A potential easing of trade tensions between the United States and Canada could reshape the North American aluminum market, with European buyers facing the risk of stronger competition for Canadian metal. Import data from ITC Trade Map shows that US purchases of Canadian unwrought aluminum fell sharply in 2025, while imports from Canada increased across six European markets, highlighting how trade flows have evolved amid tariff uncertainty. The United States imported approximately 2.03 million metric tons of unwrought aluminum from Canada in 2025, down 25.9% from 2.74 million metric tons in 2024. The decline amounted to around 711,494 metric tons over the year. Import value also decreased, falling 22.2% from $7.82 billion to $6.09 billion. The figures come as the possibility of a...
Century Aluminum’s proposed USD 4 billion primary aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma, is “moving forward on all fronts” as the company prepares for construction, despite local opposition and legal challenges, CEO Jesse Gary said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call. Developed jointly by Century Aluminum and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the project is designed to produce 750,000 tonnes of primary aluminum annually, potentially doubling U.S. primary aluminum production. The facility is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs and add USD 1.5 billion to Oklahoma’s gross domestic product, according to company estimates. The partners had targeted construction to begin by the end of 2026. However, local restrictions and permitting challenges have affected the...
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The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have emerged as a major hub for primary aluminium production. The aluminium industry, which began only four decades ago with Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), is now one of the key economic drivers for the Gulf region, the fastest growing aluminium producer and exporter after China. The region not only provides an opportunity for the primary aluminium sector but also offers the potential for the development of downstream industries like flat rolled products, extrusion, foil and wire rods. The GCC countries have top companies with their downstream operations. The GCC’s 40% of total primary aluminium production is used by the domestic downstream aluminium industries and about 60 per cent is exported to different parts of the world. The building,...
Shanghai Metals Market found China’s imports of unwrought aluminium alloy marked a record high in September totalling at 18,706 tonnes, as demand from Chinese secondary aluminium producers and die-casting plants increased with Beijing throttling down the inflows of aluminium scrap. The imports were up by 16.9 per cent from a month ago and 140 per cent from a year, the highest since SMM records began in January 2018. By the end of the year, the unwrought aluminium alloy imports to China are expected to reach 40,000 tonnes, buoyed by shrinking aluminium scrap imports and low stocks at domestic secondary aluminium producers. In September, China’s aluminium scrap imports were at 114,000 tonnes, down 19.1 per cent month-on-month but up 17.5 per cent over the year, showed customs data. In the...
A unique ‘ribbed’ can which keeps Jupiler beer cool in the hand has won ‘Best Can/ Alubottle’ at the 2019 World Beverage Innovation Awards. The ground-breaking design saw Ardagh Group develop a new tooling technique to achieve super-defined debossed flutes in the walls of both the 33cl and 50cl Jupiler cans. The resulting ‘ribs’ disrupt the flow of air along the can body and reduce contact with the hand, which keeps the beer colder for longer. The prestigious award reflects Ardagh’s commitment to innovation in response to growing markets, and its experience in finding technological solutions to meet customer needs. In a neat additional benefit, the fluted design not only keeps the product colder for longer, it also echoes the characteristic Jupiler ribbed glassware. This shelf appeal...
According to a recent report, Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd has bought a 25 per cent stake in PT Bintan Alumina Indonesia for US$80.23 million. The Southeast Asia’s largest smelter has signed a share subscription agreement with PT Mahkota Karya Utama (PT MKU) and PT BAI, and a shareholders’ agreement with PT MKU, Global Aluminium International Pte Ltd (GAI) and PT BAI on the subscription of 25% equity interest in PT BAI. PT BAI is currently building a one million tonnes per annum alumina refinery in Galang Batang, Indonesia. Further expansion will add another one million tonnes. Under the agreement, the acquisition would provide Press Metal with a long term supply of alumina. Press Metal intends to buy at least half of alumina produced before completion of the project and up to 1.5...
South Korea's imports of aluminium including scrap from the US stood at 24,900 tonnes in August 2019, an increase of 15.81% from 21,500 tonnes in July. Imports dropped by 0.4% from June’s imports of 25,000 tonnes, but up 9.21% from May’s imports of 22,800 tonnes. Total aluminium imports from the US reduced by 8.79% from April’s imports of 27,300 tonnes. Aluminium imports amounted to 199,000 tonnes in the first eight months of 2019, as updated by the US Census Bureau. Imports of semi-finished products (plates, sheets, bars, etc.) to the US stood at 1,680 tonnes in August, with a month-on-month drop of 8.2%. South Korea had imported 1,830 tonnes in July 2019. Imports declined by 33.33% from 2,520 tonnes in June. Semi-finished imports were up 5% from 1,600 tonnes in May, but down 38.69% from...
Indonesia, with the sixth-largest bauxite reserves in the world, reportedly believes that its bauxite downstream can reach US$13 billion next year from the current US$9 billion. Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan pointed out that the country, despite having the sixth-largest bauxite reserves in the world, only exports the ore. President Joko Widodo said he recently directed to enhance processing to increase the value of the processing industry. He added if bauxite was processed into various derivatives, the value could go up to 11 digits, and this potential had not been maximised yet. The Indonesian government will consider accelerating an export ban on bauxite and other mineral items such as tin and alumina, among others, depending on the scale of...
The social inventories of primary aluminium have extended decline over the weekend, as stocks in Nanhai continued to fall, according to Shanghai Metals Market. SMM data showed the stocks across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, decreased by 11,000 tonnes from 834,000 tonnes on last Thursday , November 14, to stand at 823,000 tonnes on Monday, November 18. Week-on-week, the stocks have inched down by 27,000 tonnes from 850,000 tonnes on last Monday, November 11. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across Chinese markets in more details: So, as can be seen in the above chart, the inventories in Shanghai and Nanhai have declined by 3,000 tonnes and 10,000 tonnes respectively to come in 141,000 tonnes and 253,000 tonnes...
The US dollar eased to a one-week low against a basket its rivals on Friday. The US dollar index fell to 97.96, the lowest since November 7, before it ended down 0.19% at 97.987. LME aluminium gained 0.6% and SHFE aluminium shed 0.3%. LME aluminium declined by 0.85 per cent from Thursday’s close of US$1756 per tonne to end at US$1741 per tonne on Friday, November 15. Three-month LME aluminium on Friday rebounded from a two-week low of US$1733 per tonne to close at an intraday high of US$1757.5 per tonne, up 0.6% on the day. LME aluminium is expected to trade between US$1745-1765 per tonne today. As on November 15, Friday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$1740 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1741 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1743 per tonne,...
Amidst the potential primary aluminium production capacity, the GCC aluminium giants are increasingly exploring upstream possibilities as well. For instance, Al Taweelah alumina refinery and the Boke bauxite project in the Republic of Guinea are the key parts of EGA’s strategic expansion in upstream in the aluminium value chain. The Boke bauxite project, the greenfield project in two phases through EGA’s subsidiary Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), was started being constructed in 2017, with the expectation of producing 12 million tonnes per annum bauxite ore, which would be entirely exported. In early August 2019, it made the first shipment from its mine, marking the beginning of EGA’s status as integrated aluminium major. The project is the result of a US$1.4 billion greenfield...
Morris Commercial has reportedly revealed 2.5-tonne electric JE Van at the Design Museum in London. The Worcestershire-based manufacturer says the van will have a 60kWh lithium-ion battery of a range of around 200 miles and 1-tonne payload. Inspired by the original 1948 Morris J-Type van, the new JE, to be produced in the United Kingdom, will feature a similar design to its spiritual predecessor. The production version will be made out of carbon fibre. The battery to be used in the van will be sourced from the UK too. The battery will give the van 90kW of power and can be restored to 80 per cent after a 30 minute fast charge. The company’s founder and CEO Dr Ou Li stated that the reason behind wanting carbon fibre was to make the vehicle “light and spacious”. Buyers of the JE van can...
Darley Aluminium, an Australian business involved in the manufacture and distribution of aluminium extruded products, has opened a new showroom in Keysborough, Victoria. The new showroom will showcase the latest trends in residential and commercial window and door systems, including ClimateGuard thermally-broken windows and doors. Darley Aluminium, established in 1996, sells aluminium sections & associated products for commercial, residential and industrial applications. The company also provides custom-made shapes that meet specific needs in different industries such as construction, transportation, packaging and engineering products. The opening ceremony of the New Darley Victorian showroom took place on Thursday, 14 November at Darley Victoria, 10 Bridge Road, Keysborough VIC 3173.
ITS B.V. has joined Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) as a Production & Transformation member, bringing the total number of ASI members to 107. ITS is the European market leader as a manufacturer of household packaging. ITS produces an innovative range of products for supermarket organisations and cash & carry stores in particular, from aluminium foil, cling film and microwave film to baking paper, sandwich paper and coffee filters, according to ASI press release. The company’s aluminium foil is ideal for storing, preparing and protecting food. “We are joining ASI in order to underline our commitment towards our society and environment. Sustainability is in our DNA and we would like to share the message and mentality of ASI among the retailers in Europe supplying them with the...
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) found the US imports of aluminium plates, sheets and bars from Germany in August 2019 rose by 16 per cent month-on-month to come in at 11,700 tonnes. In July, the US imports of aluminium semis from Germany were at 10,100 tonnes, after declining by 13 per cent from 11,600 tonnes in June. This brought Germany’s three months' exports of aluminium plates, sheets and bars to the US to 33,400 tonnes in total. The United States aluminium semis imports from Saudi Arabia in August were also found higher by 43 per cent from July to 8,450 tonnes; whereas in July, the imports were down month-on-month by 2.32 per cent from 6,030 tonnes in June to 5,890 tonnes, according to the USGS. The above data indicates that Germany’s exports of aluminium semis to the US...
The US dollar fell on Thursday. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies, dipped 0.15% and ended at 98.17. LME base metals and the SHFE complex, except for tin, closed lower overnight. LME aluminium fell 1.05% and SHFE aluminium dipped 0.11%. LME aluminium closed 0.68% lower at US$ 1756 per tonne on Thursday. Three-month LME aluminium fell to the lowest this month at US$1,742.5 per tonne on reports that LME aluminium inventories increased over 75,000 tonnes to the highest since August 2, at 1.02 million tonnes. LME aluminium is likely to trade within US$1747-1,770 per tonne today. As on November 14, Thursday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$1755.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1756 per tonne; 3-months bid price...
According to an official from parent and state-owned company Chinalco, Aluminium Corporation of China Limited, popularly known as Chalco, would make the first shipment from its Boffa’s bauxite mine in Guinea by early-December. Last month, a Chinalco official at the China Mining conference in Tianjin had said the Boffa launch postponed to the first quarter of 2020. But now it is expected to be begun by early-December, producing 12 million tonnes of bauxite each year. Chen Qi, deputy general manager of Chinalco said at an industry conference, “The mining operation has already started and the first output to be shipped to China at the beginning of December.” He also said on the sidelines of the conference that Chalco would finish construction on the first phase of a 2 million tonnes per year...
A00 aluminium ingot price dropped by RMB 10 per tonne or 0.07 per cent on Friday, 15 November 2019 after registering an increase yesterday. The price declined from RMB 13930 per tonne to RMB 13920 per tonne. The price is expected to range within RMB 13900-13940 per tonne. Spot aluminium price is likely to be traded at a discount of RMB 500-460 per tonne. Source: Shanghai Metals Market Aluminium ingot prices in Foshan, Tianjin and Linyi were down by RMB 10 per tonne each to stand at RMB 13870 per tonne, RMB 13900 per tonne, and RMB 13990 per tonne. Their average prices are expected to range within RMB 13850-13890 per tonne, RMB 13890-13910 per tonne, and RMB 13980-14000 per tonne. Gongyi aluminium price was up by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 13845 per tonne. The average price is expected to...
China Hongqiao Group Limited, the world’s biggest aluminium producer, has reportedly hired outgoing International Aluminium Institute (IAI) secretary general Ron Knapp as its international adviser with effect from January 1, 2019. Knapp became secretary general of the London-based IAI in December 2008 and would be replaced by Miles Prosser from the Australian Aluminium Council at the end of the year. As an adviser to the office of the chairman at Hongqiao, Knapp would be attached to the company’s office in Hong Kong and also to Hongqiao’s production base in Shandong, and London and Australia. "The role is to assist Chairman Zhang Bo in taking the Hongqiao story beyond China and into the world," Knapp told Reuters on the sidelines of the China Aluminum Week forum in Qingdao. However,...
Ardagh Group, a global leader in metal and glass packaging solutions for some of the world’s leading brands, has announced that its three beverage can manufacturing plants have achieved International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) certification. Facilities in Bishopville, South Carolina, Olive Branch, Mississippi, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina have achieved ISO 14001:2015 certifications. Claude Marbach, CEO, Ardagh Metal – North America said, “Continued ISO certification across our entire Ardagh North America metal manufacturing organisation is indicative of our commitment to assuring customers we remain on a path of continuous improvement across quality, sustainability and product and service satisfaction.” “These accomplishments help provide confirmation that customers...
