Movers & Shakers interview with Aluminum Association chief

Frost & Sullivan's Metals and Minerals (M&M) Practice brings together industry experts from research and consulting who have vast experience in the metal, mineral and mining markets working on a variety of consulting engagements. The Practice focuses and provides expertise which spans across mining, primary, semi-finished to finest value added products and markets.

Chandrakumar BJG – Global Industry Analyst, Metals & Minerals, Frost & Sullivan conducted an interview with Ms Heidi Brock, President of the Aluminum Association. Here are excerpts from the interview:

Frost & Sullivan: What would you classify as the Aluminum Association's success story so far? What are some of the notable milestone s accomplished under your leadership?

Heidi Brock: One of the major issues I have undertaken during my time at the Aluminum Association is to really promote aluminium as the sustainable material of choice for a variety of applications – from sustainable packaging to green building and construction to fuel efficient transportation. We recently updated our mission and vision, which says the Aluminum Association, promotes the production and use of aluminium as the sustainable material of choice. We have such an amazing story to tell as an industry and we work to tell that story through research, public outreach and engagement with policymakers. The association released in 2011 a research that the industry has reduced greenhouse gas emissions in primary production by 42% and in secondary production by 65% in the last 20 years. We have additional lifecycle studies underway that will tell this story in an even more compelling way.

Frost & Sullivan: There were four new member companies who officially joined your association; what are some of the efforts taken by your team to make this happen?

Heidi Brock: Yes, we are very excited to now have 95 members, which is a record for us in our Association's 80-year history. I have emphasised to my staff the need for everyone to take ownership of member recruitment and retention. And I'm pleased to see these efforts are paying off. Our ability to be successful as an association is directly related to our ability to be engaged with our member companies.

Our team is excited about the aluminium story and we share it with our members in a variety of ways. Members receive timely and relevant industry statistics and standards data, free or reduced rates for publications, workshops on health and safety best practices, networking opportunities, federal legislative and regulatory affairs support, and access to industry experts all while promoting the use of aluminium as the sustainable material of choice.

Frost & Sullivan: How do you see the health of industry through increased usage of aluminium in automotive and also with other growing segments like packaging? How do you see the investments and regulations driving usage of aluminium?

Heidi Brock: The automotive sector is a particularly robust area for us. Atop 40 straight years of growth, automakers report they intend to double their use of the metal between 2008 and 2025. Consumers are demanding better fuel economy, and aluminium provides OEMs with a strong edge in their approach to get vehicles where they need to be. Aluminum-intense vehicles – like Audi's A6, the Tesla Model S- Automobile Magazine's 2013 Car of the Year, and Land Rover's Range Rover, the first all-aluminium SUV–are already on the road today, with more high-volume vehicleNike Air Max 90 Candy Drip