Aluminium production depends on high-temperature processes where furnace efficiency, thermal management and equipment durability are essential for maintaining operational performance. However, refractory materials used in melting, holding and casting operations face continuous exposure to extreme temperatures, thermal fluctuations, chemical corrosion and mechanical wear. These conditions can lead to premature furnace-lining failure, molten-metal penetration, corundum formation and heat loss, increasing maintenance requirements and operating costs. Addressing these challenges requires materials that can withstand demanding operating conditions while keeping equipment efficient and reliable. Alkegen, a supplier of high-temperature refractory and insulation materials, serves this requirement...
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has strengthened its profitability despite a challenging nine-month period marked by operational disruptions, constrained exports and reduced aluminium production. The UAE-based producer reported an improved adjusted EBITDA margin for the first nine months of 2026, supported by higher realised aluminium prices, a stronger value-added product mix and cost-control measures. Meanwhile, the company is progressing with the restoration of its Al Taweelah facilities, expanding its international recycling footprint and advancing its global smelting technology partnerships. EGA recorded adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of USD 1.572 billion (AED 5.773 billion) during January-September 2026, compared with USD 1.738 billion...
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The global demand for aluminium in the building and construction sector had been driving the aluminium bar rods and profiles exports by Turkey. Till last year 2018, the industry in Turkey saw a year-on-year growth. But this year may create an exception. According to our third party data, Turkey’s exports of aluminium bar rods and profiles are likely to drop from the previous year. In 2018, the estimated export volume was at 174,871 tonnes, after growing by 13 per cent from 154,268 tonnes in the year 2017 and by 21 per cent from 144,663 tonnes in 2016. This represents that both the years 2017 as well as 2018 saw a year-on-year rise. But this year, Turkey’s estimated export of aluminium bar rods and profiles would drop to 167,167 tonnes, down 4.4 per cent from 2018 but up 8 per cent and 16...
After signature ridged suitcases using aluminium, Rimowa has reportedly launched a new line of Apple iPhone cases. And the fun fact is that the mobile cases are modelled after the signature aluminium luggage of Rimowa. <iframe width="540" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZxxQ4nx82NE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> The cases are made for the latest iPhone models like XR, XS, and XS Max. The cases are centred around the German suitcase purveyor’s classic aluminium suitcases with recognizable grooved designs. The Aluminium Groove Cases are constructed out of the same lightweight aluminium used on RIMOWA luggage and come complete with a shockproof TPU perimeter band for enhanced grip and...
The greenback continued its bullish momentum to start the week, as the US dollar index overnight climbed to the highest since January 4 at 96.43.Base metals closed mixed last night. LME aluminium lost over 1% and SHFE aluminium fell 0.59%. Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange dropped to close at US$ 1842.5per tonne on Monday, January 21. LME aluminium came off from a high of US$1,886 per tonne during the European session, as it fell below the 20- and five-day moving averages. SMM expects the contract to trade at US$1,840-1,865 per tonne today. As on January 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1842 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1842.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1855 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 1856 per tonne;...
Following China and the United States’ sanctions, India’s aluminium imports have reportedly recorded a year-on-year rise by 24 per cent during April-October 2018. According to executives, the volume of inbound shipments may grow further and cause more distress to the domestic industry. Scrap imports have also increased during this period by 22 per cent, after the US imposed 10 per cent duty on aluminium and China slapped 25 per cent import duty on aluminium scrap from the US. The industry expects further increase in scrap imports as well, as China has classified aluminium scrap as restricted import from July 2019 and plans to ban all scrap dumping by 2020. India, however, has no standards to restrict scrap imports, pointed out Vedanta CEO (aluminium and power) Ajay Kumar Dixit. Mr. Dixit...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, stood at 1.262 million tonnes as of Monday January 21, down 2,000 tonnes from Thursday January 17. Compared to last Thursday, inventories in Wuxi, Jiangsu and Shanghai dropped by about 8,000 tonnes and 2,000 tonnes to stand at 484,000 tonnes and 299,000 tonnes while stocks in Nanhai, Guangdong increased by some 8,000 tonnes to stand at 167,000 tonnes. Inventory in Gongyi, Henan decreased to 102,000 tonnes. The below chart indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China: Limited cargoes arrived at social warehouses during the weekend, and this accounted for the decline in primary aluminium inventories.
Average spot alumina price in China further dropped to RMB 2836 per tonne on January 22, down RMB18 per tonne from RMB 2854 per tonne as on January 21.The spot price is expected to range within RMB 2836 per tonne today. Alumina-central and alumina –east declined by RMB 20 per tonne and RMB 30 per tonne to stand at RMB 2860 per tonne and RMB 2880 per tonne. Alumina-north stood at RMB 2800 per tonne. The Australian alumina FOB price and alumina (Chalco) remained unchanged at US$ 387 per tonne and RMB 3250 per tonne. In another update from SMM, the A00 aluminium ingot price declined RMB 70 per tonne to RMB 13340 per tonne. The average price today is expected to range between RMB 13320 per tonne and RMB 13360 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 70-30 per tonne. Aluminium ingot...
2018 was a challenging year for the transport industry as the year saw a great deal of supply chain uncertainty due to tariffs on aluminium. The demand growth was led by the automotive sector. Automakers and the automotive suppliers expressed concern over higher prices of raw materials eating up on profits. On the positive side, 2018 saw numerous product launches, collaborations, development of new materials, growing interest in additive manufacturing and many more, which had driven the aluminium demand. Let’s look back at the top transport news from our end user vertical. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final determination finding current fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for light-duty vehicles model years 2022-2025 are not appropriate. They...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) has successfully closed by the end of 2018 the final instalment of the 2nd tranche in respect of the financing of its Line 6 Expansion Project. The loan facilities consisting of US$136 million and EUR90 million are used to finance the provision of equipment for Alba’s Line 6 Expansion Project. The facilities are made-up of US$136 million Export Development Canada (“EDC”) supported-facility with 10-year tenure; and EUR90 million Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)/Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) supported-facilities comprising two contract loans, with 10-year and six-year tenure. Alba’s Chairman of Board of Directors, Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa said: “This is another concrete highlight for us and a step closer...
A Press Release from Gulf Aluminium Council has confirmed that the primary aluminium producers in the GCC region produced a total of 5,408,257 tons of primary Aluminium in 2018. The high quality primary aluminium was shipped to the local as well as the international market. This registers an increase of around 230,000 tons over 2017 and the growth was primarily driven by improved efficiency and completion of modernisation of projects. This was further contributed by Alba, which had surpassed one million tonnes of production for the first time. The top five primary smelters in GCC are: Emirates Global Aluminium(EGA) which is a merger of Dubal - Dubai Aluminium and Emal - Emirates Aluminium, United Arab Emirates Alba - Aluminium Bahrain, Bahrain Qatalum - Qatar Aluminium, Qatar Sohar...
As the year 2018 wrapped up and 2019 has started, AlCircle is coming up with a comprehensive Aluminium Industry Recap 2018 . The recap will give you an opportunity to look back at the significant developments that shaped or disturbed the industry value chain. This edition of Aluminium Industry Recap 2018 aims to touch upon the major developments vertical wise, which influenced each other driving growth or counter growth. We also touched upon the major projects, collaborations, investments and divestments, expansions and also the policy changes. The developments are not only analysed chronologically but also analytically so that you can draw a conclusion on how the entire value chain moved together to bring about a turnaround in the market. Trump’s 10% tariffs on the import of aluminium...
In 2018, Italy’s imports and exports of aluminium structures increased by 10.27% or 3536 tonnes year-on-year and 20.45% or 13213 tonnes year-on-year respectively in 2018. Most of Italy’s aluminium structures export goes to Austria, France, the USA, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, Poland and Spain among others. {newsStudioGallery} Our own third party data shows Italy imported an estimated 34425 tonnes of aluminium structures in 2017 and total cost of import was at USD 124 million . The country’s estimated aluminium structures import was at 37961 tonnes in 2018 and the cost of import was at USD 123 million . The country’s import of aluminium structures is estimated to be about 37326 tonnes by the end of this year. The value of import is estimated to stand at USD 106 million . Italy exported...
China produced 3.05 million tonnes of primary aluminium in December 2018, up 8.2 percent from 2.82 million tonnes in November and up 11.3 percent from December 2017, according to data published by the country’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). <iframe width="540" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fmEaCNAAIxs" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> The total aluminium production in 2018 stood at 35.8 million tonnes up 7.4 percent from the previous annual record in 2017, the NBS data showed. On a daily basis, the world’s top aluminium maker produced almost 98,400 tonnes of aluminium in December, up from 94,000 tonnes in November and also a record high, according to Reuters calculations....
The US dollar registered its first weekly gain since mid-December as US-China trade optimism lifted investor sentiment. Base metals increased across the board in the LME and SHFE. LME aluminium grew nearly 1% and SHFE aluminium jumped 1.34%. LME alminium closed last week at US$ 1851 per tonne, the highest in the week. Stronger than expected US industrial output data boosted LME aluminium, which settled at US$1,870 per tonne after increasing to a high of US$1,879.5 per tonne on Friday night. Open interests grew 1,898 lots to 666,000 lots. The contract is expected to trade at US$1,855-1,885 per tonne today. As on January 18, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stood at US$ 1850 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 1851 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 1857 per tonne,...
A00 aluminium ingot price stood at RMB13410 per tonne on January 21, up RMB50 per tonne from RMB13360 per tonne as of January 18. The average prices today are expected to range between RMB 13390 per tonne and RMB 13430 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 90-50 per tonne. Aluminium ingot prices in the East Wuxi and Hangzhou increased by RMB 65 per tonne and RMB 50 per tonne to stand at RMB 13415 per tonne and RMB 13410 per tonne, respectively. In the South and North, the price rose by RMB 70 per tonne and RMB 50 per tonne to stand at RMB 13450 per tonne and RMB 13420 per tonne respectively. Prebaked anode prices in northwest and southwest China dropped RMB 100 per tonne to RMB 3900 and RMB 3800 per tonne, price of prebaked anode in central China declined by RMG130 per tonne to...
Aluminium recyclers in the U.S. have experienced a business boom on account of the trade war between China and the U.S. According to Harbor Aluminum Intelligence, recycled aluminium accounted for the largest share of the aluminium consumed in the U.S. in 2018. “There’s a huge win for domestic recyclers and producers,” said Luke Palen, president of Spectro Alloys Corp., a Minnesota company, which recycles aluminium scraps into automotive aluminium alloys. Harbor says imports of aluminium dropped about 20% in 2018 due to the tariffs. While domestic production rose 20%. But domestic primary smelters supplied just a fraction of the aluminium consumed despite higher production last year. Most of the domestic production that offset lower imports came from the aluminium recyclers. China imposed...
Bajaj Auto’s flagship product Dominar 400 is awaited to appear in new, upgraded avatar later this month, and take the company’s sales to a whole new height. 2019 Bajaj Dominar will have various new features such as all-new twin exhaust system with brushed aluminium finish. The exhaust system is not dual barrel and sounds much deeper and fruitier than the current version. The bike will also get upside down front forks, which is one of the biggest updates in the vehicle. Bajaj has also reportedly introduced a new instrument cluster on the upcoming Dominar 400. It becomes brighter than before. Other updated features include average fuel economy, instantaneous fuel efficiency, service reminder, and engine kill switch position. The secondary information display cluster will show information...
The US dollar started the week flat and registered some gains mid-week. The US dollar index jumped to 96.26, the highest since January 4 on January 16, after data showed that economic growth in Germany slowed in 2018. LME aluminium started the week at the lowest in month at US$ 1775.5 per tonne and regained some losses over the week. The contract saw another low trading day on January 17 and closed at US$ 1804 per tonne. After closing Thursday’s trading lower, LME aluminium traded rangebound and continued upward overnight. The contract rose to hit the 20-day moving average, or US$1,856 per tonne, buoyed by higher prices of crude oil. The contract wrapped up trading at US$ 1851 on Friday. The contract is likely to trade at US$1,810-1,865 per tonne in the coming week. As on January 18, LME...
According to a recent report, Audi has unveiled details of its Münchsmünster production site that produces key components such as chassis modules for Audi and other VW Group brand models. The Münchsmünster production site close to Ingolstadt extends over an area of 54 hectares and makes form-hardened sheet steel elements and diecast aluminium components for lightweight construction using innovative production methods. At this site, key components for models of the Audi, VW, Bentley and Lamborghini brands are being manufactured for the past five years. The facility now has a total workforce of over 900 people and operates three shifts. With gradually growing production year over year, it reportedly produced some 25m vehicle components in 2018. The competence centre comprises various areas...
