver goods that meet the rising demand from consumers for more sustainably produced products.

By using low-carbon recycled-content aluminum produced in the United States, Vode Lighting will cut emissions, secure its supply chain and support a circular U.S. economy, Hydro adds.

Vode Lighting already has transitioned its ZipTwo product family to using Hydro Circal, and the firm aims to convert its remaining products to recycled aluminum when possible.

“We are impressed by Vode Lighting’s continuous commitment to reducing the embedded emissions in its products and are thrilled to see the company will be the first to manufacture its consumer products with Hydro Circal in this market,” says Duncan Pitchford of Hydro Aluminum Metals USA.

“Aluminum’s endless recyclability and superior performance characteristics make it the smartest material choice, and with recycled postconsumer scrap, it is also the most sustainable."

Hydro describes Circal as a prime quality recycled aluminum made with a minimum of 75 percent recycled postconsumer scrap. The metal brand is certified by an independent third party on a batch-by-batch level and has the lowest carbon footprint in the aluminum industry, with 1.9 kilograms of CO₂ emissions or less per kilogram of aluminum produced, Hydro says.

“We always look at the full life cycle of our products, from the initial design phase to the final delivery,” says Leti Molina of Vode Lighting. “Knowing that 80 percent of our embodied carbon footprint comes from material production, finding the right material partner and supplier is imperative to support our strategy of creating environmentally conscious lighting solutions.

“We are proud to be the first to produce with Hydro Circal. We hope that by talking more about the importance of material selection, we can inspire other U.S. manufacturers to make greener choices that will contribute to cutting emissions and accelerating the circular economy.”

Vode Lighting products have been used in applications at offices, airports, schools and universities, retail locations and homes.