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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Just in four days’ of time after Nalco Chairman and Managing Director Tapan Kumar Chand disclosed the company’s new alumina refinery set up plan, worth INR 7000 crore to INR 12000 crore, in Vishakhapatnam, the company updates that it has revived its proposal. According to the updated news by the Hindu, Nalco has revived the proposal for bauxite mining as well. Nalco had requested the Centre to consider allotment of bauxite mines at Pottangi, located on the Andhra-Odisha border so that it could secure the raw material for its new alumina refinery in Vishakhapatnam from its own mine. Many had an opinion that bauxite mining by Nalco, which is under the Ministry of Mines with a proven track record on employment and CSR activity in Odisha would not come in the way of Samata judgement given by...
The Malaysian Government finally gives a nod to Altech Chemicals for initiating a high purity alumina plant in Johor, with production capacity 4,500 tonnes per annum. Johor is located at the southern tip of mainland Malaysia. This news arrived following the last week’s news of Altech which said the company secured a suitable 4 hectares site for the plant in Malaysia’s Tanjung Langsat Industrial complex in Johor. The company has already laid down $5.1 million to secure a 30-year lease at the site and kept an option open for renewing to another 30 years. Altech will firstly, secure high purity kaoline product from its massive deposit near Meckering and then transport it to Malaysia for processing into a low contaminant alumina stream for industrial uses. According to Altech, the demand for...
After a fall on 1st of June, 2018, from RMB 14610 per tonne to RMB 14490 per tonne, the Shanghai Metal Market observed a surge in average A00 aluminium ingot price, reaching up to RMB 14550 per tonne on June 4, 2018. This indicates that the price today, on June 4, grew higher than June 1 but stood lower than 31 st of May, 2018. The prices are expected to range within RMB 14530 per tonne to RMB 14570 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 70 to 30 per tonne. Almost all the major Chinese markets witnessed a surge in aluminium ingot price on June 4, 2018. The East market saw a price growth from RMB 14510 per tonne to RMB 14540 per tonne, South and North witnessed a price rise from RMB 14560 per tonne to RMB 14635 per tonne and from RMB 14520 per tonne to RMB 14550 per tonne...
The LME aluminium contract closed at US$2271 per tonne on June1 from US$2265.5 per tonne on previous closing, mostly driven by a strong dollar. LME aluminium regained some losses last Friday night with support from several moving averages. Shanghai Metals Market expects it to try to stand firmly above the US$2,300 per tonne level today with a trading range of US$2,280-2,315 per tonne. As on June 1, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2270 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2271 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2270 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2271 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2245 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2250 per tonne. Currently, 3 months LME aluminium and LME cash price settle in the same range with...
As soon as the Trump Government announced its final decision on Thursday, May 31, 2018, to impose additional 25 per cent tariffs on imported steel and 10 per cent on aluminium on the European Union, Mexico, and Canada, the EU decided to go ahead with its countermeasures. On Friday morning, June 1, 2018, the EU submitted a request for consultations with the United States on aluminium and steel tariffs, under the dispute settlement framework of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The request for consultations formally initiated a trade dispute in the WTO. After 60 days, if consultations fail to resolve the dispute, the EU will request adjudication by a panel. The European Union Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom said, “We are not in a trade war, but we are in a very difficult situation...
The global demand for aluminium picked up in the first three months of 2018. RUSAL estimated that global aluminium demand increased by 6% in 2017 to 64 million tonnes amid coordinated economic growth in major regions of the world, while robust demand growth left the global aluminium market in a deficit of around 1 million tonnes. Global primary aluminium production came in at 15.7 million tonnes in the first quarter of this year, according to World Aluminium Institute. A global disruption in aluminium supplies and trade issues had raised the prices of aluminium in April, and hence higher profits for the company. Series of events like the United States’ tariffs on imported aluminium and steel, followed by the sanctions on Russian aluminium giant Rusal blew a storm to create price upheaval....
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in a telephone briefing on Thursday announced that import tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium will be imposed on Canada and Mexico and European Union from Friday. The announcement ended months of uncertainty about potential exemptions and indicated stern attitude of the Trump administration and more complications on the trade negotiation processes with these countries. Shares of industrial heavyweights who are major consumers of these metals started falling on the news. “We look forward to continued negotiations, both with Canada and Mexico on the one hand, and with the European Commission on the other hand, because there are other issues that we also need to get resolved,” Ross said to media. Canada and Mexico retaliated against...
Speaking at the African Sovereignty Wealth Funds Summit on Friday, June 1, 2018, Ghana Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia emphasised that African leaders and businesses should increasingly make the best use of natural resources deposited in the land to create wealth. He said, “Africa has hundreds of billions of dollars locked up in the land, which we have not been able to release because we don’t have a working mortgage market and that is a major asset for Africa that needs to be unleashed.” According to his belief, Africa is blessed with enormous natural resources which can be leveraged to build financial wellbeing in the continent. The old way of giving out mining concessions and taking royalties, in his opinion, would not be the best way to generate wealth from the minerals deposited...
Norsk Hydro, one of the largest aluminium companies worldwide, has teamed up with Tom Dixon to showcase aluminium in interior and furniture design. Tom Dixon is a self-taught British designer, who is currently the Creative Director of his own brand Tom Dixon, specialised in lighting, furniture, and accessories. Tom Dixon’s new headquarters located in London houses a manufacturing workshop known as Factory, where it showcases aluminium furniture and interior decorations designed by Tom Dixon and delivered by Hydro. Hydro’s aluminium experts will host workshops at the Factory in collaboration with Tom Dixon, looking into aluminium as a material and designing and producing more sustainable products. The purpose of this workshop is to motivate people to take part in construction, fabrication,...
Rio Tinto has completed the sale of its 75 per cent interest in the Winchester South coal development project in Queensland, Australia, to Whitehaven Coal Limited. Total consideration of $200 million is comprised of $150 million in cash received today and an unconditional cash payment of $50 million due in 12 months. The sale of Rio Tinto’s interests in the Kestrel and Hail Creek coal mines and Valeria coal development project are expected to complete during the second half of 2018. Mining giant Rio Tinto announced their agreement to sell its 75% interest in the Winchester South coal development project in Queensland to Whitehaven Coal for $200 million in March 2018.
Currently, Mexico is hitting the headlines due to the US tariffs on imported aluminium and steel and NAFTA negotiations. The country hit back fast on U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium on Thursday, targeting products from congressional districts. The tit-for-tat measures would complicate the NAFTA renegotiations that underpin trade between the neighbours. While the USA is holding on to its 10 per cent import tariff on aluminium from all countries, every aluminium exporter to the US is fighting for exemptions from the tariff. When we look at our trade data, we can see that, Mexico exported a total of about 26,142 tonnes of aluminium and about 11,864 tonnes to the US in 2016. The amount dropped to a meagre 8833 tonnes in 2017 with about 232 tonnes exported to the US mostly due to the...
Canada, as one of the most important allies of the United States, expressed its dismay yesterday, on May 31, on knowing that it had not been removed by the US from the list of countries for additional 25 per cent tariffs on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland declared that the country would counterattack the US with stiff tariffs on C$16.6 million worth of US exports and challenge its aluminium and steel tariffs under the North America Free Trade Agreement’s (NAFTA) Chapter 2 and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Mexico and the European Union would also follow Canada and impose heavy retaliatory duties on imported American products, as they could not secure a reprieve from the additional tariffs. The Canadian tariffs are set to go into effect...
Century Aluminum Sebree LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Century Aluminum Company, announced today that it was forced to temporarily stop production on one of its three potlines due to an electrical failure at the Sebree aluminum smelter. No injuries were sustained in connection with these events and the facility's other two potlines were unaffected. Century is continuing to assess the effects of these events but expects to restore the affected potline to full production within the next three months. Century anticipates that less than 18,000 tonnes of production will be lost as a result. Century expects that losses arising from these events, less applicable deductibles, will be covered under its insurance policies.
The US dollar index weakened but remained at high levels around 94 with support from robust US data on employment and the PCE price index. The LME aluminium contract recovered from the 40-day moving average and closed at US$2285.50 per tonne on May 31 from US$2265.5 per tonne on previous closing. LME aluminium climbed all the way up to a high of US$2,304 per tonne last night with the weakening US dollar. It is likely to test the pressure today and trade at US$2,285-2,310 per tonne. As on May 31, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2285 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2285.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2285 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2286 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2260 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at...
Pacific Aluminium (New Zealand) Limited (PacAl NZ) reported its financial results relating to its interest in New Zealand’s Aluminium Smelter (NZAS). NZAS registered a profit of $75 million in 2017, up from $25 million a year earlier. Consistently higher aluminium prices delivered the more favourable result for the smelter’s owners. Gretta Stephens, NZAS Chief Executive and General Manager, said: “This is a pleasing result and has given NZAS the ability to look more confidently to a commercially sustainable future.” “But predictions are for aluminium market conditions in 2018 to be volatile and NZAS remains vulnerable to that market volatility as well as movements in the New Zealand dollar against the US dollar. This is because we continue to pay one of the highest prices for delivered...
According to an update by Shanghai Metal Market on May 31, 2018, Weiqiao Group in China again reduced its purchasing price for pre-baked anode by RMB 190 per tonne for the month of June. This marked a decline for six consecutive months. Earlier, in May, the price was lowered by RMB 300 per tonne to RMB 3390 per tonne in cash and RMB 3425 per tonne on acceptance. But since many producers did not accept the reduction, arguing that pre-baked anode industry was in a loss, it called for further negotiations. The adjustment brought the prices to stand at RMB 3200 per tonne in cash and RMB 3235 per tonne on acceptance. As a result, according to SMM, the average spot price of pre-baked anode dwindled from RMB 3425 per tonne to RMB 3235 per tonne on June 1, 2018, same as that of the adjusted...
Jamaican Government has announced plans to merge Clarendon Alumina Partners (CAP) and the Jamaica Bauxite Mining Limited. The joint company will be listed in Jamaica Stock Exchange. Jamaica Bauxite Mining owns 51 per cent of the old Kaiser operations. CAP has a 45 per cent stake in bauxite company Jamalco, where Noble Group has a 55% stake. Minister of Transport and Mining Robert Montague said he would be seeking permission from his Cabinet colleagues to sell shares in the entity to the Jamaican people, so that the local community can have an ownership in the company. “This is an offer that the little man, the civil servant, the farmer, the workers, all Jamaicans, both here and abroad, will finally, after over 60 years get a chance of owning a part of the industry,” said Montague during...
Odisha-based Asia’s largest integrated aluminium complex National Aluminium Company’s (Nalco) business expansion is on a roll. It is ready to invest INR 7000 crore to INR 12000 crore to set up a 1.4 million tonne or 2 million tonne alumina refinery in Vishakapatnam, as disclosed in an exclusive interview to The Hindu. Nalco Chairman and Managing Director Tapan Kumar Chand said on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, that for setting up an alumina refinery, the company requested the Centre to consider allotment of bauxite mines. Nalco is in the process of acquiring a new block at Pottangi located on the Andhra-Odisha border. It also has bauxite ore blocks at Panchapatmali in Koraput district of neighbouring Odisha. Mr. Chand said nobody would oppose investment by Nalco as it is in the public sector...
