Aluminum casthouses are facing a growing operational challenge of increasing the use of recycled metal without compromising melt quality, recovery rates or production efficiency. As manufacturers look to incorporate more post-consumer recycled (PCR) aluminum, processing lightweight scrap, machining chips and other low-density materials has become increasingly important. Such materials are difficult to introduce into conventional melting furnaces, making efficient scrap feeding and submergence essential to improving recycling performance. The challenge extends beyond scrap preparation. Maintaining consistent temperature and chemical composition throughout the molten metal bath is critical to producing specification-compliant aluminum. Equipment used for circulation and stirring must...
ClearFlow Metalworks plans to invest $28 million in a new aluminum manufacturing facility in Russellville, Kentucky, marking an expansion of secondary aluminum production in the United States. The project is expected to create 50 full-time jobs, with its first phase designed to deliver an estimated annual production capacity of approximately 100,000 tons. The company, which focuses on sustainable aluminum recycling and production, will develop the facility in phases. Phase I will feature a secondary aluminum billet casting operation, processing recycled aluminum materials into billets for extrusion and other downstream manufacturing applications. The project will establish ClearFlow's manufacturing presence in the U.S. and support domestic demand for aluminum products while expanding...
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Shanghai Metals Market found further downfall, although slower, in Chinese primary aluminium ingots inventories over the past three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday. According to the data, the inventories across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, decreased 4,000 tonnes from last Wednesday, June 24, to stand at 718,000 tonnes, as of Monday, June 29. Last week, on June 24, the primary aluminium stocks had shrunk 32,000 tonnes week-on-week to come in at 722,000 tonnes. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: Since the decline in primary aluminium ingots inventories has not touched upon all the major Chinese markets today, the stocks in Gongyi and Hangzhou have increased by 4,000 tonnes and 1,000 tonnes,...
The economy of Morocco is considered a relatively liberal economy governed by the law of supply and demand. Morocco is ranked 7th among 14 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, and its overall score is slightly higher than the regional and world averages. In a nutshell, the main industries in Morocco are phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, selling of arts and crafts, construction, and tourism. The aluminium cans import of the North African country displays regular growth during 2017-19, as the total import volume recorded was 10,450 tonnes and the foreign revenue expended was $65.70 million. The estimated import volume for 2020 has been analysed at 5162 tonnes and the expenditure might remain at $30.11 million. When the analysed...
According to the latest data from China Customs, China’s imports of bauxite decreased 3.9 per cent month-on-month to 9.54 million tonnes in May 2020. On a yearly basis, imports were up by 3.57% from the same month of 2019. Total imports stood at 47.9 million tonnes in January-May, showed Customs data under HS code 26060000. The Republic of Guinea, Australia, and Indonesia remained to be the top three bauxite suppliers to China in May. Guinea exported 4.13 million tonnes in May, down 14.33% from April and 17.84% year-on-year. That accounted for 43% of China’s total bauxite imports. The drop was due to lower demand after some refiners halted part of the capacity. Australia and Indonesia accounted for 34% and 19%, respectively, of the country’s total imports in May. Imports from Australia...
The US dollar strengthened last Friday and once rose to the highest in almost four days. LME aluminium climbed 1.69%. Three-month LME aluminium ended Friday at US$1,597.5 per tonne, up 1.69% on the day. Investor reaction to the ongoing coronavirus situation in the US will continue to be watched. As of Friday June 26, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 1582 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1582 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1597.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1597.50 per tonne; Dec 21 bid price stands at US$ 1699 per tonne, and Dec 21 offer price stands at US$ 1699 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock stood at 1652025 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled 1474350 tonnes, and Cancelled Warrants were 177675 tonnes. LME aluminium...
Aluminium is forecasted to become the most liquid commodity in the third quarter of 2020 along with the increase that developed in the majority of other commodities. Ibrahim Suabi, Director, TRFX Garuda Futures stated that among other metal commodities, aluminium has a consistent strengthening opportunity in the second half of this year. Suabi said: “A number of positive sentiments were expected to support the strengthening of commodity prices. One of the main drivers is the demand for the development of the electric car industry in the world.” "Among iron ore, copper, and others, aluminium is now the best, because along with the development of the electric car industry, despite Covid-19, demand will remain high.” Furthermore, according to him the steps of the United States (US) which...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a hike over the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival Holiday by RMB 80 per tonne to stand at RMB 14,090 per tonne on Monday, June 29. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 14,070 per tonne and RMB 14,110 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 190-230 per tonne. Tianjin has seen the highest growth in A00 aluminium ingot price of RMB 110 per tonne among all the major Chinese cities to hover at RMB 14,110 per tonne, followed by Linyi, where the price has increased by RMB 100 per tonne to RMB 14,130 per tonne. In Hangzhou, the A00 aluminium ingot price has grown by RMB 85 per tonne to RMB 14,125 per tonne, while that in Foshan and Wuxi has edged higher by RMB 70 per tonne to...
As part of efforts to curtail and manage the spread of the global pandemic, COVID-19, a French leader in Aluminium Shipbuilding firm OCEA has donated 30 ventilators to tool the military hospital earmarked for isolation and treatment of COVID-19 patients. The company noted that the ventilators will complement the efforts that have already been made by the government towards fighting the virus. During the presentation event of the ventilators to the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas at the Naval Headquarters Abuja, Country Representative of OCEA, Mr Yemi Aluko pointed out that in developed countries, Presidents and other top government functionaries are treated in military hospitals. Yemi Aluko said: “When the former Chief of Staff to the President was flown to Lagos...
The Indian refractory companies are making arrangements to source vital raw materials like alumina from new destinations to lower dependency from China, as pressure builds on the industry to secure untroubled supplies. The pivotal refractory companies have already held conversations with leading metal and steel makers like Tata Steel, JSW Steel and Steel Authority to lessen the dependence on China. Sameer Nagpal, Group CEO, Dalmia OCL said: “India-China trade tensions have been there for the past three years, and now is the high time we need to kind of de-risk that. We as a company have tried to source raw material outside China to balance out the ecosystem.” “More than 40% of the raw materials for refractory companies in India are sourced from China.” Pramod Sagar, Chairman, Indian...
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), recorded a Net Profit of INR 138.23 crore for FY19-20. Net turnover stood at INR 8426 crore, which has been adversely impacted by about INR2900 crore due to fall in global metal prices. However, weathering the sluggishness in the international metal market and falling London Metal Exchange prices, NALCO has continued to remain profitable by successfully handling the market downturn, according to the company. The company achieved bauxite production and alumina production of 73.02 lakh tonnes and 21.61 lakh tonnes, the highest ever since company's inception. NALCO said both bauxite mines & alumina refinery has been performing beyond its installed capacity. The Aluminium metal production came in at 4.18 lakh tonnes. Shri Sridhar Patra, CMD, NALCO...
Vedanta has raised its aluminium products price after cutting the price of the same product for the second time in a row. With effect from Saturday 27 June 2020, the prices of some aluminium ingots are in the range of INR 136,750-149,750 per tonne, marking an increase of INR 3,000 per tonne or 2.24% from INR 133,750-146,750 per tonne on June 26. With the latest hike, Vedanta’ billet now stands at INR 144,750 per tonne on June 27, an increase of INR 3,000 per tonne or 2.12% from INR 141,750 per tonne on June 26. The Indian aluminium producers generally link prices of its products to the three-month futures of aluminium on London Metal Exchange. The three-month futures of aluminium have been declining due to slower global demand following the coronavirus outbreak. Vedanta Limited cuts its...
According to the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) data, primary aluminium production in West Europe stood at 284,000 tonnes in May 2020, while that in East and Central Europe came in at 351,000 tonnes. Month-on-month, the output in West Europe grew by 2.53 per cent from 277,000 tonnes and that in East and Central Europe increased by 2.63 per cent from 342,000 tonnes. However, the production in both West Europe and East and Central Europe in April stood lower by 3.48 per cent and 3.39 per cent from 287,000 tonnes and 354,000 tonnes in March. In February, the productions were at 263,000 tonnes and 331,000 tonnes in West Europe and East and Central Europe, respectively, meaning the output in February grew by 9.13 per cent and 6.95 per cent. In January, the primary aluminium production...
The United States Treasury Department on 25 th June’20 imposed sanctions on nine organisations allegedly operating in or providing materials to Iran’s metals sector, counting aluminium producers among other metal producers and some of their foreign subsidiaries and sales agents. The sanctions are the fresh effort by the Donald Trump administration to expand pressure on Iran. The Treasury Department claimed Iran’s government used revenue from metals exports to fund its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other malign activities in the Middle East. Steven Mnuchin, Treasury Secretary said in a statement on 25 th June’20: “The United States remains committed to isolating key sectors of the Iranian economy until the revenues from such sectors are refocused toward the welfare of the Iranian...
Russia’s exports of crude metals and alloys to the US came in at 5,430 tonnes in March 2020, a decrease of 56.21%year-on-year. The Russia had exported 12,400 tonnes to the US in March 2019, according to the latest Mineral Industry Survey report from the US Geological Survey. On a month on month comparison, exports dropped by 69.32% from 17,700 tonnes. Exports of crude metals and alloys were down 41% from January’s exports of 9,260 tonnes. In the first quarter of 2020, exports stood at 31,000 tonnes as compared to 43,500 tonnes in the first quarter of 2019. This marked a decrease of 28.74% year-on-year or 12,500 tonnes. Russia’s exports of total aluminium (crude metal and alloys and semi-finished products) to the USA stood at 5,460 tonnes and 31,100 tonnes in March and January-March. That...
Range Rover has always defined the 4x4 SUV’s segment from way back in the 1970s. Its iconic shape continues to be the stimulus behind the entire line-up of SUVs from the brand, with the classic sheet metal-to-glasshouse ratio everlastingly maintained all these decades. The Brand Range Rover has earned for itself the cult status of a product that is worth celebrating. Over its 50 years, Range Rover has achieved many firsts globally and completed numerous impressive feats. It was the first SUV to feature a permanent 4WD system when launched, and in 1989 it was the world’s first 4x4 to be fitted with ABS anti-lock brakes. Later in 1992, it was the first 4x4 with electronic traction control (ETC) and automatic electronic air suspension — ensuring the refined driving feel that the car is...
Gravita India Limited announced consolidated results for the full year and Q4 2020. In Q4 2020, sales volume increased by 34% in Aluminium division. Consolidated revenues increased by 44% Y-o-Y to lNR 379.26 Cr. Net profit rose to stand at INR 12.6 I Cr against loss of INR 0.58 Cr last quarter due to efficient working of manufacturing facilities based in Africa. Mr. Rajat Agrawal, Managing Director, Gravita India Limited said, "During FY 2020 the company has been able to achieve excellent figures due to process optimization and focused approach towards product & market mix. Futther the newly established Lead & Aluminium recycling faci lity in Tanzania performed rationally well. We expect the momentum of the growth to be continued in the comin g quarters." For the full year, consolidated...
Hindalco Industries Limited has again cut its aluminium prices today, on June 26, just after reducing them yesterday by INR 2000 per tonne. This marks the second back-to-back day in a week that Hindalco has trimmed its aluminium prices. Today, the company has cut the prices by INR 1750 per tonne, bringing the aluminium ingot price to INR 135,750 per tonne, with effect from Friday, June 26. With the second straight cut, Hindalco’s aluminium wire rod price has come in at INR 146350 per tonne, down by INR 1,750 per tonne or 1.18 per cent from INR 148100 per tonne on June 25. The prices of Hindalco’s billets, on the other hand, are now standing at INR 142,350 per tonne after being cut by INR 1,750 per tonne from INR 144,100 per tonne. The Indian aluminium producers generally link prices of...
Showa Denko, its Group companies and their cooperative companies pursued to perform aluminium can recycle activity in fiscal 2019 (April 2019 - March 2020), collecting approximately 4.43 million cans: equivalent to about 67.8 tonnes of aluminium when converted at the rate of 15.3 grams of aluminium per can. This conversion rate was declared by Japan Aluminum Can Recycling Association as the average of FY2018. Showa Aluminum Can Corporation, a consolidated subsidiary of SDK, started its aluminium can recycling activity in 1972. The activity spread across the Showa Denko Group in 2001, continuing until today. SDK comprises in-house program to educate employees about aluminium can recycling and officially commend workplaces and individual employees following employees' participation rate or...
The economy of Austria is a well-developed social market economy, with the country being one of the fourteen richest in the world in terms of GDP per capita. The most significant industries in Austria include construction and building, electronics and electrics, tourism, food and drinks, logistics and transportation, automotive and chemical industries. Austria’s exportation of aluminium structures has seen rapid growth during 2017-19, as the total export volume stood at 95,418 tonnes and the revenue earning stood at $568.37 million. The projected export volume for 2020 will remain to only 39,485 tonnes and the revenue earnings can outreach to $312.34 million. However, when the projected export volume and income for 2020 get summed up with the previous three years, it displays 134,903...
