Molson Coors Beverage Company reported a USD 30 million unfavourable impact from Midwest Premium pricing in the third quarter, adding to inflationary pressures across materials, logistics and manufacturing expenses. The brewing company also reported lower-than-expected revenue and reduced its full-year financial outlook, sending its shares down 3.36 per cent in pre-market trading on Thursday. The company reported net sales of USD 2.93 billion for the third quarter, falling short of analysts' expectations of USD 2.94 billion. Revenue declined 1.6 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year, while sales decreased 1.2 per cent on a constant currency basis. The decline was primarily driven by a 3.0 per cent fall in financial volume, partly offset by favourable pricing and sales...
Iran is expanding its domestic aluminium manufacturing capabilities through nanostructured anodising technology, developing specialised aluminium sheets and profiles for applications across aerospace, medical equipment, electronics and automotive industries. The initiative reflects a move towards higher-value aluminium products by improving the metal's surface properties and expanding its potential industrial applications. According to Pars Today, citing Mehr News Agency, an Iranian aluminium complex is using the technology to produce aluminium components with nanostructured ceramic coatings designed to improve resistance to corrosion and wear. The complex is also working on developing specialised aluminium standards and has so far established eight standards in this field. The...
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The packaging and construction sectors continued to be key consumers of aluminium. The year 2020 started with the announcement of the company’s plan to replace plastic with aluminium packaging. Ball Corporation's new survey found that consumers in the UK prefer to buy water in aluminium cans for on-the-go purchases. The YouGov poll indicated there is a growing thirst for retailers, and food and beverage outlets to sell water in aluminium cans. In addition to this, the Construction sector drove the demand for low carbon Aluminium. Many companies started using these products in order to minimize carbon emissions. Let’s look back at the top packaging and construction news from end user vertical. Aluminium aerosol cans production remained unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic The International...
Hindalco Industries Limited increased the prices of its aluminium products and aluminium ingot on Friday, December 25, following an intermittent cut on Thursday, December 24. Hindalco raised its aluminium wire rod price by INR 1,250 per tonne from INR 180,850 per tonne to INR 182,100 per tonne. Hindalco’s aluminium billets price came in at INR 178,100 per tonne on December 25, up by INR 1,250 per tonne from INR 176,850 per tonne on December 24. Hindalco’s aluminium ingot price was also increased by INR 1,250 per tonne from INR 167,750 per tonne on December 24 to INR 171,100 per tonne on December 25. Hindalco links its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices to the three-month futures of aluminium on the London Metal Exchange, which is currently up by US$ 250 per tonne or 14.11 per...
The new computer tool facilitates the production of car components, while the properties of the materials from which the car parts are made will be as the big car manufacturers want it to be. The system can calculate stiffness, strength and stability and the calculations that used to take months can now be done away within a few days or weeks. However, the car manufacturers have strict requirements for safe and precise production and to meet these requirements, subcontractors use computer-aided models for construction and simulation. These are used to predict the product properties of the car parts during and after casting and during use. Professor Geir Grasmo, Professor of construction materials at the University of Agder and has led a research project that has developed new modelling...
The COVID-19 outbreak has been the reason for serious political and socio-economic problems in many countries, including Armenia. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had an intense political struggle with representatives of former political elites who lost power as a result of the 2018 Velvet Revolution. While the chances of the ousted elite making a return to power were minimal, the COVID-19-induced socio-economic crisis has created a more conducive situation. The former Russian Republic has recorded the import of aluminium foil during 2018-19 was 5156 tonnes and the expenditure accounted for the import remained at $18.24 million. The import for 2020 is marked to stand at 2248 tonnes and the expenditures to remain at $7.84 million....
The automobile market in China started recovering in April 2020, with production and sales achieved year-on-year growth. According to China Association of Automobile Manufactures (CAAM) forecast, the domestic auto market is likely to achieve steady growth in the next five years, with sales estimated to reach 30 million units by 2025. At the end of 2020, China’s auto sales are likely to come in at 25 million units, a year-on-year decline to narrow to 2 per cent, better than expected. In November 2020, China automobile production and sales reached new highs standing at 2.85 million units and 2.77 million units, respectively, up by 11.5 per cent and 7.6 per cent from the previous month and 9.6 per cent and 12.6 per cent over the year. From the perspective of the total number of vehicles sold...
Russia’s exports of crude metals and alloys to the US stood at 78,900 tonnes in the first nine months of 2020, marking a drop of 37% or 46,100 tonnes. Russia had exported 125,000 tonnes to the US in the first nine months of 2019, according to the latest Mineral Industry Survey report from the US Geological Survey. Crude metals and alloys export came in at 1,090 tonnes in September 2020, a decrease of 308%year-on-year. The total exports were 267 tonnes in September 2019. On a month on month comparison, exports to the US dropped by 68% from 3,380 tonnes. Exports of crude metals and alloys were down 76% from July’s exports of 4,520 tonnes. Russia’s exports of total aluminium (crude metal and alloys, semi-finished products and scrap) to the USA stood at 94,800 tonnes in January-September...
Shanghai base metals mostly closed higher on Friday night. SHFE aluminium shed 0.91%. The London Metals Exchange was closed for the Christmas holiday. As of Thursday December 24, LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price rose for the second day in a row by US$ 23 per tonne to peg at US$ 2022 per tonne. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price stood at US$ 2025.50 per tonne, up by US$ 17 per tonne from US$ 2008.50 per tonne on December 23. Dec 21 bid price and Dec 21 offer price came in at US$ 2050.50 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock inched down from 1378100 tonnes to 1372350 tonnes on Thursday, December 24. Live Warrants stood at 1190225 tonnes, while Cancelled Warrants at 182125 tonnes. LME aluminium 3-months Asian Reference Price hovered at US$...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market data, A00 aluminium ingot price has opened the week on Monday, December 28, with a decline of RMB 120 per tonne to stand at RMB 16,190 per tonne after two consecutive days of hike. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 17,170 per tonne and RMB 16,210 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 170-210 per tonne, down by RMB 50 per tonne from the previous day. In Hangzhou, A00 aluminium ingot price has decreased the highest by RMB 160 per tonne to come in at RMB 16,180 per tonne on December 28, while the price in Gongyi, Foshan, Wuxi, and Shenyang, has fallen by RMB 120 per tonne to stand, respectively, at RMB 16,110 per tonne, RMB 16,420 per tonne, RMB 16,180 per tonne, and RMB 16,185 per tonne. In Chongqing...
Abu Dhabi Ports’ flagship Khalifa Port commenced its South Quay operations with the newly launched facility. The first shipment carrying bauxite harboured at the new port is destined for Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA)’s Al-Taweelah alumina refinery. Alfred Oldendorff, the bulk carrier, the first in several shipments to the South Quay for EGA, was promptly followed by two large general cargo consignments, making use of the recently completed first phase of South Quay, offering a total of 650 meters of quay wall comprising two berths and 37,000 square meters of the terminal yard. In addition to its nearby quay, which began receiving Capesize vessels loaded with bauxite in 2019, EGA will also use the South Quay. Saif Al-Mazrouei, Head of Ports Cluster, Abu Dhabi Ports, said: “Abu Dhabi...
The aluminium sector is crucial to the modern economies and it supplies a wide range of highly distinguished products, from the intermediate semis required for many high-tech industries to parts and components for final applications. The most important impact of innovation in Aluminium will be on the social system like lessening energy consumption and protecting environmental pollution. The COVID-19 pandemic developed a profound impact on manufacturing operations, prices collapsed, demand fell, operational activities curtailed, and capital projects reviewed. Hereby, we look into the impact of the pandemic on global aluminium downstream segment: Aluminium Rheinfelden solicited for protective shield proceedings The German-based Aluminium Rheinfelden applied for protective shield proceedings...
The Andhra Pradesh state government in India is considering acquiring the Ras-Al-Khaimah Investment Authority’s (Rakia’s) stake in Anrak Aluminium joint venture. This is an effort to settle the dispute after several years under international arbitration. However, the state government lately commissioned a committee of senior officials headed by its mining secretary Gopala Krishna Dwivedi to prospect multiple options to settle the arbitration proceedings by Rakia against India. The other options being scouted include refunding of Rakia’s investment through the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC), facilitating bauxite supplies to Anrak’s Alumina refinery project, or an ‘out of court’ settlement with the UAE entity. A senior official in the state’s mines and geology...
The year 2020 saw significant expansions in the recycling plant. Many leading companies announced huge investments in increasing the aluminium recycling capacity. Industry data showed improved aluminium packaging recycling rates globally. According to the International Aluminium Institute, recycling of one aluminium can saves enough energy to recharge up to 20 mobile phones, while global aluminium recycling saves enough energy every year to power the whole of France. Europe has the highest Recycling Efficiency Rate (RER) in the world, recovering 81% of aluminium scrap available in the region. Aluminium packaging recycling rates surpassed its 2020 targets by more than 5%, according to data released by the Environment Agency. The Agency reported 42,265 tonnes of aluminium packaging...
Difference between the virtual and real world has almost waned over the years due to the increasing influence of digitalisation. The presence and impact of digitalisation have been more so felt during the COVID-19 pandemic when direct human interaction, or for that matter intervention, is limited. Besides the despondent fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the global economy, it is the pandemic that has further catalysed digital transformation across business models of various industrial sectors, including aluminium, resulting in better digital offerings and adoption. Digitalisation in Aluminium Industry: While going digital is not new to the aluminium industry, the revolutionary transformation that industry is going through in recent times with a large number of smelters...
Kazakhstan Aluminium Smelter JSC (KAS), part of Eurasian Resources Group, has significantly raised its aluminium production in 2020, mounting its sales in the domestic market and export markets, majorly in Europe. The smelter is designed to produce 250ktpa; however, it has managed to exceed that target by 15ktpa this year. Patronising the signing of 11 contracts with businesses in Kazakhstan throughout 2020, KAS augmented its domestic sales by 20% this year. The European sales also scaled up and it accounted for 77% of exports in 2020, as aluminium supply to Europe rose by 10kt. Serik Donbekbaev, President of the Kazakhstan Aluminium Smelter (KAS), commented: "Demand for aluminium has increased domestically and internationally in recent months in line with the easing of restrictions and...
The first half of 2020 experienced a steady drop in primary aluminium prices worsened by falling demand for the metal due to the COVID19 pandemic. Slowdown in global economy caused by the unprecedented crisis touched upon almost all the industrial sectors, including automobile, construction, and aerospace, resulting in a downturn in global demand and consumption of aluminium. According to a data showed by the Norwegian aluminium producer Norsk Hydro, world primary aluminium consumption fell 9.41 per cent year-on-year in H1 2020 from 32.237 million tonnes to 29.203 million tonnes. But at the same time, primary aluminium production remained steady, causing a surplus in the market. However, the gradual recommencement of production activities in various industrial sectors from the third...
According to a new UNDP impact assessment, the COVID-19 outbreak and global knock-on effects could sink or stall Zimbabwe’s ambitious reform agenda as well as efforts to revive its flagging economy, with “disastrous” consequences for the landlocked Southern African country’s poor and vulnerable people. However, Mthuli Ncube, the incumbent Finance Minister stated a few months back that the economy would not be as severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as initially feared and foreign currency inflows had shown resilience. The country was already grappling with runaway inflation, shortages of drugs in hospitals and strikes by public workers before the novel coronavirus arrived in March. The nation famous for Victoria Falls has been recorded with the import of aluminium bar rods and...
According to the US Geological Survey data, the United States aluminium scrap imports from Mexico stood at 11,700 tonnes in September 2020. In the previous month, the United States imported 10,800 tonnes of aluminium scrap from Mexico, meaning the imports in September edged 8.33 per cent higher month-on-month. The imports in August stood lower by 2.7 per cent from 11,100 tonnes in July 2020. The United States aluminium scrap imports from Mexico in Q3 2020 totalled 33,600 tonnes, down by 17.24 per cent from 40,600 tonnes in Q2 2020. On a year-on-year calculation, the United States aluminium scrap imports from Mexico in September 2020 stood 13.59 per cent higher than 10,300 tonnes. In the first nine months, aluminium scrap imports by the US from Mexico amounted to 107,000 tonnes, 6.96 per...
According to the latest data shared by the Shanghai Metals Market, the social inventories of primary aluminium slipped by 3,000 tonnes over the week across eight major consumption areas on Thursday, December 24. Hence, the inventories are now standing at 586,000 tonnes compared to 589,000 tonnes on December 17. Primary aluminium inventories on December 17 had decreased by 7,000 tonnes week-on-week across the eight major consumption areas. It was reported that some local aluminium ingots in Gongyi had flowed into East China due to the implementation of limited production for environmental protection. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: Primary aluminium inventories in Gongyi declined the highest by 17,000 tonnes to...
