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 Shanghai Metals Market, the inventories of 6063 aluminium billet have increased on Thursday, July 25, by some 1,600 tonnes to stand at 82,700 tonnes. Poor downstream consumption could be a reason for this weekly rise in aluminium billet inventories. In the last two weeks, on July 11 and July 18, the aluminium billet inventories had recorded drops by some 1,700 tonnes and 400 tonnes to stand at 81,500 tonnes and 81,100 tonnes, respectively. Today, the billet inventories in Foshan, Guangdong; and in Wuxi, Jiangsu have grown from 41,700 tonnes and 12,300 tonnes, as of July 18, to 43,400 tonnes and 14,600 tonnes respectively, found Shanghai Metals Market. However, in other three major markets like Changzhou, Jiangsu; Huzhou, Zhejiang; and Nanchang, Jiangxi, the inventories have...
The US dollar was flat against a basket of currencies on Wednesday, recovering from losses from downbeat US factory activity data. LME base metals closed higher across the board on Wednesday. LME aluminium climbed 0.2% and SHFE aluminium gained 0.1% and zinc inched up 0.03%. Three-month LME aluminium climbed to a high of US$1,833 per tonne on Wednesday, before it erased some gains to end 0.19% higher at US$1,824.5 per tonne. The load-up of long positions primarily accounted for the gains. It is expected to trade between US$1,800-1,840 per tonne today. As on July 24, Wednesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1795 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1795.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1826 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1827 per tonne;...
After three consecutive drops this week, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a rise on Thursday, July 25, by RMB 70 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,860 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. Week-on-week, the price is standing higher by RMB 10 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,840 per tonne and RMB 13,880 per tonne, while the spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 10 per tonne to a premium of RMB 30 per tonne. The rise in A00 aluminium ingot price today could be attributed to lowered inventories of primary aluminium. According to SMM, the inventories fell unexpectedly today, despite a low consumption season grinding on. Stocks across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants, have inched down by 7,000 tonnes from a week...
The global aluminium powder market is clearly growing buoyed by the automotive paints and sealants and other industrial pigments sectors. According to a research study, the market in 2017 was valued at US$ 3 billion and is likely to reach US$ 3.92 billion by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 3.4 per cent during 2017-2025. China and India are estimated to be the two primary piggybacks in the coming time to stimulate the market. In India, aluminium powder is widely used for various purposes across numerous industries, including metallurgy, chemicals, paints & pigments, explosives, and construction. Additionally, there has been the increasing use of powder for the production of coating paints which has further propelled its demand across the automotive industry. By 2023, the consumption...
Constellium today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019. For the second quarter of 2019 , the company reported shipments of 413 thousand tonnes, up 4% year-on-year on higher shipments in the Packaging and Automotive Rolled Products segment, partially due to the consolidation of Bowling Green. Revenue increased 4% to €1.5 billion, due to improved price and mix and the consolidation of Bowling Green, partially offset by lower metal prices. Net income stood at €17 million. Adjusted EBITDA rose 8% YoY to €167 million on improved results in the Aerospace and Transportation segment. For the first half of 2019 , total shipments increased 5% to 826 thousand tonnes. Revenue stood at €3.1 billion, up 7% YoY. Net income increased to €41 million. Adjusted EBITDA stood at €302...
2a S.p.A., an Italian die-casting company, plans to invest US$15 million to expand its foundry in Auburn in eastern Alabama, which caters to major automobile and heavy truck makers. With this expansion 2a USA will double the Auburn facility’s current die-casting area and create more than 50 jobs. 2a’s parent company, headquartered in Santena, near Turin, is Italy’s biggest family owned high-pressure die-casting firm. It specializes in the die casting of large, complex aluminium parts that are coated, machined, assembled and painted according to customer requirements. “2a has earned a reputation for technical innovation, and its decision to expand its Alabama manufacturing operation is a testament to its skilled workforce in Auburn,” Governor Kay Ivey said in a press statement that...
According to the survey of Shanghai Metals Market, aluminium scrap supply in China showed signs of tightness in July. Improved purchase among secondary aluminium producers, weaker supplies from domestic scrapyards, and fewer inflows of seaborne materials attributed to the tight aluminium scrap market. This is, however, expected to offer some support to prices of secondary aluminium. The secondary aluminium prices were otherwise, believed to have reached the lowest level with the decrease in car manufacture as a result of sluggish demand. Potential car buyers made their purchases when dealers offered significant discounts to clear inventories in previous months. Moreover, July-August is traditionally a low consumption season for aluminium scrap. Aside from igniting hopes for a pick-up in...
The use of aluminium in major construction structures started in 1930 within the Empire State Building, and today this light metal is recognised as one of the most energy-efficient and sustainable construction materials. The estimated recycled content of aluminium building materials used today is between 50 and 85 percent. Along with the use, the export-import of aluminium structures has also been found rising all across the globe. For instance, Italy, where the export of aluminium structures has been increasing since the last four years, found the export-import data. In 2016, the European country exported 47,014 tonnes, while in 2017 72,111 tonnes. This represents a sweeping growth of 166 per cent in Italy’s aluminium structures export in 2017. In 2018, the country’s export continued to...
Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. (Chinalco), the world’s largest aluminium group reported 40% YoY increase in profits during H1 2019 on Monday attributing its success to sweeping organizational reforms. Higher debt continues to remain a burden to the group. The company reported a profit of about RMB 2.36 billion (US$340 million) and operating income exceeded RMB 170 billion. China’s aluminium industry had a difficult 2018 due to low global aluminium prices and caps on production that affected many aluminium-makers. Yet in the first five months of this year, producer profits were up 23.4% year-on-year. Chinalco could rise above industry hurdles partially because of the reforms to its previously bloated and inefficient structure caused by unplanned expansion and capacity building. The group has...
South America’s primary aluminium production registered an increase of 7.95 per cent year-on-year in June 2019. Aluminium production increased from 88,000 tonnes to 95,000 tonnes, according to the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). Primary aluminium production in South America rose 10.47 per cent from 86,000 in May. In the first half of 2019, the total primary aluminium production dropped 15.57 per cent year-on-year to 515,000 tonnes. Production was 610,000 tonnes in the first half of 2018. South America’s full-year primary aluminium production for 2018 stood at 1.164 million tonnes, IAI data showed. Global primary aluminium production decreased slightly from 5.33 million tonnes in June 2018 to 5.24 million tonnes in June 2019. Aluminium production dropped 2.96% from May’s 2019...
The US dollar rose on Tuesday to near a five-week high the US dollar index closed at 97.689. Boris Johnson, who promised to withdraw the UK from the European Union with or without deal by the end of October, will replace Theresa May as Britain’s new prime minister. This will have a further bearing on currency movements today. LME base metals closed mixed on Tuesday and aluminium advanced 0.4%. SHFE aluminium sank 0.2%.Three-month LME aluminium hovered in a wide range on Tuesday, and finished the trading day 0.41% higher at US$1,821 per tonne. With a firmer US dollar, three months LME aluminium is expected to trade between US$1,800-1,840 per tonne today. As on July 23, Tuesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1794.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1795...
Chevron (TAPL) Pty Ltd, one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, has signed a domestic gas sales agreement with the South32-operated Worsley Alumina Joint Venture for the supply of natural gas. Chevron will provide approximately 60 petajoules for the operation of the Worsley Alumina Refinery. The company will supply natural gas from its Wheatstone, Gorgon and North West Shelf facilities. The deal is a clear demonstration of the company’s commitment to delivering reliable energy to meet growing demand locally and globally, said Chevron Australia Managing Director Al Williams “Our investment in Australia has enabled the development of an affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy supply for current and future energy users in Australia. Natural gas is playing a substantial...
The survey data of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) showed that global aluminium production dropped 0.5 per cent in the first half of 2019, as Lower Western output had been largely down due to temporary outages at two important smelters – Albras in Brazil and Becancour in Canada. The bearish market sentiment in China was another key factor for the world aluminium production fall in H1 2019. In June, Chinese output fell by 3.1 per cent and by 0.4 per cent over the first six months of the year, according to the IAI. Production in the world outside China decreased by 0.6 per cent in the first half of the year. Albras in Brazil, which has an annual capacity of 450,000 tonnes, has been operating at 50 per cent since April 2018 because of tight global alumina supply on Alunorte...
Norsk Hydro’s Chief Financial Officer Eivind Kallevik has attributed the slowdown in German auto and construction sector for the missed result expectations in the second quarter. This has lowered aluminium demand and dragged the sale of Hydro in this quarter. Share prices for the company however rise on reports of increased production. This was further worsened by lower aluminium prices, alumina and aluminium production curtailment and the effects of a cyber-attack. Oslo-based Norsk Hydro missed expectations in the second quarter Tuesday after it reported a drop in underlying profit to 875 million Norwegian krone ($101 million). Hydro CFO said that demand weakness was acute in Europe and particularly in the biggest European economy Germany.The German central bank's monthly report...
The average spot price of alumina further recorded a decline of RMB 10 per tonne to stand at RMB 2517 per tonne on Wednesday, 24 July 2019. The prices of alumina fell across major China markets today. Spot alumina prices in East China, Central China, North China, and South China markets dropped by RMB 10 per tonne each. The average prices of alumina (East China), alumina (Central China), alumina (North China), and alumina (South China) stood at RMB 2530 per tonne, RMB 2530 per tonne, RMB 2500 per tonne, RMB 2525 per tonne respectively on July 24. Australian alumina FOB price came in at USD 298 per tonne, down RMB 1 per tonne from its previous price of USD 299 per tonne. A00 aluminium ingot price declined RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 13790 per tonne on Wednesday. The average price is expected...
NALCO has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NIT, Rourkela & NIT Rourkela Alumni Association (NITRAA) for the creation of a Centre of Excellence. The objective of collaboration is to develop entrepreneurs by supporting technology-driven start-up companies to improve manufacturing & service delivery competitiveness, NALCO said on Friday, July 19. The incubation centre will be located at the company’s Research and Training Centre at Gothapatna, Bhubaneswar, where NALCO is developing a world-class research facility to benefit the aluminium sector. The partnership, supported by IIT, ICT & DST, is aimed at developing an ecosystem for promoting entrepreneurship, to promote a knowledge environment by collaborating with research institutes and universities in both, core and enabling...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, China in June imported 50,000 tonnes of seaborne alumina, down 16.7 per cent from May but up 4.6 per cent from June 2018. With this, China’s import of alumina came in at 320,000 tonnes in the first half of 2019, down 9.5 per cent from the same period last year. Exports, on the other hand, stood more than half in June compared to May, amounting to 3,757 tonnes. Compared to the same period last year, the export amount stood down by 96.8 per cent. This brought China’s total volume of alumina exports to 180,819 tonnes in the first half of 2019, down 24.4 per cent year-on-year, according to China’s General Administration of Customs on Tuesday, July 23.
According to Mr Pete Coors, vice chairman of the Molson Coors Brewing Co., despite the claim that aluminium buyers in the U.S. can avoid tariff cost by buying from US producers and importing from non-tariffed countries, aluminium continues to remain expensive with or without tariffs. Until May, 2019, U.S. companies purchased 73% of their imported aluminium from tariffed countries, but 100% of aluminium was priced as per tariff. Now after the tariffs are lifted from Canada and Mexico, 77% of the imported aluminium bought by the U.S. companies is free from tariffs. However, that has not trimmed the prices for aluminium. LME benchmark aluminium price has dropped 15% from the time tariff was implanted. Price pf aluminium scrap which contributes 70% of aluminium in a beverage can has dropped...
