World-first aerospace-grade recycled aluminum procured from jet junk

Constellium, a French-based aluminum manufacturer, has achieved a world-first by producing aerospace-grade aluminum ingots made entirely from recycled end-of-life aircraft. Unveiled at the 55th Paris Air Show in June 2025, this breakthrough was developed in collaboration with TARMAC Aerosave and Airbus, demonstrating that high-performance aluminum alloys can be fully recycled without compromising structural integrity or performance. The recycled aluminum meets the stringent mechanical and metallurgical standards required for next-generation aircraft manufacturing, validating the feasibility of a circular economy model in aviation metals. TARMAC Aerosave, specializing in eco-friendly aircraft dismantling and recycling, supplies the raw material and boasts a recycling rate exceeding 92 percent. The partnership with Constellium and Airbus aligns with global decarbonization goals, as recycling aluminum consumes only 5 percent of the energy needed for primary production and cuts carbon emissions by 95 percent. Alongside the recycled ingot, Constellium showcased its Airware aluminum-lithium alloy