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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A00 aluminium ingot price started its upward trend at the beginning of the week and continued rising throughout the week. On Monday, July 15, the price increased RMB 80 per tonne or 0.58 per cent to RMB13800 per tonne. Aluminium ingot price on Thursday recorded no movement from RMB 13850 per tonne. It ended the week higher at RMB13920 per tonne, up RMB 70 per tonne. Shanghai Metals Market data showed that social inventories of primary aluminium across eight consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, extended their increase over the weekend, gaining 1,000 tonnes from Thursday July 11 to stand at 1.043 million tonnes as of Monday July 15. On Thursday, July 18, primary aluminium stocks barely changed from a week ago and came in at 1.042 million tonnes. The average price of alumina...
Poor summer trades bolstered the US dollar in the beginning of this week. It gained further as surprisingly strong growth in US retail sales in June eased out uncertainties. The index started softening from mid-week and slid to 96.696 towards the end. Improved macroeconomic sentiment buoyed most base metals and LME and SHFE aluminium had a bullish week. All LME aluminium contacts traded over US$ 1800 per tonne mark this week. LME aluminium traded bullish this week and was on a steady upward curve. LME aluminium started the week with US$ 1810 per tonne and continued gains every day to reach two months high yesterday at US$1833 per tonne. Three-month LME aluminium also gained significantly over last week and ended the week at US$ 1856 per tonne. LME aluminium may retest a resistance at...
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) put sanctions against a network of front companies and agents on July 18, 2019, who are involved in the procurement of aluminium materials for sanctioned elements of Iran’s nuclear program. The sanctioned individuals and entities are based in Iran, China, and Belgium and have acted as a procurement network for Iran’s Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA), which plays a crucial role in Iran’s nuclear program developed by Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). TESA was already sanctioned by Treasury s on November 21, 2011. This global network is comprised of seven entities and five individuals. “Treasury is taking action to shut down an Iranian nuclear procurement network that leverages Chinese- and...
Bentley marks its 100 th birthday with a new futuristic concept car EXP 100 GT designed for the world of 2035. Unveiled at The Home of Bentley in Crewe, the autonomous and completely electric vehicle represents the British luxury car brand’s vision of future car design while preserving the heritage. Borrowing sleek and muscular exterior look from Bentley’s famous past models, the new 5.8-metre-long futuristic car, made from aluminium and carbon fibre, includes round headlights that overlap the grille in a nod to the Bentley Blower and a rear resembling the famous R-Type Continental. The decorative features are made from aluminium as well and some from copper. Two of the most unique things about the car are its exterior paint named “Compass” made from rice husk ash, a bi-product of the...
Apex Aluminum Extrusions, a premium North American aluminium extruder, has appointed Tony Da Silva, MBA, P.Eng., as Vice President of Engineering. He will report directly to Bill de Koning, Chief Operating Officer of Apex Aluminum Extrusions. Bill de Koning said: “Tony has proven himself to be instrumental in the growth and expansion of aluminum extrusion factories. Tony has successfully implemented capital expansion projects in the tens of millions of dollars: his knowledge, experience in combination with his hands-on capabilities makes me very confident that Tony will bring continued success to our team and to our assertive growth objectives.” With 170,000 square foot aluminium extrusion facility the company delivers custom extrusions, mill finish aluminium and anodized aluminium. Tony...
Global automotive parts manufacturing company Nemak, headquartered in García, announced on Tuesday, July 16, that it planned to close down its aluminium casting plant at Windsor by mid-2020. This decision is a result of the early phase-out of an export programme with a customer in China, according to Nemak. Armando Tamez, CEO of Nemak, said in a media release, "Given our outlook on capacity utilization and volumes in Windsor, we have made the decision to end production at this facility." About 90 per cent of the 400,000 cylinder engine blocks produced annually in Nemak’s Windsor plant was destined for Cadillac vehicles at GM's Shanghai plant. So, the early phase-out of the export programme is expected to reduce Nemak's use of the plant to less than 10 per cent of capacity. Currently, the...
French shipyard OCEA launched OPV 270, its largest vessel to date, solely designed and built by them, on July 17 2019 at its shipyard in Les Sables d’Olonne. The 84 meters long OPV 270 was selected by the Coast Guard of the Philippines and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) during an international competition. She is also the largest aluminium OPV built in the world. The vessel will be called "Gabriela Silang" OCEA had an edge over others on the basis of efficient cost reduction and lesser CO2 emission capabilities. This vessel is the fifth to be delivered under a contract that started execution in late 2017 with the construction of four fast patrol boats. All four were commissioned over the year 2018 and currently in operation in the Philippine waters. OCEA said that OPV 270 is the...
Crown Holdings, Inc. announced its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2019. Net sales were $3,035 million in Q2, from $3,046 million in Q2 2018, reflecting $80 million of unfavourable currency translation offset by increased beverage can volumes. Income from operations increased from $292 million to $383 million in the second quarter. Segment income was $386 million compared to $389 million in the prior year second quarter. Net income stood at $137 million in Q2 2019. Reported diluted earnings per share were $1.02 in Q2 compared to $0.99 in 2018. Adjusted diluted earnings per share were $1.46 compared to $1.55 in 2018. Timothy J. Donahue, President and Chief Executive Officer, said: "Our overall performance during the quarter was generally in line with expectations....
Continuous downturn in China’s new vehicle market for last four quarters has created cash crunch for a number of automakers, a report from Automotive News China says. BAIC Yinxiang Automobile Co., a subsidiary of state-owned automaker BAIC Motor Group, suspended major part of production for H2 2018 due to sales drop and lack of cash flow. The company is struggling with overdue wages and payments. The local government in Chongqing has been in talks with BAIC to rescue BAIC Yinxiang but nothing has materialized. Shanghai-based Qoros Automotive Co., a public private concern is also facing cash crunch. The company’s new-vehicle sales began falling in mid-2018 and the company lost nearly 1.4 billion yuan ($203 million) in the first three quarters of 2018 on plunging sales. The dealers of the...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, demand for photovoltaic-use (PV-use) aluminium extrusion is likely to stay strong across China in the second half of the year, as the National Energy Administration (NEA) released on Thursday, July 18, the remaining quotas for residential solar qualifying for a 2019 subsidy, which was at 1.27GW. The NEA revealed on its website that some 2.23GW installed capacity of PV projects was eligible for national subsidies till June-end of 2019. The total approved quotas for the year is 3.5GW. The rooftop market performed well in the first half of the year, recovering from the sluggish trend on China’s announcement of its plan to curtail subsidies on May 31, 2018. Customs data showed China’s export of PV modules in June came in at 5,974.36MW after registering an...
Alumina Limited has reported the result highlights for Alcoa Corp’s 2Q 2019 bauxite and alumina segment. Alcoa’s bauxite and alumina segment is represented by Alcoa Worldwide Alumina and Chemicals (AWAC), a joint venture which is owned 40% by Alumina Limited and Alcoa owns the remaining 60% and is the manager/operator of AWAC's operations. AWAC Mining Business reported 10.8 million tonnes of bauxite production in Q2 2019, down 3.5% from 11.2 million tonnes in Q1 2019. The bauxite mining business covers wholly owned bauxite mines plus equity share of CBG and MRN. Alumina Refining Business reported alumina production of 3.1 million tonnes in Q2 2019, flat from the reported production in Q1 2019. The production result is excluding the share of Ma’aden refinery. Alumina Limited’s CEO, Mike...
South Korea's imports of aluminium including scrap from the US stood at 105,000 tonnes in the first four months of 2019, 31 per cent higher than the corresponding period of 2018. Imports were 27,300 tonnes in April as compared to 22,100 tonnes in April 2018. Aluminium semi-finished imports from the US came in at 11,500 tonnes in January-April 2019. That was up 4.5 per cent from 11,000 tonnes in the same period of 2018. In April, aluminium semi-finished imports from the US registered 2,740 tonnes, a drop of 1.4 per cent from 2,780 tonnes in the same period last year. Imports declined by 10.4 per cent from March’s import volume of 3,060 tonnes. Imports of aluminium scrap were 93,400 tonnes in the first four months of 2019, from 69,000 tonnes in the first four months of 2018. This records an...
Indonesia is reportedly planning to spend billions of dollars in building aluminium and nickel smelters and reshaping its mining industry, in a bid to cut decades-long dependence on costly imports to meet domestic demand. Report says the Southeast Asian country is seeking to make building smelters mandatory for the miners. The state-owned first and largest SOE engaged in aluminium smelting, PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum), will designate a fund of $10 billion over the next five years to develop refineries and smelters, said President Director Budi Gunadi Sadikin. According to Sadikin, the company is investing $850 million in building a smelter-grade alumina refinery with1 million tonnes capacity in West Kalimantan. This refinery once completed, is expected to help reduce the...
The US dollar extended its losses against the euro, yen and other major currencies and the dollar index slid 0.54% and ended at 96.696. Base metals traded mostly higher. LME aluminium rose 0.2% and SHFE aluminium climbed 0.25%. Three-month LME aluminium registered the sixth consecutive trading day of increase as it climbed to a high of US$1,857 per tonne overnight after the US dollar weakened, settling up 0.22% at US$1,851 per tonne. With the KDJ indicators moving upwards, it is expected to trade between US$1,800-1,860 per tonne today. As on July 18, Thursday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1827 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1827.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1844 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1846 per tonne; Dec 20 bid price...
Xiamen Xiashun Aluminium Foil Co., Ltd. has been certified against Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s (ASI) Performance Standard for responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium. Xiashun’s sites manufacture and sell foilstock, litho stock (CTP), light-gauge aluminium foil that is less than 10μm and lithium battery foil. Xiamen Xiashun is the fifth company in China to achieve Certification to the ASI Performance Standard. Xiashun manufactures six- to seven-micron aluminium foil products for use in flexible packaging applications, particularly in the food and beverage industry. Vice President, Sales & Marketing of Xiashun, Eric Loh said: “As an internationally recognized standard for environmental, social and corporate governance practices related to the aluminium value...
After remaining restrained on Thursday, July 18, the A00 aluminium ingot price has decided to end the week with a jump of RMB 70 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,920 per tonne, as of July 19, found Shanghai Metals Market. With this rise, the A00 aluminium ingot price is standing RMB 20 per tonne or 0.14 per cent higher from 13,900 per tonne in the same period last month. Throughout this week, since July 15, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded continued rises, except for a restraint on July 18, ranging between RMB 13,800 per tonne and RMB 13,920 per tonne. Week-on-week, the price is RMB 200 per tonne higher, as it was at RMB 13,720 per tonne on July 12. This significant increase in A00 aluminium price over the week could be attributed to the improved spot aluminium transactions among...
South32 Ltd reported a 1% quarter-on-quarter rise in aluminium production in the fourth quarter of FY19. Aluminium production increased from 242,000 tonnes in Q3 FY19 to 245,000 tonnes in Q4 FY19. Production stood at 982,000 tonnes for the full year. Hillside Aluminium production increased by 3,000 tonnes to record 715,000 tonnes in FY19 as the smelter continued to test its maximum technical capacity, despite an increase in the frequency of load-shedding events. In Q4 FY19, production stood at 179,000 tonnes, up 2% quarter-on-quarter. “In order to ensure the smelter’s ongoing sustainability and to improve its cost competitiveness, we completed a restructure of the workforce during the June 2019 quarter. Notwithstanding the restructure, which is expected to deliver cost savings from FY20,...
According to the latest data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), production and sales of motorcycles in June improved across China both year-on-year, as well as month-on-month basis. Domestic production of motorcycles in the above mentioned month came in at 1.48 million units, up 2.83 per cent from May 2019 and 8.09 per cent from June 2018. In May 2019, the production had dropped month-on-month by 0.64 per cent. Sales climbed 4.34 per cent month-on-month in June and 6.74 per cent on the year to stand at 1.47 million units. In May 2019, sales were down by 1.32 per cent from the previous month. With this, the total production and sales of motorcycles in the first half of 2019 in China totalled 7.81 million units and 7.77 million units, respectively. Chinese...
