Paul and Dana at AZ China asked Matthew to give the keynote at their annual Aluminium summit. The event is normally held in China but, because of COVID-19, was once again held virtually.
He started with the case for heavy industry. The world uses huge quantities of aluminium, concrete, steel and other products in buildings, infrastructure, packaging and vehicles. Built on foundations and processes that are over a century old, the industry accounts for 7% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet new alloys also hold the key to lighter aircraft, robots and spacecraft, and to new architectural possibilities.
"New Creative Machines from companies like Toyota are helping design new alloys 200x faster than previous methods."Matthew Griffin, Virtual, November 2021
Matthew showed how Creative Machines from companies such as Toyota are helping design new alloys 200x faster than previous methods. He looked at the future of transport and the debate between battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles, and at new energy and manufacturing processes that will help the industry decarbonise quickly while driving the debate about the aluminium casting, powder, scrap and sheet markets.
His closing theme was that an old industry, some would say ancient, has started its journey. Hydrogen, solar and even floating mini nuclear reactors can help decarbonise it, and while modernisation will take a while, it is under way.
