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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According to a recent report, Nespresso has launched a series of global and local sustainability initiatives to encourage and raise awareness for coffee capsule recycling. The company has even teamed up with Vélosophy to create a stylish city bike, named “RE:CYCLE”, from recycled aluminium coffee capsules. The intention is to establish the potential of Nespresso to recycle its aluminium capsules. Nespresso sustainability pop-up exhibition, “The Capsule Journey”, from 2 nd to 11 th of August, will feature three zones showcasing aluminium coffee capsule recycling journey and the Nespresso sustainability process from bean to cup. The exhibition will also show how Nespresso boosts productivity and welfare for farmers by using recycled coffee grounds as compost. Furthermore, the pop-up will...
Vedanta Group has announced a reshuffle at the CEO level of its three major companies Balco, Vedanta Aluminium Orissa and Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL), according to a report in Dainik Bhaskar. Vedanta Group CEO Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan and CEO (Aluminium and Power) Ajay Kapoor have made the announcement on Thursday, July 25. Abhijit Pati will replace Vikas Sharma as the new CEO of Balco. Vikas Sharma will take over as CEO of TSPL Punjab. CN Singh, the current CEO of TSPL, has been made interim CEO of Vedanta Aluminium Jharsuguda Orissa. Vikas Sharma is expected to lead 1980 MW Super Critical Power Plant in TSPL. The plant has 3 units of 660 MW. Under his leadership, the cost was reduced and cash flows improved in Balco operations. Abhijit Pati has 30 years of experience in...
Vedanta Ltd is aiming to achieve 80% fly ash utilisation of by 2020. In a recently released report, the company informed that it will introduce third-party review of tailings/ash dyke management system and development of site specific improvement plan in its India operations. Fly ash is by-product of coal powered plants. Indian thermal power plants generate around 1-million ton of fly ash which contains around 25-35% Al2O3 and 50-60% SiO2. “Our initiatives on water, energy and carbon management progressed well during the year. We recycled 94% of the high-volume, low-effect-wastes such as fly ash, slag, red-mud and jarosite,” the Vedanta report said. “Non-hazardous, high-volume and low-effect wastes such as fly ash, red mud and phosphogypsum are the predominant wastes generated from our...
RUSAL reported a 0.7 per cent quarter-on-quarter decline in alumina production in the second quarter of 2019. Alumina production dropped from 1.93 million tonnes to 1.91 million tonnes. Russian operations accounted for 36 per cent of the total output. Total alumina production stood at 3.85 million tonnes in the first half of 2019, compared with 3.81 million tonnes in the first half of 2018. This marks an increase of 0.9 per cent year-on-year. Aughinish Alumina produced 470,000 tonnes of alumina in Q2. Production in H1 was 949,000 tonnes. Production from Windalco remains unchanged at 109,000 tonnes in Q2. Nikolaev Alumina Refinery’s alumina production came in at 410,000 tonnes in Q2. RUSAL achieved bauxite production of 4.24 million tonnes in the second quarter of 2019. That was up 10.7...
Aluminum associations from the United States, Europe, Japan and Canada came together and published a joint statement ahead of a summit of the G7 group of rich nations in Biarritz, France on Aug. 24-26. The aluminium groups urged the G7 leaders to curb state subsidies that they regard as distorting global trade and fuelling overcapacity. In the statement, aluminium association leaders expressed their deep concern about the unfairly subsidized overcapacity and other market-distorting behaviour that undermines the sustainable growth of the aluminium industry. The statement cited the OECD report “Measuring distortions in international markets: The aluminium value chain,” released in earlier 2019, which blamed non-market forces for increasing global aluminium capacity irresponsibly. The OECD...
The global export-import data found that Ukraine is incessantly recording a rise in bauxite import over the past few years. In 2016, the country imported 2.4 million tonnes of bauxite, which in 2017 increased to 4.8 million tonnes, representing a 100 per cent growth. Further extending the rise, Ukraine in 2018 secured 5 million tonnes of the ore, up 4.16 per cent year on year. This year the country is expected to show no exception but haul 5.5 million tonnes of bauxite, 10 per cent higher from the previous year. Along with the continual rise in Ukraine’s total bauxite import, the country’s import from one of its leading suppliers is also not shying away from recording year-on-year boom. Yes, Guinea, which ranks first in the world in bauxite reserves and 6th in the extraction of high-grade...
RUSAL, a leading global aluminium producer, announced its operating results for the second quarter of 2019. The company reported aluminium production of 938,000 tonnes in Q2, up 1 per cent quarter-on-quarter. Siberian smelters accounted for 93 per cent of total aluminium output. In the first half of 2019, aluminium production stood at 1.86 million tonnes, compared with 1.87 million tonnes. This records a drop of 0.2 per cent year-on-year. Aluminium sales amounted to 1 million tonnes in Q2 2019, an increase of 20.8 per cent from 896,000 tonnes in Q1 2019. This was due to the partial sell down of surplus inventories of primary aluminium that were accumulated by the end of 2018 as a result of OFAC Sanctions, RUSAL said. In the first half of 2019, aluminium sales totalled 1.97 million tonnes,...
The US dollar strengthened on Thursday, with the index against a basket of other currencies hitting the highest since the end of May after a batch of generally positive US economic data. The US dollar index inched up 0.09% to 97.785. LME base metals closed mixed on Thursday. LME aluminium gained 0.1%, and SHFE aluminium advanced 0.5%. Three-month LME aluminium fluctuated between US$1,818-1,832 per tonne on Thursday, and ended 0.11% higher at US$1,826.5 per tonne. It is expected to trade between US$1,805-1,855 per tonne today. As on July 25, Thursday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1795 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1795.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1823 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1825 per tonne; Dec 20 bid price stands at...
Ardagh Group, a global supplier of infinitely recyclable, metal and glass packaging for the world’s leading brands, announced its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019. The Group’s revenue stood at $2,268 million in the three months period, down 3% year-on-year. On a constant currency basis, revenue rose by 1%, mainly due to the pass through of increased input costs, partly offset by lower volumes in Glass Packaging North America. Paul Coulson, Chairman and Chief Executive, said: “Our second quarter performance was in line with our expectations, led by strong performances in our Metal Packaging Americas and Glass Packaging Europe divisions. The recently announced combination of our Metal Packaging Food & Specialty business with Exal to form Trivium Packaging, a new global...
Qatar Aluminium Manufacturing Company (Qamco) in the financial results declared that its net profit pegged at QR 5.2 million for the seven-month period ended on June 30, 2019. These results primarily represent the share of net profit in Qamco’s joint venture Qatalum. Qatalum is a successful primary aluminium producer and one of the most efficient smelters in the region. Qamco is a 50 per cent shareholder in Qatalum. Qamco’s share of EBITDA in Qatalum for the period totalled at QR375.2 million, while earnings per share stood at QR0.001. In the first quarter of the year, Qamco’s earnings per share were at QR 0.02. Qamco on Thursday pointed that the sluggish selling prices of aluminium directly affected the company’s performance and therefore, its economy. During the second quarter, Qatalum...
The average spot price of alumina registered a drop of RMB 12 per tonne to stand at RMB 2505 per tonne on Friday, 26 July 2019. The prices of alumina fell across major China markets today. Spot alumina prices in East China, Central China, and North China markets dropped by RMB 10 per tonne each. The average prices of alumina (East China), alumina (Central China), and alumina (North China) stood at RMB 2520 per tonne, RMB 2520 per tonne, RMB 2490 per tonne respectively on July 26. Alumina price in South China market declined RMB 35 per tonne to RMB 2490 per tonne. A00 aluminium ingot price recorded a growth of RMB 80 per tonne on Friday. The price increased from RMB 13860 per tonne to RMB 13940 per tonne. The average price is expected to move within a range of RMB13920-13960 per tonne....
Ma’aden Aluminium has announced the decision to digitalize their Automotive Sheet plant by implementing software solution Manufacturing Execution System (MES) by 8Sigma. 8Sigma has developed its own solution 8Sigma MES and has proved their expertise by working on some of the key projects in the metal sector. The project is a part of Ma’aden’s plan for a multi-million-dollar investment towards digitalizing the production processes in the rolling mill that produces aluminium coils for the automotive industry. The agreement signed in July says that the first phase of 8Sigma MES solution will be implemented in the Ras Al Khair plant and will be operational during 2020. MES will enable the factory's staff and management to have a quick and real-time overview on all production phases starting...
According to a recent report, a Sino-Saudi joint venture is planning to establish an integrated aluminium complex in Egypt. The news came after trade and industry ministry of Egypt announced it officially on Thursday, July 25. The ministry said in a statement that the joint venture is between China’s Hangzhou Jinjiang Group and Saudi Arabia's Ajlan Group. They would together set up a complex, comprising of an alumina refinery, an aluminium smelter, a caustic soda plant, and two desalination plants spreading over six million square metres. The statement, however, did not disclose the project value, location or timelines. It quoted Minister of Trade and Industry Amr Nassar that the government would facilitate land and other infrastructure requirements including natural gas, electricity,...
Aluminum producer Hydro now supplies ASI-certified sustainable aluminium for the battery housing of the first fully electric SUV of Audi called Audi e-tron The aluminium component is processed and manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner and under socially acceptable working conditions. This has been certified by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) with a “chain of custody” certificate. Audi also had a certificate from ASI for the sustainable assembly of these aluminium components in October 2018. This ensures that the aluminium sheets processed in the battery housing of the Audi e-tron are now completely certified for sustainability along the complete supply chain. Both the partners have kept a strict target of reducing CO2 emissions from the use of aluminium along the...
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) has forecast the automobile sales to drop in China in 2019. Weaker purchasing capacity due to slower economic growth and the new vehicle emission standards could be some of the reasons for the estimated drop in car sales, according to a report by staffs from the association. As per the CAAM’s estimation, there is likely to be a 5 per cent drop in car sales in China this year to 26.68 million units, compared to a previous forecast of 28 million units. This year’s decline would thus, be larger than that of 2.8 per cent in 2018, the first drop in 28 years. For new energy vehicles, the CAAM expects the sales to climb about 19.4 per cent and come in at 1.5 million tonnes, a slower increase compared to the last year’s estimate of 33 per...
Lindian Resources Limited has reportedly received approval for raising a fund of up to $1.3 million from professional and sophisticated investors to be used to undertake the company’s inaugural drilling programme at the Gaoual Bauxite Project in Guinea. The $1.3 million includes $200,000 from Lindian’s Chairman Asimwe Kabunga, but subject to shareholders’ approval. This follows the recent completion of due diligence and the issuing of the notice to proceed with acquiring up to 75 per cent of the Gaoual Bauxite Project. With the fund raised, together with the existing $1 million loan facility, will ensure Lindian to be capable to undertake its upcoming inaugural drilling programme at the Gaoual Project. The programme is scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2019. Commenting on the...
Japan is Asia's top importer of aluminium as it has stopped producing primary metal altogether shifting its focus towards value added applications and in secondary recovery. The premiums for primary metal shipments Japan pays each quarter over the London Metal Exchange cash price set the benchmark for the Asia region. However the country is a key producer of aluminium rolled products. The two major rolled product manufacturers in the country are Kobe Steel and Aluminium and UACJ Corporation which make aluminium plates, pre coated sheets and various rolling products for value added applications. Let’s analyse Japan’s foreign trade trends for aluminium rolled products in 2018 and in the first four months of 2019. {newsStudioGallery} Japan has a trade surplus for aluminium rolled products....
Analysts review that Canada’s exemption from U.S. tariffs on imports of aluminium has boosted earnings for companies such as Rio Tinto and Alcoa at the expense of U.S. consumers. Despite the lifting of tariffs on Canada in May, U.S. consumers are paying the physical market premium of around US$400 a tonne above the benchmark LME price of around US$1,810 a tonne. Analysts say the tariff component paid by non-exempt producers stand at US$192 of the premium amount. “About 70% of U.S. aluminum demand can be met without paying import duties, yet 100% is pegged to the duty payable,” said Citi analyst Oliver Nugent, adding the bank’s estimate for U.S. aluminium demand this year was 5.57 million tonnes. Aluminium producers like Alcoa and Rio Tinto with facilities in Canada are making a good...
