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,...
Grow with
AL Circle
Societe Miniere de Boke (SMB) has resumed operations at its bauxite mine after a nearly two-week strike in Guinea, the company’s Managing Director said on Wednesday. “The overwhelming majority of workers went back to work this morning even if there are a few scattered blockages without any impact on shipments,” Frederic Bouzigues told Reuters in a text message. SMB - owned by Guinea, China’s Winning Shipping Ltd, Shandong Weiqiao and UMS International Ltd - said that the company had already lost around 1 million to 1.2 million tonnes of scheduled bauxite production, with losses running to US$1 million a day. Guinea’s volatile western town Boke is known for suffering from frequent strikes and protests from a local population who feel excluded from the town’s vast mineral wealth. The poor...
Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company Norsk Hydro ASA’s wholly-owned subsidiary Hydro Energi AS has signed a long-term power contract with a Swedish wind power company Blakliden Fäbodberget Wind AB for an annual baseload supply of 0.66 terawatt hours (TWh) in the period between 2022 and 2041. Blakliden Fabodberget Wind AB is currently developing an onshore wind park located in northern Sweden, 30 per cent of which is owned by Vattenfall and the rest 70 per cent by PKA Funds and Vestas. The park, with an installed capacity of producing 350 MW is also planning to enhance to around 1.1 terawatt hours (TWh) annually when done. The newly signed contract between Hydro Energi AS and Blakliden Fäbodberget Wind AB is going to contribute to the power supply to Hydro’s aluminium plants in...
The U.S. threatened to impose sanctions against the European Union after the World Trade Organization ruled that Airbus SE received illegal government funding to develop jetliners, costing Boeing Co. sales. The final decision affirmed a 2016 finding that the EU had failed to eliminate unfair subsidies for two Airbus twin-aisle models, ending a long-running trade case. The international court is expected to rule later this year on a separate case in which the EU challenged billions of dollars in U.S. tax incentives to Boeing. The litigation adds to the tension between the U.S. and Europe, two once-cooperative trade partners that are already sparring over U.S. President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs and his decision to back out of a nuclear treaty with Iran, jeopardizing $40...
Manaksia Aluminium Company Limited has released the financial results of for the year ended 3lst March, 2018. March quarter net loss stood at INR 5.9 million rupees in comparison with the total profit of INR 5.8 million a year ago. March quarter revenue from operations stood at INR 473.4 million in comparison with INR 648.4 million a year ago. Net loss for the year ended 3lst March, 2018 stood at 12.4 million in comparison with a total profit of INR 53.5 million a year ago. Revenue for the full year stood at INR 2301.8 million in comparison with INR 2438.5 million a year ago. Manaksia Aluminium Company Limited is a vertical of India based Manaksia Group that produces rolled aluminium products and secondary aluminium alloy. Manaksia is one of the leading producers of Aluminium flat rolled...
Former Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) IN Guyana, Winston Brassington has defended the decision to bring back Russian bauxite company Rusal to Guyana. According to him it was in favour of the local industry and Rusal was the only company to show interest in investing in the country. Rusal-owns Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI/ RUSAL) in the country which mines bauxite and exports internationally. “If you were in my shoes, a thousand jobs are on the line, a company is making a US$150M investment, who would you choose?” Brassington was quoted as saying last week. It is to be noted that Oldendorff Carriers, the German-headquartered bauxite transshipment company that was working with Rusal to move bauxite from its Upper Berbice river...
According to Shanghai Metal Market, secondary aluminium exports prices in China are likely to surge further in a short period of time as a resultant of month-long operation suspension of China Certification and Inspection Group (CCIC) at North America in May, which would significantly lower the aluminium scrap imports from the US and shrink secondary aluminium exports as a consequence. Since May 4, the authority has imposed broad-based inspections on all scrap materials imported from the US and put CCIC’s operations at North America under A-level risk alert for one month, thereby, affecting China’s ability to import adequate scrap from the US. About 50,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap imports have been anticipated to be affected by this move in May learned Shanghai Metal Market. In this...
LME aluminium received support and rebounded to close at US$ 2313 per tonne on May 15 from US$ 2285.5 per tonne on previous closing. After that it fell to a low of $2,274 per tonne last night. The contract is expected to trade range bound with downward room today as the US dollar strengthened and rebounded to a four-month high of 93.46, and closed at 93.25 last night. The pickup in trading volumes at the London Metal Exchange (LME) following years of stagnation is going to be a common topic of discussion during this week’s LME Week Asia conference in Hong Kong, industry’s largest event in Asia this week. It was the U.S. sanctions against Rusal that drove the trading frenzy in the LME aluminium contract. As on May 15, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2312 per tonne, LME...
With local downstream consumers having keen interest to purchase aluminium at given stable prices, Guangdong province in China saw a swift growth in overall trading on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, learned Shanghai Metal Market. In this background, the average A00 aluminium ingot price did not miss to grab the opportunity to witness a hike again on May 16, 2018, to close at RMB 14640 per tonne from RMB 14570 per tonne on May 15, 2018. The prices are expected to range between RMB 14620 per tonne and RMB 14660 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 90 to RMB 50 per tonne. While in East, the aluminium ingot price rose from RMB 14570 per tonne to RMB 14630 per tonne; in South and North, the prices surged from RMB 14575 per tonne to RMB 14655 per tonne and RMB 14555 per tonne to RMB 14625...
Just a few days after missing out on a role in the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) project, Austal Limited took a great pleasure to announce the details of its capacity expansion plans at Henderson, Western Australia, and the Philippines on Monday, May 14, 2018. Started off in 2017, this expansion plan includes five large vessels over 80 metres in length that are collectively worth more than US$400 million. Stating that the investment was primarily focused on the large ferry market, Austal chief executive David Singleton said, “The capital investment in the commercial operation will increase Austal’s ability to secure and deliver large, high-speed aluminium vessel contracts in highly cost effective shipyards.” He also said, “The demand outlook in the market for large, high-speed aluminium...
According to news published by Reuters, aluminium production in China increased to its highest level on a daily basis since June as higher aluminium prices encouraged producers to increase output. China’s aluminium production reached 2.77 million tonnes in April, an increase of 1.1 per cent from the same period last year. That equates to 92,300 tonnes per day, the highest since June last year and up from 89,500 tonnes in March, which was one day longer, according to Reuters calculations based on National Bureau of Statistics data In the first four months of 2018, China produced 10.89 million tonnes of aluminium, up 0.2 percent from the same period last year, the data showed. Production of 10 nonferrous metals - including copper, aluminium, lead, zinc and nickel – increased 3.1 percent to...
Aluminium is again taking the better of glass when UK-based Skinny Brands has decided to replace its current glass bottles with aluminium bottles at festivals and events throughout the year with The company has launched its 4% ABV Skinny Lager in aluminium bottles in response to a consumer backlash against plastic cups, which are often used to serve drinks at festivals. It is to be noted that more than 60 independent festivals in the UK has committed to ban plastic straws immediately and all single-use plastics by 2021. The announcement of aluminium bottles followed the decision by the event organizers. Commenting on the decision, Skinny Brands marketing director Allan Moffat said: “Typically, lager is served in plastic cups at festivals and outdoor events. Our customers tell us they...
Guinea’s Societe Miniere de Boke (SMB) has completely shut down its bauxite production over the past ten days owing to a staff walkout and already lost around 1 million to 1.2 million tonnes of scheduled bauxite production, with losses running to US$1 million a day, told Frederic Bouzigues, general director of SMB, to Reuters over telephone on Monday, May 14, 2018. Guinea’s volatile western town Boke is known for suffering from frequent strikes and protests from a local population who feel excluded from the town’s vast mineral wealth. Bouzigues said, “All our activities are blocked because of a decision to stop work that some of our employees have taken to stop work, after the arrest of a union leader by the authorities.” Union Leader Aboubacar Sidiki Mara was arrested by police in the...
Indonesia imported US$156.9 billion worth of goods from around the globe in 2017, an increase of 15.7 per cent year on year. Aluminium scrap import by Indonesia also increased over the last three years. The country is estimated to increase its aluminium scrap import this year. Indonesia’s import of alumina increased in both volume and value in 2017 when compared to 2016 data. The USA exported the largest chunk of aluminium scrap to Indonesia. In 2017, the USA exported 27518 tonnes of aluminium scrap to the country (estimated). United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, were the other suppliers of aluminium scrap to the country. According to the international trade data, Indonesia imported 74450 tonnes of aluminium scrap in 2017, an 11 per cent up from its 2016 imports totalling 66997...
National Aluminium Company (Nalco), a navratna firm under Union Mines of Ministry, sets a goal to achieve revenue of INR 93.5 billion from operations in FY19, 15 per cent higher than the previous financial year. The company’s chairman and managing director Tapan K Chand has signed off on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the ministry, represented by Anil Gopishankar Mukim, secretary of Union Mines Ministry on Monday, May 14, 2018. The MoU has been formulated as per the guidelines of the Department of Public Enterprise and finalised after discussions with the inter-ministerial committee as well as the Ministry of Mines, setting a target of 2.1 million tonnes of alumina production with 100 per cent utilisation of capacity and optimum aluminium production target of 0.41 million...
Hydro has appointed John Thuestad as new Executive Vice President for the business area Bauxite & Alumina effective June 1. Thuestad has more than 30 years of international experience from the metal and mining industry. "I am pleased that John Thuestad has accepted the position as new head of Bauxite & Alumina. Brazil has been of major strategic importance for Hydro since the acquisition of Vale's aluminum assets in 2011," says Hydro President and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg. "Pará has a unique position in the global aluminium industry with activities across the entire aluminium value chain, from bauxite and alumina to finished products," says Brandtzæg. Thuestad is currently holding the position as head of Extrusion Europe in the business area Extruded Solutions and joined Hydro as part...
Novelis Inc. has broken ground on its $300 million automotive aluminium sheet manufacturing facility in Guthrie, Kentucky. The 400,000 square foot facility will create approximately 125 jobs and produce annual nameplate capacity of 200 thousand tons. Image Source: novelis.com The aluminium rolling and recycling manufacturer will begin producing automotive aluminium at the site in 2020.The automotive aluminium facility will include heat treatment and pre-treatment lines, which prepare aluminium for use in vehicle parts such as body-in-white, hoods, doors, lift gates and fenders. Steve Fisher, President and CEO, Novelis Inc said: "The increased adoption of aluminium in cars, trucks and SUVs, coupled with more automotive manufacturing plants in the southeast makes Guthrie a strategic...
The recent aluminium price rise after the U.S. sanction of Rusal, the leading Russian aluminum producer has created concern among buyers and sellers of the metal and also is threatening end user companies with profit drops. During April, aluminium prices swung over their widest monthly range since at least 1997, according to an analysis by WSJ Group. The sudden rise in aluminium price threatens to squeeze profit margins of some of the biggest consumers of aluminium while they are already concerned over the higher fuel prices. The unpredictable aluminium prices also have contributed to worries over higher inflation and higher borrowing costs. Jeff Henderson, president of the Aluminum Extruders Council, which represents aluminium extruders agreed that aluminium product manufacturers are...
According to Shanghai Metal Market report, spot aluminium inventories in Guangdong province in China plunged 16,000 tonnes on Monday, May 14, 2018, from a week ago with fewer deliveries. Inventories declined, owing to the rise in production of molten aluminium and as busbars in newly added aluminium capacities utilised more aluminium. The SHFE 1805 contract rose from lows of RMB 14,505 per tonne to RMB 14,535 per tonne. While in East China, transactions of cargoes with May invoices were heard at RMB 14,460 per tonne to RMB 14,510 per tonne with discounts of RMB 30 to RMB 20 per tonne against the SHFE 1805 contract, transactions in Wuxi and Hangzhou hovered at RMB 14,460 per tonne to RMB 14,510 per tonne and RMB 14,480 per tonne to RMB 14,530 per tonne respectively. In Guangzhou market...
