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 report, the former CEO of Aludium Arnaud de Weert has recently joined Mr. Sanjeev Gupta’s international business GFG Alliance as a chief executive of upstream activities for its fast-growing aluminium division. After being worked with several esteem companies such as Novelis Inc., Alcan EP, Aludium, Mr. de Weert is one of the leading names now in the international metals and manufacturing industry. Immediately prior to his role at Aludium, Mr. de Weert was an operating partner at Atlas, a US-based private equity firm which bought Aludium assets from Alcoa. Before joining Atlas, he was North American President for Owens-Illinois- one of the world’s largest glass bottle makers and previously he’d held tops posts at global aluminium producers Constellium and Novelis. Mr. Weert...
Romania’s estimated imports of bauxite increased 37.54 per cent on the year in 2018. The country procured 1.819 million tonnes of bauxite from the global market last year. Sierra Leone continued to remain the top bauxite supplier to Romania. Sierra Leone supplied 1.814 million tonnes of bauxite in 2018 compared with 1.313 tonnes in 2017. According to recent estimates, Romania imported 0.986 million tonnes of bauxite in 2016, which increased by 34 per cent to total at 1.322 million tonnes in 2017. The country’s estimated bauxite imports increased 37.54 per cent year-on-year to 1.819 million tonnes in 2018. The import volume is estimated to stand at 1.778 million tonnes in 2019, down 2.25 per cent from 2018, but up 34.44 per cent from 2017. Romania’s total import of bauxite was valued at...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, stocks of 6063 aluminium billet across five major consumption areas in China came in at 77,700 tonnes on Thursday, 27 June 2019. Inventories of aluminium billet rose some 6,000 tonnes from 71,700 tonnes on Thursday, June 20. Aluminium billet stocks in China increased this week as more deliveries arrived at warehouses and downstream consumption cooled. In Foshan, Guangdong, the billet stocks stood at 39,100 tonnes, up 6,800 tonnes from 32,300 tonnes on Thursday, June 20. Inventories of aluminium billet in Wuxi, Jiangsu remained unchanged at 8,500 tonnes. Inventories of aluminium billet in Huzhou, Zhejiang increased 2,700 tonnes to stand at 8,500 tonnes today. Stocks of aluminium billet in Changzhou, Jiangsu and Nanchang, Jiangxi stood at 8,500 tonnes...
Followed by the previous fall on June 24 to 1.061 million tonnes, the primary aluminium inventories today, on June 27, have come in at 1.051 million tonnes, according to Shanghai Metals Market data. This indicates that the inventories have declined by 10,000 tonnes over the past three days across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants. A week ago, on June 20, the primary aluminium inventories were at 1.081 million tonnes, which shows that the inventories today dropped by 30,000 tonnes week-on-week. In Wuxi, Jiangsu; Shanghai; Hangzhou, Zhejiang; and Chongqing; the inventories have dropped week-on-week by some 21,000 tonnes, 3,000 tonnes, 12,000 tonnes, and 1,000 tonnes to stand at 353,000 tonnes, 60,000 tonnes, and 22,000 tonnes, respectively. In other major markets like...
The US dollar bounced from a three-month low as investors tempered expectations for aggressive rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Base metals closed lower for the most part. LME aluminium gained 0.1% and SHFE aluminium edged down. Three-month LME aluminium retreated after pessimism around macroeconomic development bolstered prices to US$1,838 per tonne, the highest since May 17. It ended at US$1,814.5 per tonne, up 0.06% on the day. LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1,790-1,840 per tonne. As on June 26, Wednesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1802 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1803per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1824 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1825 per tonne; Dec 20 bid price stands at US$ 1940 per tonne, and Dec 20 offer...
AlCircle has launched “ Aluminium LeaderSpeak 2019 ”, an exclusive e- magazine in which industry leaders from the complete aluminium value chain have shared with our readers how they think year 2019 would transpire for themselves as an organization as well as for the industry. We are already in the middle of the year 2019, and while the aluminium industry is reconciling after a year of trade wars, restrictive tariffs, sanctions and supply concerns; the industry fundamentals are not promising, mostly due to the slowing economy in China and the world as a whole. Though demand is strong in North America, it is slowing in the rest of the world. As an exclusive aluminium industry portal, it becomes imperative for AlCircle to understand what our industry players are strategizing for the rest of...
Chinese automaker Dongfeng Automobile Co. Ltd. (DFAC) is reportedly planning to set up an industrial fund, focusing on new energy vehicle supply chain, in association with Beijing Ruihe Xinye Investment Co., Ltd. (R&H) and the state-owned Hanjiang Investment Holding. The fund, referred to as Dongfeng Hanjiang Fund, will involve in a total investment of RMB 1.2 billion. Dongfeng Automobile while announcing its fund setting plan on June 22 clarified that the fund would principally support the automaker’s NEV operation programme in terms of the automobile marketing terminal. The automaker at present owns three new energy passenger vehicle models - the Junfeng E11K, the Junfeng ER30, and the Junfeng E17. In a bid to increase the NEV sales, the company has formed a subsidiary firm Dongfeng New...
RUSAL has announced the launch of a potroom control system as part of its production efficiency improvement plan at some of its Siberian smelters. The system will use advanced scientific and methodological approaches based on a process of forecast analytics known as ‘BigData’. The project will require an investment amounting to around RUB 20 million. Rusal plans to boost its aluminium production efficiency by implementing this system in the potroom in two ways: by cutting down abnormalities throughout the production process by improving the reduction cell control quality "The use of forecast analytics in potroom control is just one step towards our target that we have set within our R&D framework. If successful, similar approaches will be enrolled for analysis and to increase efficiency...
Henan province, China’s key aluminium production hub, has reportedly planned to cap its 2020 aluminium smelting capacity at 2.5 million tonnes per annum while shifting its focus on producing high-value aluminium products, reported the provincial government on Wednesday, June 26. The provincial government on its website explicitly mentioned that the province located in Central China is estimated to ramp up its aluminium products capacity to over 12 million tonnes per annum by 2020, in line with the mainland’s supply-side reforms and industry restructuring to focus more on value-added products. At present, Henan’s annual alumina producingcapacity is at 12 million tonnes, while aluminium and aluminium products 3.16 million tonnes and 10 million tonnes or more, according to data shared by the...
According to China Customs data released on Wednesday, June 26, aluminium foil exports in China increased 11.75 per cent in May compared with the same period last year. Exports came in at 125,000 tonnes last month. Aluminium foil exports dropped 4.53 per cent in April. On a month-on-month comparison, China's export of aluminium foil increased 21.57 per cent in May. Those products were under five HS codes of eight digits. SMM reported that India, Thailand, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates remained the top five importers of Chinese aluminium foil last month, accounting for 64.44 per cent of the total export volumes. In another update from SMM, China’s exports of aluminium bars, rods and profiles stood at 96,400 tonnes in May, representing an increase of 18.83...
According to the preliminary estimates of Aluminum Association, aluminium demand in the United States and Canada, including shipments by domestic producers plus imports, stood at an estimated 4.3 million tonnes through April of 2019, a slight increase from YTD 2018. Through the first four months of 2019, apparent consumption (demand less exports) in domestic markets stood at an estimated 3.8 million tonnes, up 1.8 per cent YoY. Apparent consumption in domestic U.S. and Canadian markets totalled 965,244 tonnes in April, rising 2.9 per cent over April 2018. Demand for semi-finished products totalled 3.1 million tonnes through April 2019, up 2.6 per cent. Demand for aluminium semi-finished products in the U.S. and Canada totalled an estimated 801,951 tonnes in April, up 3.6 per cent over...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, China’s aluminium scrap import increased 15.81 per cent month-on-month and 57.8 per cent year-on-year in May to come in at 177,200 tonnes. Importers’ rush to move the seaborne scrap metal into domestic markets before import restrictions on July 1 resulted in this month-on-month rise in China’s aluminium scrap import. In April, the country had imported 153,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap, 21.6 per cent higher from 126,000 tonnes in March. This indicates that China’s aluminium scrap import increased month-on-month from March to May 2019. Imports in April had increased 37.4 per cent to 102,000 tonnes through general trade, the highest in 13 months, but decreased through processing trade by 7.2 per cent year-on-year to 51,000 tonnes. During January-February,...
Viridor has won a contract worth £20 million from East Sussex County Council to process around 50,000 tonnes of dry mixed recyclables per annum. Viridor will receive the county’s kerbside recyclables, including paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, aluminium cans, steel cans and glass from all five districts and boroughs for sorting and onward sale into the recycling markets. Simon Prior, Viridor’s Head of Local Authority Development, said: “Our internal Bid and Development Team’s submitted a high-quality bid and we are delighted to be awarded the contract to continue our work with East Sussex directly. “Processing the county’s high quality recyclables provide high quality resources to support the growing circular economy. In addition, our social value proposition...
According to a recent report, Alba’s Line 6 expansion project is expected to be completed by July 31, 2019. The news came after the company’s CEO Tim Murray revealed the due date on the sidelines of the launch of Alba’s special summer Safety Campaign. In mid-April, Alba had started an additional 106 pots in Line 6 expansion, which brought a total of 212 pots in function, equivalent to 50 per cent of Line 6 production capacity. Tim Murray, CEO of Alba, said in an interview to Oxford Business Group’s online broadcasting channel, that once the state-of-the-art Line 6 expansion project is complete, it will boost capacity at the smelter by 540,000 tonnes, producing a positive knock-on effect on the national economy. “Today Alba and the whole industry is about 12% of GDP. With Line 6, the...
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major currencies, rebounded from a more than three-month low and gained 0.21% on the day to end at 96.185. Base metals traded higher for the most part as LME aluminium increased 0.7% and SHFE aluminium went up 0.3%. Upbeat macroeconomic sentiment buoyed three-month LME aluminium to a high of US$1821.5 per tonne, after it hovering around the five- and 10- day moving averages. It closed 0.72% higher at US$1,813 per tonne, supported by longs, with the K-indicator testing the 60-day moving average above. LME cash contract also closed 1.6% higher over the previous day at US$ 1776.50 per tonne. Three months LME aluminium is likely to trade at US$1,790-1,830 per tonne today. As on June 25, Tuesday, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at...
The average spot alumina price continued its downward trend and stood at RMB2865 per tonne on Wednesday, 26 June 2019. Alumina price declined RMB31 per tonne or 1.07 per cent from RMB 2896 per tonne on Tuesday. Alumina price in East and North dropped RMB20 per tonne each to stand at RMB2880 per tonne and RMB2840 per tonne. Their average price is expected to range at RMB2860- 2900 per tonne and RMB2820- 2860 per tonne. Alumina price in Central and South declined RMB40 per tonne and RMB10 per tonne to stand at RMB2870 per tonne and RMB2915 per tonne. Their average price is expected to range at RMB2860- 2880 per tonne and RMB2870- 2960 per tonne. A00 aluminium ingot price increased RMB20 per tonne to come in at RMB13920 per tonne on Wednesday, 26 June 2019. The average price is expected to...
National Aluminium Company will reportedly invest INR 17,000 crore to enhance its production capacity. Nearly half of the proposed investment will be made in association with joint venture partners. The state-run aluminium maker will invest around INR 6,000 crore on its own for establishing some downstream projects at Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal district of Odisha, while some INR 5,540 crore for setting up a new alumina refinery stream that is likely to be commission in 2021-22. As per the report, the company has already found the land for its downstream projects and hope to start them within three years of receipt of all statutory clearances. Besides, Nalco will set up a high-end aluminium alloy plant with INR 4,450 crore of investment through joint venture partner Mishra Dhatu Nigam...
According to the latest report from Aluminum Association, shipments of aluminium extruded products (extruded shapes, pipe & tube, and rod & bar) by U.S. and Canadian producers stood at 210,920 tonnes during May 2019. This registered a 5.2 per cent drop from the May 2018 revised total of 222,623 tonnes. Month on month, shipments declined 1.7 per cent from the April 2019 revised total of 473.5 million pounds. Year-to-date shipments through May 2019 dropped 1.9 per cent YoY to about 1 million pounds. Estimated shipments of Aluminum Drawing Stock, Bare Wire and Rod & Bar by U.S. and Canadian producers stood at 88.2 million pounds during May 2019, a drop of 25.8 per cent from the May 2018 total of 118.8 million pounds. Month on month, shipments declined 3.1 per cent from the April 2019 revised...
