Fond du Lac-based Mercury Marine has received industry recognition for its sustainable uses of aluminum for manufacturing outboard marine engine blocks.
But the marine engine manufacturer doesn’t do it for the accolades. Its practices, which include use of recycled aluminum and techniques that cut down on the use of energy and raw material, matches the company’s values and benefits its bottom line, company leaders say.
“Sustainability really is hitting an economic as well as a social and environmentally-driven aspect,” said Scott Louks, Mercury sustainability manager. “We want to make sure then that it’s not just financial but environmental and social, that we’re doing the right things.”
The aluminum material comes from discarded vehicle wheels, wiring and scrap from parent company Brunswick Corp., among other sources. This is an alternative to using prime aluminum derived from mined bauxite ore.
Louks said Mercury Marine last year processed more than 16,000 tons, or approximately 32 million pounds, of aluminum.
The recycled aluminum is melted and purified for use in the company’s castings. Louks said the aluminum can be recycled over and over again without degradation of its inherent properties.
Using recycled aluminum saves energy and emits less Earth-warming gas, Louks said. The energy required to melt aluminum scrap is only about 5% of that used to make new material. Recycling aluminum also emits only 5% of the greenhouse gas emitted in primary aluminum production, he said.
In reusing aluminum, Mercury Marine employs an innovative technique that redirects heat exhaust generated from the melting process to preheat other aluminum scrap waiting its turn to be melted. This saves the company 20% of the natural gas it would otherwise use to melt aluminum, which equates to approximately 9 billion BTUs of energy saved each year, Louks said.
Mercury Marine also uses patented alloys and a die casting process to create engine blocks that weigh less and use less raw material.
“By doing this, it’s an energy reduction, it’s a carbon reduction, we’re improving our product by using this, we’re … improving recycling, less waste,” Louks said. “And it’s really then trying to enter a circular economy by working with our parent companies and then taking that back and using it through our product stream. So, it really works for them, (and) it works for us.”
