With the automotive industry accounting for nearly 30% of aluminium use in the United States, demand for aluminium coil is high among automotive manufacturers. Once formed, whether in an automotive manufacturing facility or other operation, aluminium can be painted, embossed or milled to suit its intended use.
With such a wide demand for aluminium in coils, the purchaser can obtain an equally wide range of coil thicknesses and alloy grades. 6061, 7075 and 1100 aluminium are just a few examples of the many aluminium alloys available in coiled form. Different aluminium alloys have different tensile strengths, electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, ductility and chemical inertness.
In addition to the various different aluminium alloys in coils available, aluminium in coils is also available in different gauges of thickness, width and tempering. In some cases, the customer can customise the surface treatment. Coil aluminium is particularly attractive for metalworking operations because it is recyclable.
Recycled aluminium is much cheaper than virgin aluminium, as extracting aluminium from the ore that normally occurs naturally is a rather expensive process. This lower cost compared to other metals combined with the environmentally friendly nature of aluminium makes it very popular in a variety of environments.