Québec's aluminium industry
The aluminium sector is an industry of strategic significance for the province of Québec and has a major economical impact.
Thanks to an annual production of 2.9 million tons of aluminium and with one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world, Québec is a top-tier worldwide exporter. Of the total 38,000 jobs in Québec’s aluminium industry, 80% (29,800) are allocated in the 1,734 processing companies. The turnover attributable to aluminium processing amounts to $11.6B.
Benefiting from a multisectoral economy (transport, construction, infrastructure, aerospace, packaging, etc.), Québec’s aluminium industry is made up of international caliber companies as well as an important network of research and development in aluminium, thanks to seven state-of-the-art research centres and companies where innovation is a common value.
This description of Québec’s aluminium ecosystem would not be complete without the mention of contractors, prescribers and users who chose to integrate aluminium in their finished products, such as buildings, automobile lightering, infrastructures or urban furniture, etc.
The companies of the sector are located in all parts of the territory of Québec.
Processing
Québec relies on more than 1,734 companies of first, second and third processing of aluminium throughout the province. Of the close to 40,000 jobs that constitute the industry, about 30,000 are concentrated on processing.
Equipment suppliers
Québec’s equipment and specialized suppliers distinguish themselves with the high-tech machinery and customized solutions they offer to smelters around the world. There are a little over 50 equipment suppliers in Québec spread across the territory.
Primary production
Québec’s eight aluminium smelters cumulate an annual production of 2.9 million tons of first fusion aluminium with the lowest carbon footprint in the world.
Distributors
Processing enterprises as well as end users benefiting from aluminium in the manufacturing of their products, lean on distributing enterprises capable of fulfilling their needs, in all formats and all alloys necessary for their production process.
Research centres
In Québec, the presence of seven public and private research centres allow aluminium users to access a scientific expertise to develop performative and innovating solutions in response to any company wanting to integrate aluminium in their products or production processes.
Recyclers
Did you know that 75% of aluminium produced since the invention of the Hall-Héroult electrolysis production process, in 1988, is still in use today? In addition, the recycling of aluminium – known as second processing – requires only 5% of the necessary energy to refine aluminium from the ore.