PARIS, June 19 (Reuters) - Constellium is

testing lighter alloys and more comprehensive recycling as the

aluminium processor positions itself for future single-aisle

jets, where competition from composite materials is set to

intensify.

Having lost share to composites in larger planes like

Airbus' A350 and Boeing's ( BA ) 787, aluminium

suppliers have held their ground in existing smaller models like

the Airbus A320, helped by low-density alloys and the industry's

familiarity with using aluminium for mass-produced jets.

Aluminium still has plenty of demand to come from current

models, after a boom in plane orders and as recent supply chain

snags ease. Metals analyst CRU projects 8% average annual growth

in aluminium consumption in aerospace in Europe and North

America during 2024-29.

But as attention turns to the next generation of narrow-body

jets, aluminium will renew its tussle with composites, with

suppliers of the metal like Constellium and Novelis

competing with composites providers like Hexcel ( HXL ).

Planemakers, focused on emissions savings and output rates,

are studying novel materials like thermoplastics to ally

composites' lightweight appeal with more efficient production

processes.

Constellium expects Airbus and Boeing ( BA ) to choose materials

for future single-aisle models around 2029-2030, and the

supplier aims to push aluminium's edge in recycling as well as

further progress in alloys, Philippe Hoffmann, president of

aerospace and transportation at Constellium, told Reuters.

"Today, what's on the drawing board or at least on the

agenda is the design and concepts for the successor to the

A320," Hoffmann said at the Paris Airshow.

In terms of weight, crucial for planemakers, Constellium has

demonstrated a weight saving of 20% in tests of a wing concept

involving new alloys and a welding process that removes the need

for rivets, he said.

The use of friction stir welding, borrowed from

Constellium's work on space programmes, will also allow more

automation in manufacturing panels, he added.

Constellium sees more room to exploit aluminium's greater

reusability compared with composites, with recycled aluminium

saving 95% in energy use versus virgin metal.

The firm is studying better retrieval of scrap per alloy

during production as well as recovery of metal from a growing

fleet of planes at the end of their lifecycle.

"Aluminium was being recycled before we were born," he said.

"They (composites) have a lot of qualities but the maturity in

recycling is not the same."