Hydro to Supply High-Recycled Aluminum for 2026 Cadillac OPTIQ Bumper, Reducing Carbon Footprint
[SMM Aluminum Express News] Hydro will supply General Motors with Hydro CIRCAL high-recycled aluminum for the front bumper system of the 2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, marking one of the first structural, safety-critical automotive applications of the material in the United States. The aluminum contains at least 75% post-consumer scrap and has a carbon footprint of 1.5 kg CO₂e per kg of aluminum or lower, representing an estimated 70% reduction compared with the North American average for primary aluminum production. Hydro will produce the recycled aluminum at its Cassopolis, Michigan recycling facility, while Shape Corp. will engineer and assemble the bumper system for General Motors. The partnership supports GM's efforts to increase material circularity, reduce embedded carbon emissions and strengthen domestic aluminum supply chains by using locally sourced recycled aluminum.