Finland-based renewable heat technology developer Coolbrook has joined Australia’s Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre (HILT CRC) as an affiliate partner, bringing its electrified heating technology into research aimed at decarbonising alumina refining and the wider aluminium industry. The collaboration would explore how high-temperature electric heating can support next-generation alumina refineries, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Coolbrook would work alongside major alumina and aluminium producers, including Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), Alcoa, Rio Tinto, South32 and Hydro, as well as research organisations of CSIRO and Adelaide University. Initially, it would focus on HILT CRC’s Alumina Refineries’ Next-Generation Transition (AlumiNEXT) project,...
Qingdao Allheart Marine, established in 2012, is a high-tech aluminium boat manufacturer in Qingdao, China. Spanning 42,000 m, the facility produces over 60 vessel models from 4 to 30 meters, including fishing, work, patrol, pilot boats, tugs, water taxis, catamaran ferries, and landing crafts. Certified under ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and CE, Allheart offers professional OEMper ODM solutions, exporting 50 per cent of its production to over 30 countries across Oceania, Europe, and the Americas. Qingdao, Shandongper China - November 11, 2026 Qingdao Allheart Marine Co., Ltd, a recognised leader in the maritime manufacturing sector, is reinforcing its commitment to international buyers seeking robust commercial watercraft and specialised marine solutions. Operating from an advanced...
Grow with
AL Circle
Followed by the announcement to extend bauxite mining moratorium through December in Malaysia, Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources Dr. A. Xavier Jayakumar said the Pahang State government would be the one to decide on whether to lift the moratorium or not in the future. Speaking to reporters at Parliament lobby today, August 3, Xavier said he would soon hold a meeting with bauxite miners, state assembly representatives, and Pahang Members of Parliament to explain the current bauxite mining status in the state. "We want to know if they are interested in pursuing it or that they want to say that they don't want bauxite mining in Pahang.” Dr. Xavier also added while speaking to the reporters that he would prefer holding two meetings, the first with Pahang MB Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy...
Aluminium extrusion is one of the highest growth aluminium product segments along with rolled products and castings. Currently, aluminium extrusions capacity across the world stands at around 41.5 million tonnes per annum. Of this, Chinese extruders account for about 56%, equating to about 23.5 million tonnes per annum. As for the usage is concerned, world usage grew at a fast pace of 6% per annum during the last five years and is estimated at 28 million tonnes in 2017. China accounts for an estimated 63% of the total aluminium extrusions usage and the country’s share of global extrusions usage is expected to increase to 69% by 2025. The demand for extrusion is forecast to grow at 5.4% per annum till 2025 to cross the 40 million tonne mark. A number of leading producers have been taking...
Shanxi province in China is about to set up a fund of RMB 4 billion which will be used for the development of the automobile industry. This action plan has been issued by the municipal government this week, according to Shanghai Metals Market. Each city in the province will receive around RMB 120 million for boosting 100,000 units of vehicles. Taxpayers who are identified as a high-tech enterprise will pay a lower rate of corporate tax, at 15%. Additional 30 per cent of allowance will be paid by the province, on top of the current national subsidy for replacing vehicles designated for use in the public sector with new-energy vehicles. Against every purchase of a locally-manufactured car or heavy truck that runs on clean fuels, buyers will get a subsidy of RMB 10,000, while against the...
Century Aluminum Company reported net income of $19.4 million for the second quarter of 2018. Results were negatively impacted by $8.5 million related to the equipment failure at Sebree and $3.0 million in expenses related to the Hawesville restart project. This result compares to a net loss of $0.3 million for the first quarter of 2018, which included a $3.2 million benefit from lower of cost or net realizable value ("NRV") inventory adjustments. Adjusted net income for the second quarter of 2018 was $30.9 million compared to an adjusted net loss of $3.5 million for the first quarter of 2018. For the second quarter of 2018, adjusted EBITDA was $54.5 million, up $32.7 million from the first quarter of 2018. The increase was primarily attributable to higher LME and regional premiums and...
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been boasting over the years as one of the major exporters in the aluminium scrap industry while generating a significant amount of revenue. Both its export volume and revenue have been witnessing a year-on-year growth, and 2018 is estimated to be no exception, as per the data shown by the international export-import research. The aluminium scrap in Saudi Arabia is gathered from various sources such as used beverage cans, which account for almost 50 per cent for sourcing scrap, old buildings, vehicle engine blocks, utensils, and electric cables. Development on expanding aluminium smelting capacity is also at peak in the Kingdom which is expected to generate a larger amount of scrap and thereby boost the export volume. For instance, Aluminium Bahrain (Alba)...
After a month of uncertainty over bauxite mining, when the mining moratorium period officially ended on June 30, the Malaysian government announced it has extended its 2016 moratorium on bauxite mining until the end of 2018, as large stockpiles of bauxite in the ports still remain to be cleared. "The moratorium is until Dec. 31, as there is still half a million tonnes of [bauxite] stockpiled at the ports," a spokesman for the Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources said on Tuesday , July 31. Malaysia became the biggest supplier of bauxite to China after Indonesia, the top bauxite supplier to China declared a ban of ore export in 2014. However, unregulated random mining of bauxite and growing bauxite stockpiles in the eastern state of Pahang contaminated water sources, environment...
The US dollar index inched up to 94.7 overnight after the Federal Reserve concluded a two-day meeting on monetary policy and kept interest rates unchanged. Both LME and SHFE base metals fell across the board overnight. LME aluminium closed the day’s trading at US$2036per tonne. Later on it gained at night trading and fell to a low of $2,047.5/mt overnight. Shanghai Metals Market expects it to trade at US$2,045-2,060 per tonne today. As on August 1, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2035 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2036 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2057 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2057.50 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2105 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2110 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening...
After seven consecutive months of decline, Weiqiao Group has raised its purchasing prices for pre-baked anode by RMB 180 per tonne for August. The price is now standing at RMB 3280 per tonne in cash and RMB 3135 per tonne on acceptance, according to the latest update by Shanghai Metals Market. SMM believes that this upward adjustment indicates the beginning of a new round of restocking for the winter. Also, this negotiation further occurred as many producers were not accepting an earlier downward adjustment of RMB 150 per tonne because of the losses in the market for pre-baked anode. According to another update by SMM, East Hope Group in China has commissioned part of its primary aluminium project in Guyang county, Baotou city in Inner Mongolia on August 1. The project includes capacity...
Rio Tinto has announced yet another strong set of results in H1 2018 with an underlying EBITDA of US$9.2 billion and operating cash flow of US$5.2 billion for the entire group of companies, followed by declaring its superior returns of US$7.2 billion to shareholders comprising of US$3.2 billion from operations and US$4 billion from asset disposals. The Aluminium group’s underlying EBITDA in H1 2018 stood at US$1, 831 million, up 10 per cent from H1 2017, primarily driven by stronger pricing. Net cash flow from operating activities increased as well by 1 per cent to stand at US$ 1.1 million, while capital expenditure grew by 76 per cent to stand at US$ 8,06,000, as construction at Amrun accelerated in H1 2018. However, the company’s total aluminium production plunged a little in H1 2018 at...
According to the global export-import data, aluminium export by the Russian Federation is expected to grow in CY2018 totalling 4.6 million tonnes, 15 per cent up from 4 million tonnes in CY2017; while in 2016, the aluminium export recorded at 3.8 million tonnes. This shows the Russia Federation is expected to see year-on-year growth as far as the aluminium export is concerned. Besides global export, Russia’s aluminium export to the United States is also estimated to grow, compared to the last calendar year. The estimation in CY2018 stands at 877669 tonnes, higher from the actual export volume of 697804 tonnes in 2017 and 704961 tonnes in 2016. Along with the increase in export volume, Russia’s export revenue is also expected to grow to US$ 21147 million in CY 2018, from US$ 7436 million...
Rio Tinto has released its H1 2018 financial results on August 1, 2018. The Aluminium group’s underlying EBITDA increased by ten per cent compared with H1 2017, driven significantly by higher bauxite volumes and stronger pricing. Rio Tinto’s H1 bauxite production of 25.9 million tonnes was up 7% from the 2017 first half production of 24.1 million tonnes, driven by its continued implementation of operational improvements. Gross sales revenues for bauxite in 2018 first half increased 26% to US$1,207 million and included freight revenues of US$178 million compared to US$111 million in H1 2017. This strong operational performance in bauxite segment enabled the group to increase its third party bauxite shipments by 14% to 17.0 million tonnes. This has further established Rio Tinto’s position...
The promising results and earnings outlook from Japan’s No. 3 automaker Honda Motor stands in stark in contrast to the bearish forecasts from several other automakers hurt by rising raw material costs due to additional US metal tariffs and possible higher duties on imported vehicles. Resisting the impact of US aluminium and steel tariffs, Honda could record a surprising jump in quarterly profits to their highest in more than a decade. The improvement in North American sales could be attributed to this positive result. About 7.7 per cent sales grew in North America and 3 per cent grew across the globe in Q1 FY2018-19 that drove Honda’s operating profit to US$ 2.69 billion, highest since early 2006. Honda Senior Managing Director Kohei Takeuchi said at an earnings briefing on Tuesday, July...
Arconic Inc., the Alcoa spin-off, reported Q2 2018 results on July 31 with revenues of $3.6 billion, up 10% YoY. Organic revenue was up 5% YoY, driven by higher volumes in the commercial transportation, automotive, aerospace engines, defence, and building and construction markets. Arconic reported a drop in net income to US$120 million from net income of $212 million in Q2 2017. Net income excluding special items increased to $185 million from $165 million in Q2 2017. The company also reported operating income of $324 million, up 1% YoY and operating income excluding special items of $381 million, down 2% YoY. In Q2 2018, cash provided from operations stood at US$176 million, up from US$79 million in Q2 2017. Arconic Chief Executive Officer Chip Blankenship said, “In the second quarter,...
According to the latest update by Shanghai Metals Market, demand in the aluminium plate/sheet and strip industry weakened in China, which as a result boosted the inventories of finished products across all major Chinese consumption areas. Plants grappled with tight cash flows amid growing competition due to increasing recommencement of productions and also because of the narrow export market, as a consequence of the United States higher anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on China. The aluminium foil industry also showed a dent in its performance in the month of July, buoyed by a plunge in demand for beer foil, household foil, and air-conditioner foil, observed SMM. New orders for air-conditioner foil fell sharply as most air-conditioner manufacturers began a seasonal break. The low...
The US dollar index inched up 0.17% overnight and stood at 94.5. LME closed the day’s trading at US$ 2061 per tonne, higher than the previous closing. The contract traded rangebound within a wide range on Tuesday night with a high of US$2,094 per tonne and a low of US$2,068 per tonne. While the contract has stood above the five-day moving average, it is likely to continue to hover within a wide range as the US dollar index rose. It is expected to trade at US$2,070-2,100 per tonne today. As on July 31, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2060.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2061 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2075.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2076 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2125 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price...
Vedanta Resources plc's subsidiary Vedanta Limited announced consolidated results for the first quarter ended 30 June 2018. The company reported continued strong financial performance. The company reported revenues of INR 22,206 crore, up 15 % YoY and EBITDA of INR 6,529 crore, up 31% YoY. Vedanta reported PAT at INR 1,533 crore, up 2% YoY and a strong financial position with total cash & liquid investments of INR 35,251 crore. Vedanta reported record quarterly aluminium production of 482kt and commencement of Odisha bauxite delivery to its Lanjigarh refinery. Commenting on the results, Mr. Kuldip Kaura, Chief Executive Officer, Vedanta Ltd, said: "We delivered strong EBITDA and steady margins this quarter driven by record volumes in aluminium, higher production in Oil & Gas, as well as,...
The Tiwai Point aluminium smelter has recruited 90 extra staff for its fourth potline and is already training them. This brings the total number of workers at the plant to 900, including contractors. Smelter general manager Stewart Hamilton says this recent recruitment drive has been the biggest since the 1990s. The fourth potline at the smelter will begin its operation by the end of the year and gradually increase production with a hike in orders. Out of these 90 new workers, most of them are from Southland. Hamilton reports this was a challenge to bring people from an outside environment to a large industrial high-tech environment, stating further "We have to make sure people are aware of the safety hazards and risks, know how to operate the equipment and be able to do it in a timely...
According to the global export-import data, China’s aluminium foils export to the United States is estimated to see a decline in calendar year 2018 after successive hikes in past two consecutive years. In 2018, the expected export volume from China to the US stands at 1, 80, 475 tonnes, 9.5 per cent down from 1, 97, 704 tonnes in calendar year 2017. In contrast to this, both the calendar years 2016 and 2017 recorded sweeping growth in aluminium foils export from China to the United States. In 2016, the volume rose by 51 per cent from 1, 12, 699 tonnes in 2015 to stand at 1, 70, 803 tonnes, followed by a further hike by 15 per cent to 1, 97, 704 tonnes in 2017. Along with the volume, the export revenue also recorded a surge. In 2016, China’s aluminium foils export revenue from the US...
