Never has it been more important to support airlines in their drive for net zero within the aerospace industry. The challenge is to see the future, develop and implement advanced technologies, and do whatever it takes to minimise carbon emissions.
Durability and recyclability are at the heart of Acro’s engineering design. Al Roots, Chief Industrial Designer at Acro, explains why its partnership with the Aircraft Interior Recycling Association (AIRA) is so important to Acro.
Knowing what goes into a product is more important than ever, that’s why we began working with the AIRA. AIRA is a Sheffield-based company that is leading the way when it comes to the recycling of aircraft interiors.
The collaboration between Acro and AIRA now means that 99% of Acro’s Series 9 seats are recyclable. AIRA has developed a system for the Series 9 where its components will be able to be tracked, processed and recycled using a unique numerical identification code that will be marked on each of the parts within the seats.
Tony Seville, Director at AIRA, said of its collaboration with Acro:
Acro really is leading the way when it comes to recycling in the aviation interiors industry. It has been an early adopter of what we are trying to do here at AIRA, and it’s been wonderful to work with the team to help them develop a true circular economy for their seats.
What stands out about Acro is that it is the first aircraft seating company to look at closing the loop with the materials used on their seats. What I mean by this is that there’s little point saying anything is recyclable if we don’t recycle it. Acro and AIRA have thought of that and together have developed this unique marking system on each seat component, allowing us to identify what type and grade of each material a certain part is made of. Therefore, when it needs to be replaced, we can ensure that it is properly recycled and attempt to close the loop and create a truly circular economy.
Before systems like this, we never knew what materials these seat parts were made of, and when you consider how many components make up aircraft seats then you can appreciate how difficult it is to be able to recycle, reuse or even repair them properly. Acro is attempting to solve this issue with this trial system which will significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gases (GHG) while offsetting carbon emissions at the same time.
The Series 9 was designed with this recycling system in mind, but further products from Acro are also going through this process. The Series 3 has already gone through the process, with the Series 6 range next to be trialled using these clearly identifiable marks which detail the material each part is made from, ensuring ease of future recyclability. It is hoped that these identification systems will now be rolled out across as many products as possible and will form an integral part of Acro’s design and after-sale service.
By 2030, Acro also plans to improve some of the manufacturing processes it has in place, such as its coatings and plating, again to improve the sustainability of its products.
AIRA’s Tony Seville continued:
We have calculated, that out of the shipsets of Series 3 Acro has sold to the various airlines globally, there are now 25 million recyclable parts flying around the world. These parts would previously have been in landfill when they came to the end of their flying lives, but thanks to Acro’s innovative stance on sustainability and its work with us in trialling this new recycling system, these components can now be identified and properly recycled.
For more information about AIRA, visit: https://www.aira-international.co.uk
For more information about the Series 9 and its sustainable credentials, visit: https://acro.aero/product/series-9/
