State-of-the-art sliding door made of 75% recycled post-consumed aluminum:

Sliding applications as art with a purpose

Very large glass panes, extremely slim aluminum profiles and a range of functional solutions. Under the motto "Light is More," Sapa was one of the first system suppliers on the market to introduce a minimalist sliding door that brings the inside and outside into perfect harmony. "The Artline sliding door bridges the gap between high quality and maximum daylight, creative design and comfort, functionality and aesthetics," says Perry Hermans, Country Manager at Hydro Building Systems Netherlands BV. "Invisible frames and floor-to-ceiling glazing provide 98% transparency. Moreover, Artline boasts excellent wind resistance, air and water tightness and safety, and sustainability is immediately taken into account. Thanks in part to our new production technology Hydro CIRCAL 75R, an alloy consisting of at least 75% recycled post-consumed (end-of-lifecycle) aluminum."

The thermally broken sliding door system is distinguished by large areas of glass, a minimal center post and a maximum sash weight of up to 500 kg. (Image: Hydro)

The Artline sliding door is art with a purpose. The thermally broken sliding door system is distinguished by large areas of glass up to 3.5 meters high, a minimum center post of 26 or 38 mm, optional motor control and a maximum wing weight of up to 500 kg, which also allows floor-to-ceiling windows to be opened effortlessly, Hermans says. "The aluminum frames and sashes are structurally concealed at the top, bottom and side, resulting in a very slim appearance. The sliding door is suitable for heavier (triple) glazing in mono-, duo- and trirail versions and features an open corner solution where Renson's Panovista Max can also be used. Excellent thermal (Uw-waarde = 0.98, based on a 3,000 x 2,800 mm window) and acoustic insulation are guaranteed thanks to the high technology. The sliding door system also has CE marking, supports contemporary EPB requirements and meets burglar resistance class RC2. Thus, Artline responds optimally to modern, contemporary architectural trends."

Post-consumer strategy

From the second quarter of 2020, Artline sliding doors will be produced with the Hydro CIRCAL 75R alloy as standard. "Whereas most producers of aluminum profile systems apply pre-consumed aluminum, we have deliberately chosen a post-consumed strategy," Hermans says. "Our parent company Hydro has developed a special Hydro CIRCAL 75R alloy that is made for at least 75% from recycled post-consumed aluminum exists. This aluminum comes from windows, doors and curtain walls of buildings that have reached the end of their useful life. Spread across two Hydro production sites in Europe (Dormagen in Germany and Clervaux in Luxembourg, ed.), all released aluminum scrap from demolition, renovation and transformation projects is fragmented, sorted and remelted to new alloys for the production of aluminum building systems that meet all current and future regulations without loss of quality. This assures architects, developers, contractors and end users of a durable and high-quality product."

The post-consumed aluminum comes from windows, doors and curtain walls of buildings that have reached the end of their useful life. (Image: MEDIASHOTS)

Significant energy and CO₂-reduction

"Thanks to Hydro CIRCAL 75R, the energy required for aluminum production is reduced to only 5% compared to primary alloys," says Hermans. "As a result, a significant CO₂-reduction per kg of aluminum applied - about 1/3rd of the European average - and we take our responsibility to reduce climate impact." CIRCAL's production process is fully traceable and certified by the independent body DNV GL.