AeroAggregates Expands Operations at PA Plant

AeroAggregates FGA plant

Philadelphia area-based AeroAggregates has expanded its foamed glass aggregates (FGA) production capacity by installing a second kiln at its manufacturing plant. Besides doubling its operations to meet growing U.S. demand, the addition will help divert the equivalent of more than 140 million recycled curbside glass bottles, or 32,000 tons.

AeroAggregates’ FGA is produced from 100 percent post-consumer recycled glass. The product is 85 percent lighter than quarried aggregate, insulating, free-draining, non-absorbent, as well as resistant to chemicals, rot and acid. Unlike other light alternatives to gravel—such as expanded and extruded polystyrene—FGA is both sustainable and non-combustible.

“Our ultra-lightweight FGA can solve the challenges of today’s infrastructure projects, especially for those that require fill to be placed over soft compressible materials, weight-bearing structures or over areas with sensitive underground infrastructure,” Archie Filshill, CEO & co-founder of AeroAggregates, said in prepared remarks.

Multiple uses and sustainability

AeroAggregates kiln

Besides offering sustainability benefits, FGA can be used for construction, lightweight embankments, load distribution platforms and insulating subgrade, as well as lateral load reduction behind retaining walls and structures. Since its launch in 2017, AeroAggregates has been involved in several highway and infrastructure projects. Last year, the company expanded into commercial real estate, where the product can be used under concrete flooring as both insulator and drainage, as well as in construction of green roofs.

FGA has been widely used in Europe, but has been slower to catch on in the U.S., mainly because U.S. recycling tends to be single stream, thus harder to separate. The manufacturing process employed by AeroAggregates can utilize mixed color glass and, due to its advanced cleaning system, is unaffected by small amounts of residual paper and other contaminants.

Images courtesy of AeroAggregates