Pioneering energy efficiency from finland: An award-winning aluminium profile manufacturer drives the green transition
04/03/2025
Mäkelä Alu has made significant investments in low-carbon solutions over recent years. With projects undertaken in 2023 and 2024 alone, the company will achieve an annual CO2 reduction of nearly 2,000 tonnes. Central to this progress is the abandonment of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as well as the adoption of modern electric furnace technology and heat recovery systems.
Mäkelä Alu is a family-owned company with roots dating back to 1937. Over its long history, the company has weathered various economic cycles. For more than 30 years, it has specialised in aluminium profile extrusion. Sustainability has been a guiding principle for years, evidenced by substantial investments in modern technology.
“Our ambitious goal is to achieve carbon neutrality in our own production by the end of 2025. Producing aluminium profiles is energy-intensive, requiring extremely high temperatures. By making responsible decisions in our production processes, we reduce not only our environmental impact but also the carbon footprint of our customers when they use our products,” says Petri Mäkelä, Chairman of the Board and Co-Owner of Mäkelä Alu Oy.
Award-winning energy efficiency
At the end of last year, Mäkelä Alu received two significant awards for its energy efficiency upgrades in one of its production units. The heating and cooling system of the anodising plant was modernised by replacing the LPG-powered steam system with a heat pump and electric boilers. The heat pump recovers waste heat while simultaneously cooling the process. Additionally, drying operations were switched from steam to heated water and electric resistances.
“As a result of this upgrade, we were awarded the Net-Zero Industries Award as the national winner in the Outstanding Projects category. The award ceremony took place at the UN Climate Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. In addition, we received the Energy Genius of the Year 2024 recognition, granted by the Energy Authority, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and Motiva, for energy efficiency measures that promote responsible energy use in a distinctive way,” says Päivi Venesoja, Mäkelä Alu’s EHSQ Manager.
This modernisation reduced the company’s CO2 emissions by over 700 tonnes last year. Read more about the rewarded solution: The energy system at our anodising plant awarded Energy Genius of the Year 2024
New technology for the extrusion press
An even larger emission reduction project is currently underway. Mäkelä Alu operates three extrusion lines, one of which is now undergoing modernisation.
“In this renewal, the old equipment is being replaced with modern, electricity-powered technology, reducing LPG consumption by approximately 320 tonnes per year and CO₂ emissions by 960 tonnes,” says Development Director Tomi Pilbacka.
The new equipment includes a combination of an electric resistance furnace and an induction furnace. The project also upgrades the billet table and billet saw. The commissioning of the new equipment is ongoing, and the emission reductions will be realised during 2025.
Waste heat recovery in the foundry
Mäkelä Alu operates its own foundry, where recycled aluminium billets are produced. When aluminium billets are cast, they are cooled with water. The cooling water and the energy it absorbs are collected in a basin.
“We have also invested in heat recovery and heat pump systems in the foundry to capture waste heat from the cooling water. At present, we heat our powder coating plants using waste heat from the foundry,” explains Tomi Pilbacka.
These investments are just part of the energy efficiency projects implemented in recent years. The company launched a development programme exceeding €10 million in 2022 to achieve carbon neutrality.
“Sustainability is about actions. For us, sustainability means setting our own ambitious goals when regulatory standards are not enough to achieve the best outcomes for people or the environment. At Mäkelä Alu, we have chosen to do more,” summarises Petri Mäkelä.
AluPlanet®: a low-carbon aluminium profiles
Mäkelä Alu has launched its environmentally friendly aluminium profile product family, AluPlanet®.
“The product family is designed to meet sustainability requirements and support planetary durability. AluPlanet® products play a key role in combating climate change,” says Päivi Venesoja, Mäkelä Alu’s EHSQ Manager.
The emissions of the AluPlanet® product family are exceptionally low: only 2.04–2.59 t CO2e/t, depending on the surface treatment. Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) measures the climate impact of greenhouse gases produced by humans. The unit (t CO2e/t) represents how many tonnes of CO2 equivalents are produced for every thousand kilograms of the product manufactured.
“By choosing AluPlanet® profiles for your production, you can significantly reduce the environmental impact of your own operations,” adds Päivi Venesoja.
For comparison, the European average for primary aluminium production (raw material, not finished profiles) is 6.7 t CO2e/t.
