Storvik has won a contract to operate and maintain the automated anode rod repair system at Alcoa's Mosjøen aluminium smelter in Norway. The agreement extends a partnership that began in 2016, when the company introduced its In-Line Rod Repair (ILRR) system at the plant. Storvik Mosjøen, a subsidiary of Storvik group will now handle the operation of the robotic repair line and maintenance of the anode yokes processed through it. Storvik Engineering built the system, with both companies working together on its installation and commissioning. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook " Anode rod assemblies are essential to primary aluminium...
Rio Tinto has secured a five-year operating arrangement for its Bell Bay aluminium smelter in northern Tasmania, backed by a government support package worth USD 200 million. The agreement includes a commitment to maintain a minimum level of employment at the 71-year-old facility until at least 2031, easing concerns over its future amid uncertainty about electricity costs. Rio Tinto's aluminium chief executive Jérôme Pécresse confirmed the employment commitment but did not disclose the number of jobs covered. The guarantee is understood to cover around 500 positions. Bell Bay currently employs about 550 people and supports a further 1,200 jobs, with its future previously uncertain as the company sought a new power agreement. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of...
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Water and wastewater treatment company De.mem Limited announced that the company has secured A$780,000 ($564,868) operations and maintenance contract for Rio Tinto’s Amrun bauxite mine in Queensland, Australia. De.mem will manage potable water and sewage treatment plants at the mine, for 12 months beginning January 2019. The company said the additional revenue could be secured from the delivery of spares and other equipment. De.mem CEO Andreas Kroell said: “This new purchase order is another great success for De.mem as it underlines our well established customer base in the mining and resources sector, and our strong, recurring Operations & Maintenance (“O&M”) business. “The O&M business is of high importance to De.mem as the recurring revenues deliver predictable and dependable revenue...
With three major smelting companies like Alcan, Century Aluminium, and Alcoa, aluminium is one of the major materials produced and exported by Iceland. As of Q3 2017, aluminium had reportedly accounted for 14 per cent of Iceland’s total exports of goods and services. {newsStudioGallery} Our third-party data shows Iceland’s exports of aluminium (both alloyed & non-alloyed) is recording a year-on-year rise for the past three years. This year, however, the country’s estimated volume of exports is estimated to remain flat at 1 million tonnes. Last year in 2018, Iceland had exported the same amount of aluminium, compared to 978,067 tonnes in 2017. Thus, this shows the country’s exports in 2018 grew 3 per cent from 2017. In 2016, on the other hand, Iceland’s aluminium exports were at 861,053...
Vishay Intertechnology, a manufacturer of discrete semiconductors (diodes, MOSFETs, and infrared optoelectronics) and passive electronic components (resistors, inductors, and capacitors), has extended the maximum voltage rating of the Vishay BCcomponents 500 PGP-ST series of aluminium screw-terminal capacitors to 500 V. As polarized aluminium electrolytic capacitors with a non-solid electrolyte, 500 PGP-ST series devices are optimized for DC-Linking in power conversion electronics rated at 20 kW and above — including large motor drives, UPS systems, and solar inverters. The devices allow designers to re-use three-phase, 380 V designs in 480 V systems and upgrade solar inverter systems for 1000 V maximum input. The company the series is available in nine case sizes ranging from 50mm x 80mm...
At the 7 th International Conference on Aluminium and Exhibition (INCAL-2019), Hindalco demonstrated a dry bulk carrier made from indigenous aluminium and showed its enormous benefits. The bulker will be used for carrying cement, fly ash, food grains, PTA powder, and alumina. <iframe width="560" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UQrC2qtggTk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> The bulker not only depicts Hindalco’s unmatched capability in India but is also a live proof of demonstration of the benefits of aluminium over steel in such applications, especially to the former’s light weight, lower maintenance cost, and longer life. The size of the bulker is 30 cubic metres and is 2 tonnes...
i2r Packaging Solutions, a manufacturer of a comprehensive range of aluminium foil wrinklewall and smoothwall containers, has unveiled an innovative aluminium smoothwall product for the food packaging industry. The company will launch i2r Ultra™ at the forthcoming Packaging innovations show at the NEC, Birmingham on 27-28 February. The aluminium tray uses a new style of embossing to increase stress resistance thereby reducing the gauge, price point and environmental impact. i2r partnered with Wolverhampton University to progress the detailed and complex project, utilising finite element analysis prediction software. The specialist rib and base configuration provides an increase in structural strength and delivers a reduction in weight. It also features an Alu recyclable logo and a ‘rinse...
In concurrent with INCAL 2019, the INDO-ITALIAN METALHUB programme by ArtValley also continued with great success, targeting at decision makers in the industrial sectors in India and in Italy while focusing on the industrial and cultural exchange between the two countries. The programme Indo-Italian MetalHub continued in 2019 with the participation to INCAL 2019, with the Special Session in particular on “Aluminium in Railways & Transportation”- The challenge of metallurgy in the world of transportation in India. Among many companies that made a strong presence at the seminar, Metra was the “star” in the transportation section. The Italian company was the main protagonist of the Italian mission in India, Bhubaneswar - the host city for INDO-ITALIAN HUB programme & INCAL 2019. In several...
LME aluminium contract closed at US$1840 per tonne on Monday, February 4, down from US$ 1872.5 per tonne on Friday. As on February 4, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1839.50per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1840 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1868 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1868.50 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2015 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2020 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock increased to 1297150 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled at 770900 tonnes, and Cancelled Warrants were 526250 tonnes. LME aluminium 3-months Asian Reference Price is hovering at US$ 1882.50 per tonne. Shanghai Futures Exchange remains closed for the Lunar New Year Holiday. Trading will resume on Monday, February 11.
According to a recent report, New Day Aluminium Holdings LLC, the parent company of Noranda Bauxite & Alumina, has rebranded its specialty products business as NICHE, a ready acronym for Noranda Industrial Chemicals. NICHE will include Noranda’s Gramercy-based chemical grade alumina (CGA) business as well as ARC Fused Alumina. ARC Fused Alumina is Noranda’s white fused alumina manufacturing subsidiary in La Bâthie, France. Company Chairman David D’Addario said: “We recently completed a significant expansion of our CGA capacity in Gramercy, so it made perfect sense to operate that part of our business as a separate entity.” He further added, “It also made sense to include our other specialty products business, ARC Fused Alumina, under that same corporate umbrella. With additional...
Alcoa Corporation has appointed John Slaven as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. Slaven will be responsible for supporting Alcoa’s overall strategy and will oversee the corporate and business development functions, global supply chain, and energy development. Harvey said: “John has extensive experience in the metals and mining business, including global experience in several commodities and industry sectors across the full aluminium value chain.” “His experience spans from early stage exploration through project development and operations, to sales and marketing and end users, which will be an important asset to our Company as we continue to pursue our strategic priorities and multiyear capital allocation framework.” From 2002 through early 2006, Slaven worked for Alcoa...
According to the latest research report by FMI, over 1 million tonnes of aluminium containers were sold globally in 2018. This sales volume is likely to escalate further by 4 per cent year-on-year in 2019, learned the report. Shifting consumer patterns towards effective and sustainable formats could be a factor that stimulated the sales of aluminium foil containers. Unwavering demand from multiple sectors, including foodservice, retail & supermarket, and others further triggered the demand for the containers, found the report. Aluminium foil containers continue to gain immense favour, owing to their superior barrier properties. According to FMI’s analysis, the weight of aluminium is another key aspect enhancing the viability of aluminium foil containers across diverse end-use...
Sanjeev Gupta’s global GFG Alliance has inaugurated Liberty Aluminium Dunkerque, Europe’s largest smelter, declaring its intention to expand into France’s industrial supply chain. GFG purchased the smelter for around US$500 million from Rio Tinto in December last year. GFG aims to make the 570-worker plant the hub of a manufacturing supply chain providing materials and components for French industry, particularly the automotive sector. The smelter currently produces 285,000 tonnes of primary aluminium per year. Mr Gupta also announced that Liberty Wheels France, already a major customer of the Dunkerque smelter, has won it first major contract since the London-headquartered Alliance took over the plant in May last year. GFG Chairman and CEO, Sanjeev Gupta said: “Our aim is to make this...
Alspec, Australia’s leading designer of innovative aluminium systems, has collaborated with Dulux, the largest powder coating manufacturer in Australia and New Zealand. Alspec said the new partnership between Alspec AluSpace and Dulux Powder Coatings brings together the depth of experience and expertise of two highly regarded firms in a winning combination. Alspec’s AluSpace facility, located in in Surry Hills, Sydney, is the home for advanced designs in aluminium window and door systems with a focus on large sliding and folding doors designed for the specification industry. “This partnership will ensure clients get the very best they can, taking advantage of the latest trends in aluminium framing and powder coating”, said Jason Eyndhoven, Dulux’s NSW Commercial Business Development...
In the successive year of 2017, when Norway’s aluminium wire exports had increased by about 2 per cent from 70,079 tonnes in 2016 to 71,490 tonnes, the country reportedly saw a year-on-year decline in further exports, found our third-party data. {newsStudioGallery} In 2018, Norway’s aluminium wire exports were pegged at 70,735 tonnes, down 1.05 per cent from 2017. 2019 is also estimated to see a plunge in Norway’s aluminium wire exports to 69,479 tonnes, down around 2 per cent year-on-year. But despite the fall in estimated aluminium wire exports volume from Norway this year, the revenue is likely to see a rise, learned the international export-import data. From US$121 million in 2018, Norway’s revenue from wire exports is anticipated to grow to US$123 million in 2019, up about 2 per...
Environmental organisations this week reportedly renewed calls on government to stop all mining and prospecting activities in the Atewa Forest Reserve due to grievous repercussions on the country. The environmental groups said the Atewa Forest provided a variety of ecosystem service and other benefits that superseded the financial gains derived from mining bauxite in the forest. The environmental groups were led by ARocha Ghana, Wildlife Society of Ghana, Rainforest Trust, Friends of the Earth-Ghana, International Committee of the Netherlands, and Advocates for Biodiversity Conservation. They asked the government and the China Development Bank to find alternative ways that would enable the Atewa Forest to generate additional financial resources for the state and support the development of...
With the biggest number of US jobs created in 11 months for January and a rebound in US manufacturing, the US dollar index held stable on Friday. Mild wage inflation, shown in the US nonfarm payrolls, kept the dollar's gains in check. LME base metals traded mixed on Friday. LME aluminium dropped 1.7%. Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange dropped to close at US$ 1872.5 tonne on Friday, February 1. As on February 1, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1871.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1872.50per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1892.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1893 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2037 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2042 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock decreased to...
Yantai Donghai Aluminium Foil Co. Ltd. is the first company in China to receive Performance Standard certification under the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI). Yantai Donghai Aluminium Foil, based in Shandong province, manufactures aluminium foil for industrial and consumer applications that include a wide range of packaging, batteries, capacitors, and cabling. ASI announced the first Chinese company to be successfully certified against ASI’s standards for responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium. Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer at ASI said “ASI is delighted to congratulate Yantai Donghai Aluminium Foil Co. and Shandong Nanshan Aluminium group on their achievement of ASI Certification. We are excited to see the growing commitment to ASI in China and to...
Aluminium-built 25-metre motor yacht Jangada, listed for sale by Oceandrive, is sold to the buyer introduced by Y.CO. Delivered in 2015 as a raised pilothouse model, the yacht was built by Netherlands-based superyacht builder Wim Van der Valk Continental Yachts to a design by Guido De Groot. Accommodation is for eight guests in four cabins comprising a master suite, VP suite, and double and twin, with all entertainment centres and en suite bathroom facilities. Guido De Groot has made a clever use of space by designing a few different areas of the yacht. It has included one main office and some spaces where the owner can work on board. It has designed the saloon on the small side, but by opening up the stairway it allows an uninterrupted view from stern all the way forward and gives a...
The US dollar index fell in the beginning of the week. The dollar extended its loss on Monday after US President Donald Trump decided to extend a March 1 deadline for additional tariffs on Chinese goods, suggesting progressive trade negotiations between the two countries. It rebounded from earlier lows on Thursday, after US data showed growth in the world's largest economy was stronger than expected in the fourth quarter. Both LME and SHFE base metals traded mixed over the week. LME aluminium touched its highest on February 27 at US$ 1898.5 per tonne. News on full production recovery of Hydro’s Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil buoyed the market. The prices then consolidated towards the end of the week and stood at US$ 1890.50 per tonne on Friday March 1. The contract is expected to...
