
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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Granco Clark, Inc. has announced through a press release that they are expanding its manufacturing facility by 50% at its single facility in Belding Michigan. The company says in its press release that they are expanding their operations to cater to the aluminium extrusion market growth driven by growing extrusion demands for their aluminium extrusion partners. A 50% expansion in Belding Michigan will significantly increase their capacity. The company expects this expansion to facilitate better material flow, multiple system demonstrations, and an increase in pre-shipment assembly and wiring. The arrangements will reduce the onsite commitment of its clients for installation and commissioning of equipment. Granco Clark believes this expansion will enhance their ability to grow and adapt...

Base metals saw mixed trading on higher US dollar price, but LME aluminium went up slightly last week on the new of easing of sanction on Rusal. LME aluminium stood rangebound and closed lower at US$ 2278.5 per tonne on May 21 Monday from US$ 2297 per tonne on previous closing. According to Shanghai Metals Market, LME aluminium traded with momentum overnight and tested pressure at US$2,300 per tonne, as oil prices strengthened. The contract is likely to trade at US$2,360-2,300 per tonne today. As on May 21, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2278 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2278.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2279.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2280 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2253 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer...

According to a provincial government notice, the China-based company Henan Shenhuo Coal and Power Co, which is primarily engaged in ferrous metal processing, the coal mining, and deep processing electrolytic aluminium, is about to transfer more than 450,000 tonnes per year of aluminium smelting capacity to the southwestern province of Yunnan. The company has completed all the required transfer formalities as well, said the Yunnan Industry and Information Technology Commission on Monday, May 21, 2018. This represents the first phase of a 900,000 tonnes per year two-phase integrated hydropower and aluminium smelting project that Shenhuo is building in Yunnan, it said. The construction work is expected to begin on July 18 and production to start in a year. This move by Henan Shenhuo is...

Braidy Industries, a manufacturer of metals for transportation and defense industries, announced that it will break ground on its $1.3 billion aluminium rolling mill on Friday, June 1. The project will position Braidy Industries as the low-cost provider of 370,000 annual tonnes of production-ready series 5000, 6000 and 7000 aluminium sheet and plate for the automotive and aerospace industries. "To my friends in Ashland, NEK and the Commonwealth...Braidy Industries will break ground on the Ashland mill June 1, 1pm at East Park," Bouchard wrote on social media. "I’ve invited the Governor to cut the ribbon as his continuing support of your community drew us to Ashland, the place we now call home." “I would like to take this opportunity to encourage a sense of patience as well as excitement...

After showing restraint over a long period of time from 3rd of May to 18th of May, 2018, alumina spot market price declined two days in a row. According to Shanghai Metal Market, average alumina spot price, which was hovering at RMB 3118 per tonne until May 18 , 2018 plunged to RMB 3094 per tonne on May 21, followed by a further shrink to RMB 3065 on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. This sudden plunge in alumina price is primarily due to lower demand among consumers and traders and also due to tight supply condition because of production cut at Norsk Hydro’s Alunorte, the world’s largest alumina refinery. Prices have dropped across all the major Chinese markets from May 21, 2018. In east, the price dropped from RMB 3160 per tonne to RMB 3140 per tonne on May 21 and then to RMB 3110 per tonne on May...

India and the European Union have told the World Trade Organization that they have planned to raise import duties on certain US products next month. The move is in retaliation to Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariff on aluminium and steel. Trump’s import duty has affected India’s aluminium export by $31 million and steel export by 134 million. India would levy counter tariffs on US imported products including peas, chickpeas, fresh apple, walnut, soybean oil, refined palmolein, coco powder, chocolate products, golf car and motor cycle among others. India said its proposed tariffs would come into effect by June 21, unless and until the United States removed its tariffs. The EU said Trump’s steel tariffs could cost $1.5 billion and aluminium tariffs a further $100 million. The EU may...

In a significant positive development, China and the United States agreed to back off from imposing new tariffs on each other’s imports and hold back an impending trade war that is threatening the international market especially steel and aluminium. This was confirmed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and China's vice-premier Liu He to respective presses on Sunday May 21. The decision came after China agreed to buy more American goods to "substantially reduce" the huge trade deficit with the U.S. Mnuchin said both the countries "made very meaningful progress and … agreed on a framework. Mr Liu, who led a high-level Chinese delegation to Washington, last week said: “The two sides reached a consensus, will not fight a trade war, and will stop increasing tariffs on each other." The...

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) announced that it has surpassed the 30 million tonnes cast metal landmark. The cast metal is used in construction, the automotive industry, electronics and other vital everyday essentials. In 2017, EGA produced 2.6 million tonnes of cast metal making it the third largest producer of primary aluminium outside China. The company experienced a sustained increase in cast metal production from 135,000 tonnes per year when production began. EGA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Abdulla Kalban said: “EGA is one of the UAE’s most important industrial giants, and a world leader in the global aluminium sector. Reaching this figure confirms that fact and validates our commitment to innovation that has led to a sustained increase in cast metal...

The increased demand for aluminium pipes and tubes from emerging economies such as China and India is estimated to drive the growth of this product in the Europe region. The expenditure in building, construction and transportation sectors is driving the demand for aluminium tubes and pipes worldwide. France imported about 20226 tonnes of aluminium tubes and pipes in 2017. The figure represented an increase from the previous year’s import volume when it reached 19526 tonnes. The country’s imports of aluminium tubes and pipes have been increasing in the last three years. Italy Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and Spain are the top suppliers of aluminium tubes and pipes to the country. According to recent estimates, in the first quarter of 2018, France’s aluminium tubes and pipes import reached an...

As reported by Shanghai Metals Market, China's inventory of primary aluminium, including SHFE warrants, shrank to 2.12 million tonnes as of Monday May 21 due to stable downstream consumption. The inventory was down 20,000 tonnes from 2.14 million tonnes on Thursday May 17 and down 32,000 tonnes from 2.25 million tonnes a week ago. The week-on-week decline was slower from 58,000 tonnes last Thursday. The most awaited peak season for downstream consumption seems to have arrived in China. The current inventory status in the major Chinese cities is as follows: Average A00 Aluminum Ingot prices in China are showing restraint at RMB 14,650 per tonne today. The prices are expected to range within RMB 14,630 to RMB 14,670 per tonne and spot discounts are expected to settle at RMB 100 to 60 per...

Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska quit the boards of EN+ and its subsidiary Rusal on Friday. The action is expected to ease the sanctions on Rusal soon. As the US treasury yield climbed, the US dollar index rose 1.2% to close at 93.66 and reached a new high at 93.83 since December 2017 on Friday. Base metals saw mixed trading on higher US dollar price, but LME aluminium went up slightly. LME aluminium received support and closed at US$ 2297per tonne on May 18 from US$ 2280 per tonne on previous closing. Shanghai Metals Market expects LME aluminium to face resistance at US$2,300 per tonne level and the contract is likely to trade at US$2,250-2,295 per tonne today. As on May 18, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2296.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2297...

China’s Aluminium Corp of China (Chalco) said in an exchange filing that its Hong Kong unit will invest up to $163.8 million in the Boffa bauxite project in Guinea, which has a total cost of $706 million. The board has approved the investment and the final decision awaits shareholders’ review and approval, it said. Guinea has been racing past many countries to become the key bauxite exporter worldwide. Guinea, China’s largest supplier of bauxite, exported 27.6 million tonnes to the country in 2017, about 40 per cent of total imports. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, China’s metal companies are stepping up overseas acquisitions “to stabilize the supply of raw materials.” Last year, Chalco had announced its plans to spend $500 million for production of bauxite in Guinea. "The reserves...

Japan automaking association reported on Friday that it hopes country’s export partners to keep tariffs on vehicles and components low and maintain free trade relationships to promote and strengthen transparent trade, as NAFTA renegotiated and called for the enhancement of requirements for locally produced cars contents made in three signatory nations – Mexico, Canada, and the United States, where Japan automakers have factories. At the same time, the news broke out that the United States, a major market for Japanese cars, did not reprieve Japan from imported aluminium and steel tariffs exemptions. The country (United States) is also mulling tougher environmental rules for imported cars to protect US automakers. Seiichi Nagatsuka, an executive member of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers...

Environmental protection organisations have urged Ghana government to halt the planned mining of bauxite in the Atiwa Forest Reserve and to completely exclude it from the bauxite mining agreement because of water provision services and ecological reasons, Ghana News Agency reported. The organisations are led by Friends of the Earth-Ghana (FoE), in collaboration with ARocha Ghana and Tropenbos Ghana, forest research organisations under the auspices of the Green Livelihood Alliance. Dr Theo Anderson, the Director of FoE, “We want to remind the China Development Bank that funding the destruction of the Atiwa Forest violates the Bank’s own environmental principles and has a consequence for the Bank’s reputation and public image and we call on the Chinese Banking Regulatory Authority to apply...

Following Japan, Turkey has also decided to slap the United States with retaliatory tariffs on imported products worth US$1.8 billion, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Friday, May 18, 2018. Turkey had expected a positive response from the US in regards to aluminium and steel tariffs exemptions when Nihat Zeybekci, economy minister of Turkey, had written a letter to US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross to convey the country’s exemption demand early last month. But unfortunately, Turkey failed to secure the relief from the tariffs and thus, decides to counterattack the US with heavy duties. The report adds the tariffs worth US$1.8 billion will be applied on certain imported products from the US, including coal, paper, walnuts, almonds, tobacco, unprocessed rice, automobiles, machinery and...

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., a leading manufacturer of discrete semiconductors (diodes, MOSFETs, and infrared optoelectronics) and passive electronic components (resistors, inductors, and capacitors), announced the launch of a new series of miniature snap-in power aluminium electrolytic capacitors for power supplies, solar inverters, and industrial motor controls. Image Source:www.vishay.com The Vishay BCcomponents 259 PHM-SI series combines 30 per cent higher ripple current than previous-generation components. The device features a cylindrical aluminum case, insulated with a blue sleeve, with rated voltages to 500 V in 25 compact case sizes ranging from 22 mm by 25 mm to 35 mm by 60 mm. The RoHS-compliant capacitors are also available with 3-pin keyed polarity snap-in terminals. With...

Alcoa Corporation, the world’s sixth largest aluminium producer with headquarter in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has started working towards resuming its south-west Indiana smelter by this summer and already hiring workers for it. The Pittsburgh-based company had announced the permanent shut at its Warrick operations smelter at the end of March 2016 on becoming incompetent after a drop in aluminium prices. 325 workers out of total 600 were laid off, while the rest either found new jobs or accepted severance or retirement packages. As Alcoa confirmed last year, the company would reopen three of its five smelter lines and contribute to about 275 new jobs at the complex, where rolling mill makes aluminium for food and beverage packaging. Kari Fluegel, Alcoa’s spokeswoman has reported to the...

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. The main issue of overcapacity in China and the export of subsidized aluminium to the US is taking a backseat while protectionist policy is creating supply concerns among the aluminium consumers in the US. We are trying to analyse the top aluminium (alloyed and non-alloyed) exporters to the US and their contribution to total import by the US for the year 2017. Canada remains the top aluminium exporter to the US contributing about 61% of the total import. Our data shows Canada exported about 2.36 million tonnes of aluminium to the US in 2017. The value of import stood at US$ 4.3 billion. Russia stood second with the...