Yesterday, (Tues., June 3) Molten Aluminum Producer Canada Inc. (MAPCAN) officially opened its plant across from Honda of Canada Manufacturing Plant 2 on Industrial Parkway in Alliston.
The new plant recycles scrap aluminum such as siding, radiators, and car parts, and refines it until it can be used in the production of Honda’s vehicles. When the new Honda engine plant opens in September, 20 per cent of the aluminum produced at MAPCAN will head across the street to the Honda plant. The remaining 80 per cent will be shipped to other Honda affiliates in the United States.
“This is a clean and green operation,” said Motohide Sudo, Honda Trading Corporation president and CEO. “Virtually 100 per cent of the molten aluminum we supply to Honda will come from recycled material.”
Sudo said the MAPCAN partnership is possible because of the abundant supply of scrap aluminum available to supply the plant’s needs.
MAPCAN vice president Brad Wilson said the building was designed to meet their needs and reduce the impact on neighbours. For example, the doors are located on the west side of the building to retain the noise and reduce winter heating costs.
By having all stages of production indoors it also controls any dust and noise, and allows a dust collection and filtration system to purify the air before it’s released.
MAPCAN is the first plant in North America to offer molten aluminum directly to die cast machines. The 97,000 square foot facility has the ability to produce 50,000 metric tonnes of aluminum each year.
The plant also creates 45 new jobs in the community.
“We’re pleased to have Honda of Canada Manufacturing here and are excited MAPCAN has joined our community,” said New Tecumseth Mayor Mike MacEachern. “It’s an inspiring example of how the future of business can operate.”
MAPCAN supplying molten aluminum to the new Honda engine plant will also help the environment.
Using recycled aluminum requires five per cent of the energy needed to make new aluminum. Specially designed delivery trucks are used to transport molten aluminum directly from MAPCAN to the engine plant. Eliminating the re-melting of the aluminum will reduce carbon emissions by as much as 1,600 tonnes annually.
“We want to be a company that society wants to exist,” said Manabu Nishimae, Honda Canada Inc. president and CEO. “This investment is also a building block in pursuit of localization.”
Other energy-saving plans for MAPCAN are housing four large, energy efficient and regenerative furnaces to recycle heat and insulating the entire facility to retain process heat inside during the winter.
Like Honda, MAPCAN is aiming to send zero waste to landfill. It operates on a three-shift rotation, five days a week.
