Mercedes-Benz: Recycled Aluminium for Circular Manufacturing

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has launched a project for circular truck manufacturing, in partnership with Hydro.

This involves Hydro providing low-carbon, recycled aluminium made from Hydro CIRCAL to Mercedes-Benz Trucks, for its reECONIC project.

The aim of the project is to reduce emissions while keeping critical materials in continuous use in commercial vehicle manufacturing.

About the reECONIC project

The new vehicle is based on the eECONIC battery electric waste collection truck, made by Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

It has been developed in collaboration with more than 30 partners, aiming to showcase how materials can be kept in closed loops while meeting safety, performance and quality requirements.

For the reECONIC project, Hydro has supplied extruded parts totalling 600kg.

These are made from Hydro CIRCAL, which is Hydro’s range of recycled aluminium with one of the world’s lowest carbon footprints and a minimum of 75% post-consumer scrap content.

Paul Warton, Executive Vice President of Hydro Extrusions, says: “The reECONIC project shows how circular design and low-carbon materials can go hand in hand.

“By delivering extruded profiles made from Hydro CIRCAL, we are transforming end of life aluminium scrap into high performance components for the next generation of electric vehicles.

“This is a concrete example of how circular aluminium solutions can help decarbonise mobility.”

Circular aluminium

The reECONIC project applies circular thinking across the value chain, from material sourcing and manufacturing to recyclability at end of life.

Aluminium plays an important role in this approach, as it can be repeatedly recycled without the loss of its properties.

Hydro CIRCAL is produced using post-consumer aluminium scrap, such as end of life automotive parts and building materials.

This enables customers to cut emissions while maintaining full flexibility in design, supporting manufacturers in reducing the environmental impact of their products at the material stage.

Through its participation in the project, Hydro aims to demonstrate how aluminium can remain in continuous circulation, supporting long-term resource efficiency and more resilient value chains in Europe.

Achim Puchert, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, says: “Sustainability is an integral part of our strategy, which we are implementing in this project alongside strong partners.

“We are pursuing the clear goal of decarbonising our products.

“With the reECONIC, we are demonstrating a concrete path toward a more sustainable value chain in vehicle production.”

Showcasing the project

Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ reECONIC vehicle will be exhibited at IFAT in Munich.

This is the world’s leading trade fair for environmental technologies, which will showcase how recycled, natural and bio based materials are applied across the vehicle.

The reECONIC driver’s cab will be displayed at the Mercedes-Benz Trucks booth at the event, which will highlight the key materials and components used through cross sections of the vehicle and digital information.

Hydro will also showcase the project at ALUFAIR 2026 in October, highlighting its contribution to reECONIC as well as its broader portfolio of circular solutions.

It plans to demonstrate how low-carbon aluminium can enable circular manufacturing across industries, including mobility, building and construction.