Simmal News
October 2009
27/10/2009
Aluminium Recycling
Bauxite makes up 8% of the earth’s crust; it is the third most abundant element in nature. The ore from which aluminium is produced is bauxite. More than 130 million tons of bauxite is mined each year. It has been estimated that we have enough aluminium to last us 400 years.
Bauxite has to be processed into pure aluminium oxide (alumina) before it can be converted to aluminium by electrolysis. Four tons of bauxite is required to produce two tons of alumina which in turn produces one ton of aluminium at the primary smelter.
Smelting is one of the most destructive processes to our climate. Fabrication encompasses several industrial processes: rolling, casting and extrusion.
Aluminium is then formed into products. The major outlets for aluminium products are in transport, building and construction, packaging and engineering. The real impact on the environment, its carbon footprint or greenhouse gas emissions, can only be judged from the life cycle perspective. What we're interested in here is the lifecycle of one aluminium can.
16/10/2009
Must try harder
The widespread Customer Satisfaction Survey was concluded recently. Particular areas of strength were packing on special sections which came out with a very high satisfaction score. Accuracy of on time delivery was also impressive with the gap analysis for standard sections (always delivered within 24 hours) being only marginally better than the more complicated special sections and machined components. Product knowledge also scored very high on special sections and this in part is following key retirements and other movements in the general office that impacted the general office score.
Key target areas for improvement are to further extend product knowledge in the sales office, the quality of external visiting, packing on standard products and to achieve on time in full delivery across all sectors into the high 90’s.
Lucky prize winners who contributed were Gerry from Derbyshire, Pat from Huddersfield and Brian from South Manchester.
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