ASSA ABLOY has agreed to acquire Brazilian aluminium solutions manufacturer Rometal, strengthening its manufacturing presence in Latin America while expanding its portfolio of door systems, furniture fittings and aluminium products. Announced on November 12, 2026, the proposed acquisition would bring an established Brazilian business with approximately 500 employees into the Swedish group's Americas Division. Rometal recorded sales of approximately BRL 332 million (USD 59 million) in 2025, equivalent to approximately SEK 580 million (USD 57.57 million) in ASSA ABLOY's announcement. The purchase price has not been disclosed. ASSA ABLOY described the company's EBIT margin in 2025 as strong and expects the transaction to be accretive to earnings per share from the start. Rometal acquisition...
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,...
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Jamaican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith believes that Jamaica’s alumina exports are likely to be affected by the ongoing trade dispute between the United States and other countries. On Tuesday, June 19, she briefed to a press at the foreign ministry in New Kingston that US’ move to restrict its aluminium and steel imports from other countries could disrupt Jamaica’s supply chain, besides affecting Jamaica’s trading partners. Johnson Smith further explained to the members of the media that none of the countries to which Jamaica exports its alumina are exempt from the metal tariffs. For example, Jamaica exports alumina to China, which the latter uses to make aluminium and then supply to the US. “I want to recall that while Jamaica does not produce or...
Sapa Building System, one of the largest suppliers of aluminium building systems in Europe, has supplied 770 windows to Newcastle’s latest student accommodation. Known as Verde, this is the fourth and final phase of the £250 million Downing Plaza development. Sapa systems were also used on the first phase of the development. The new building comprising of two buildings that form a V-shape has been designed by award-winning architects SimpsonHaugh. This striking landmark sets a new standard for student accommodation in Newcastle. The two structures are clad in green glazed terracotta tiles and the ground level is decorated with dark blue bricks. Commenting on the window installation SimpsonHaugh’s Project Architect, Jonathan Mallinson said: “We are pleased with the simple clean and crisp...
Russia said on Tuesday it would impose import duties on U.S. road-building machinery, a measure likely to help Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, who was hit by U.S. sanctions and controls Russia’s biggest maker of road-building equipment. In the latest move in the war of sanctions between Russia and the United States, Russia plans to impose import tariffs on certain goods from the United States in response to duties imposed by Washington on steel and aluminum imports. The tariffs will target goods that have domestic equivalents in Russia, Economy Minister Maxim Oreshkin said. “There is road-building machinery and a number of other items that Russia imports,” Oreshkin said when asked to specify the list of goods that Moscow plans to levy tariffs on. The move follows a request from Russian...
The U.S. imported 463,000 tonnes of alumina in the first quarter of 2018, 31 per cent more than the total of 355,000 tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2017, and 50 per cent more than the total of 308,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2017, according to the latest USGS release on Bauxite and Alumina in the First Quarter 2018. The increase was due to the restart of aluminium smelting capacity scheduled to take place in the first half of 2018. Brazil was the top alumina supplier to the U.S. in the first quarter of 2018.Brazil exported 390,000 tonnes of alumina in the mentioned period. In the first quarter of 2018, import from Brazil stood at 69%, import from Australia stood at 11% and import from Jamaica stood at 8%. Exports of alumina by the U.S. in the first quarter of 2018 were 87,000...
According to the State Council, China is going to raise the import duty to 40 per cent on certain cars imported from the United States, with effect from July 6, 2018. The commission of tariffs and customs made this announcement early this week as part of an additional 25 per cent tariff recently imposed on the US exports of US$ 34 billion. This tariff is particularly in response to Washington’s decision to slap new tariffs on Chinese goods worth of US$ 50 billion late last week. The commission said in a statement, "The US action violates the relevant rules of the World Trade Organization and runs contrary to the consensus reached in negotiations between the two parties. It damages the legitimate rights and interests of our country and people." China’s tariff plan is going to affect 659...
LME aluminium fell further and closed at US$ 2179 per tonne yesterday from US$2220.50 per tonne on Monday. Then the contract broke the US$2,200 per tonne level overnight as the US dollar index registered a fresh high in 11 months. Without support from fundamentals and with the growth in the US dollar and trade tensions, Shanghai Metals Market sees further downward room for LME aluminium. It is likely to trade at US$2,160-2,195 per tonne today. As on June 19, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2178.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2179 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2178 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2179 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2203 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2208 per tonne. The LME aluminium...
Sanctions-hit Russian aluminium giant Rusal has started exporting bauxite from the Dian-Dian bauxite deposit in Guinea’s Boké Province. The exports follow the completion of the first stage of development of the bauxite deposit. With an annual capacity of 3 million tonnes, Dian-Dian is the world's largest bauxite deposit with proven reserves of 564 million tonnes. The company produced 3.1 million tonnes of bauxite in Guinea last year. The company has built the entire associated infrastructure to serve the mine (in particular, roads and a railway line) for the transportation and storage of ore. Yakov Itskov, Director of the Alumina Division at Rusal, said:“For the last fifteen years RUSAL has remained one of the largest investors in the economy of Guinea. The mutually beneficial nature of...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, aluminium fluoride prices in China are likely to remain stable in the near term as a large number of producers would jointly support prices. On June 14, 2018, many major fluorochemical enterprises in Hengshan and Hunan province gathered and agreed to collaborate to support prices. On the face of oversupplied market and thin profit margins, producers mutually agreed to stop aluminium fluoride prices from breaking the RMB 9000 per tonne level. On Friday, June 15, the traded prices of aluminium fluoride declined as most of the transactions were done at RMB 8500 per tonne to RMB 9000 per tonne. A few transactions were even seen at RMB 8000 per tonne. In the longer term, the aluminium fluoride prices will likely continue to fall in the China market as major...
Overseas firms in Philippines, affected by the US-China trade war, are now seeking reprieve from higher US tariffs on imported aluminium and steel, according to Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez. These firms include Sunpower Inc., which produces solar panels for exports and other aluminium and steel products. According to Lopez, Sunpower has already submitted a request for exemption. Being a major exporter of solar panels, the company fears that its exports are likely to be affected by the 30 per cent tariff on year one down to 15 per cent on year four. In imposing a higher tariff on this product, the US had invoked Section 201 of US Trade Act, which allows a country to enforce duties on products that could injure or threaten to injure the country’s domestic industries. In...
Hind Aluminium Industries Ltd., a manufacturer of aluminium alloy and electrical grade wire rods, has announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended 31st March 2018. The company’s net profit registered INR 1.78 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, from INR 0.33 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2017. Hind Aluminium’s net sales stood at INR 224.79 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, up from INR 139.10 crore in the same period last year. EPS increased to INR 2.82 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2018, from INR 0.52 crore for the period ended March 31, 2017. For the full year FY2017-18, net profit increased 65 per cent to INR 8.76 crore. Net profit was INR 5.31 crore in FY2016-17. For FY2017-18, net sales grew to INR 710, up 42 per...
Constellations and the Sans détour projects are the two winners of Quebec aluminium design competition “Architecture and community commitment: A tale of aluminium”, organised by the Centre d’expertise sur l’aluminium (CeAl) and Alcoa Innovation. The main motive of this competition is to promote the innovative use of aluminium in the building sector. While Groupe A/Annexe U for Constellations has bagged the grand prize of US$15,000 cash for developing a dynamic public space concept, San détour won the People’s Choice Award for designing a unique bridge concept. Constellations are covered spaces for hosting social, cultural, and sporting activities, erected in former parking lots or set up adjacent to public venues. The structure houses two units, each with two large sheets of anodised...
The global aluminium cans market has grown at a CAGR of around 2.7 per cent during 2010-2017, according to a new research report by ResearchAndMarkets. The total aluminium cans production volume stood at around 293 billion in 2017.The beverage sector currently accounts for the majority of the global aluminium cans consumption, the food sector being the second. Poland is one of the top exporters of aluminium cans in the world. The country has been following an upward pattern for the export of aluminium cans. Aluminium can export from Poland is expected to increase 6 per cent year on year in 2018. According to recent estimates, Poland exported 59767 tonnes of aluminium cans worth US$171 million in 2017. While the export volume increased 8 per cent year-on-year, revenue from exports declined...
As China and the United States continue to spar back and forth with new tariffs being imposed on key imports on goods from each country, the recycling industry has largely been spared. On Friday, the Trump Administration announced a final list of products from China that would be assessed a 25% import duty. Several equipment parts imported from China for use in recycling operations were included on a list of targets earlier this year, but removed after pressure from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI). “We are in the midst of global uncertainty when it comes to trade policies impacting the recycling industry,” said Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. “One thing that is certain, however, is that as the Voice of the Recycling Industry, ISRI is working diligently to fight for its...
Alcoa, a global leader in bauxite, alumina and aluminum products, announced today that it will make a $62.4 million payment under an electricity supply agreement for its smelter in Wenatchee, Washington, and will permanently close one of four potlines at the fully curtailed facility. In connection with the planned payment on June 19, 2018, and the closure of the one potline, the Company will record an estimated charge of $73 million (pre- and after-tax), or $0.39 per share, in the second quarter of 2018. The payment to the Chelan Public Utility District (Chelan PUD) was triggered by a recent decision of Alcoa management to not restart the Wenatchee smelter within the term provided in the amended electricity supply agreement. Under the agreement, which expires on October 31, 2028, Alcoa...
As the US dollar came off from highs, LME aluminium rebounded to a high of US$2,228.5 per tonne on Monday after it fell to a low of US$2,193.5 per tonne. Finally the contract closed the day at US$2220.50 per tonne. Shanghai Metals Market expects LME aluminium to trade range bound at lows today with a trading range of US$2,200-2,240 per tonne. As on June 18, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2220per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2220.50per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2215 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2215.50 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2238 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2243 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock slightly dropped to 1139575 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled at 907750 tonnes, and...
Alumina prices continued to decline across China, facing pressure from higher operating capacity, potential surge in domestic supply, and falling prices of primary aluminium, according to Shanghai Metals Market. On Friday, June 15, 2018, the price of alumina averaged RMB 2812 per tonne, down RMB 92 per tonne from a week ago, according to SMM assessment. This marked a decline for four weeks in a row. In Shanxi and Henan province, the traded price dropped below RMB 2800 per tonne, SMM believed. However, according to Shanghai Metals Market, alumina operating capacity is likely to increase another 1 million tonne per year from July. Some 100,000 tonnes of bagged alumina at Guangxi ports also ramped up the likelihood of sale in the domestic market. The incessant drop of primary aluminium price...
The U.S. Department of Commerce has determined that imports of common alloy aluminium sheet from China are being sold at less than fair value in the US market. The Department calculated preliminary antidumping margins of 167.16 percent of the value of the imported aluminium sheet from China, the Aluminum Association said on Monday. Heidi Brock, President and CEO of the Aluminum Association said: “The association and its member companies that produce common alloy aluminium sheet are very pleased with this finding that again underscores the Commerce Department’s commitment to combatting unfair trade.” “For too long, the Government of China has been unfairly and illegally subsidizing its aluminium industry, leading to massive market overcapacity and challenging producers across the value...
Metro Mining Ltd. has received an approval for a trading halt as it sets a target to raise US$17.5 million through a share placement priced at 20 cents. Funding from the placement is likely to boost Metro’s working capital position during production ramp-up and product sale negotiations while increasing balance sheet strength and flexibility. Earlier this month, on having the first two shipments of bauxite successfully arrived in China, Metro Mining received the first payment from off-take partner Xinfa Group. Xinfa is one of China’s largest integrated aluminium companies, with significant refining and smelting operations across multiple provinces. With successful delivery of the shipments to Xinfa as planned, Metro experienced increasing buying interest for bauxite from its Bauxite Hills...
