Ford Says It Recycles 30,000 F-150s Worth Of Aluminum Monthly

When the rumors of an aluminum-bodied Ford F-150 started swirling, there was a lot of talk about the increased cost and reduced durability of such a metal choice. As sales have proven, however, the aluminum F-150 has been a tremendous hit with consumers as Ford’s profits boom thanks to its truck sales. The aluminum body isn’t just good for better fuel economy and increase profits, however.

According to Ford, the closed-loop recycling system at the Dearborn Stamping Plant where the F-150 body panels are built producers about 20 million pounds of scrap aluminum every month. This is enough to build an additional 30,000 F-150 bodies, and it enables Ford to add even more green bragging rights to its best-selling vehicle.

Automakers have been charged with building more fuel efficient vehicles since President Obama took office, and shedding weight has been a major focus of Ford, and just about every other car-building company. The aluminum body of the F-150 is as much as 700 pounds lighter compared to the outgoing body, and by utilizing recycled aluminum, Ford avoids approximately 95 percent of the greenhouse gases associated with aluminum production.

Although recycling aluminum is nothing new, automakers are increasingly looking at lifetime greenhouse gas emissions as a measure of how environmentally friendly their vehicles are. Considering that as much as 40 percent of a typical aluminum coil is lost as scrap during the stamping process, recovering and utilizing that material for more trucks helps Ford save money and stick another feather in its green cap.