Seated at my desk, I was distractedly looking at my Cola aluminum can, when I started thinking about how fantastic this material evolved over this last century and how multiples are its applications…
I dreamily remembered being seated in an Airbus A-320 jet plane, in Doha Hamad International Airport, waiting for lift off on the tarmac at 50oC. In minutes, the jet plane will fly to 30,000 feet of altitude in -40oC, at a cruising speed of 840 km/h; only aluminum can achieve this!
Then, I remembered this meeting some years ago, with an engineering firm in Florida, questioning about corrosion of aluminum, awkwardly comparing it to a Styrofoam cup melting in a gasoline glass. After a long sigh, I calmly recall that here, Miami and Fort Lauderdale is the capital of high class Mega Yachts and Super Yachts, all made in aluminum, that are not melting in seawater. I also pointed out that in 1895, the American first aluminium built yacht Defender won the America’s cup and finally that here in America, is build and operate aluminum fast ferries as long as 120 m with a cruising speed of 40 knots.
This leads me to look back at my 38-year career in the floating dock business and think how aluminum is a perfect material for marina construction as it combine strength to support 250 km/h Hurricane Category 4 wind and flexibility to endure over 3 million annual cycles of seawater daily swells.
This 100% recyclable and non-corrosive aluminum docks have a life expectancy of over 40-years.
I’ll keep all that in mind when I’ll dispose of my can in the recycle bin.
