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
Poland imported US$230.5 billion worth of goods from around the globe in 2017. Aluminium represents 5.7 per cent of the total imports of the country. Norway is one of the top aluminium suppliers to Poland. Poland imported an estimated 177734 tonnes of aluminium from Norway in 2017. Other top countries which supplied aluminium to the country were Russian Federations, Netherlands, Sweden, and United Arab Emirates among others. On a quarterly basis, Poland imported an estimated 205928 tonnes of aluminium in the third quarter of 2017 (July- September), and in fourth quarter of 2017, the volume stood at about 203738 tonnes. Poland imported aluminium worth US$ 419 million and US$ 409 million in third and fourth quarter of 2017 respectively. In the first quarter of 2018, estimated aluminium...
Along with aluminium price surge on London Metal Exchange (LME) due to US sanctions against Rusal, alumina prices are incessantly moving upward due to tight supplies and rising export margins, Shanghai Metal Market (SMM) learned. According to Shanghai Metal Market report, the average alumina price on Monday April 23, 2018 has seen a sharp rise to RMB 3118 per tonne, against the average price of RMB 2916 per tonne on April 20 in China’s four major markets, while Australian alumina prices hovered at US$710 per tonne on Thursday, April 19, US$ 225 per tonne higher than the last Friday. 50 per cent production cut at Norsk Hydro’s Alunorte in late February due to non-compliance with bauxite deposits holds the major responsibility for the price soar. It is also disrupting aluminium production...
After a gain on Thursday to US$ 2602.5 per tonne, LME aluminium closed lower at US$ 2463 per tonne on Friday April 20. As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, given the US sanctions on Rusal and the anticipated production cut, LME aluminium technically remains its upward trend but with weaker momentum. SMM expects it to trade at highs between US$ 2,435-2,525 per tonne today. As on April 20, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2461per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2463 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$2448 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2450 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$2338per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2343 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock has dropped to 1395550 tonnes. Live Warrants totalled at 939750...
With the US refusing to roll back its imported aluminium and steel tariffs from India, the latter dragged the matter to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on April 17, 2018, requesting to consult with the United States over the tariffs and compensation for losses. Like China and European Union, India claimed the tariffs the “safeguards measures” under the WTO rules and asked for compensation for the losses, accordingly. But as per the current report on April 19, 2018, the United States has declined India’s request for consultation, stating that its tariffs on Indian aluminium and steel are not any safeguard measures. In its submission to the WTO on Thursday, the US said that the country, however, would have discussed the matter with India, provided the latter did not claim the tariffs the...
President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported aluminium and steel are causing disruptions even to the manufacturers in the United States who buy those metals and thus, asking for relief to the US government. The Trump government imposed these tariffs last month with an aim to protect its domestic industry which was likely facing harm because of an increase in metal import. However, on repeated request for permanent exemption, the United States granted temporary exemptions to some of its important allies like European Union, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Brazil and South Korea until May 1, 2018. Steel and aluminium consuming companies in the United States are also allowed to seek exemption from the Commerce Department on providing appropriate evidence that they can’t obtain the...
The United States unleashed sanctions against Russian aluminium giant Rusal on Friday April 6, 2018. Just in two weeks’ time, the sanctions have left around innumerable consequences, starting with Glencore and Rio Tinto’s decision to declare force majeure on Russian contracts followed by German-headquartered bauxite transshipment company Oldendorff Carriers to shut operations at Guyana. The company with 200 Guyanese employees has decided to shut the operations at Guyana as a consequence of US sanctions against Russian aluminium company Rusal, according to a report. According to, Tradewindsnews report, Oldendorff told the publication “it will fully comply with US sanctions and therefore will be winding up its business in Guyana in a timely manner.” Raphael Trotman, minister of natural...
Crown Holdings, Inc. announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018. The company reported net sales of $2,197 million in Q1 2018, from $1,901 million in Q1 2017, reflecting increased beverage can volumes, the pass through of higher material costs to customers, and $121 million of favourable currency translation impact. Income from operations was $221 million in Q1 2018, from $225 million in Q1 2017. Segment income increased to $245 million in the first quarter compared to $226 million in the prior year first quarter and included $12 million of favourable currency translation impact. Timothy J. Donahue, President and Chief Executive Officer, said: "Global beverage can volume growth of 3% was fueled by notable gains in Brazil, Southeast Asia and the United...
In recent weeks the members of the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) have seen unprecedented disruption to the primary aluminum supply chain. Last month, the Trump Administration announced 10% tariffs on all primary aluminum products imported into the United States as a result of the Department of Commerce’s 232 Investigation into the national security impacts from such imports. Significant shifts in both pricing and supply began to take hold across the industry. Extruders began to find ways to source metal not covered by these orders, and the London Metal Exchange and Midwest Premium both seemed to swing widely each week as the industry watched the orders take hold of the market. Just when things seemed to settle a bit, sanctions against the Russian oligarchy were announced. Consequently,...
Being concerned about US sanctions against Rusal that it could bring down a shadow over businesses and jobs, Kazakhstan is in search of new markets and opportunities for its alumina exports. Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), partially owned by the Kazakh government, produces 1.5 million tonnes of alumina every year, two-thirds of which used to be sourced by Rusal to make aluminium. Moreover, the company was preparing to boost its smelting capacity in anticipation of the Rusal contract expiring at the end of 2019. However, it has not commented much about the impact of Rusal sanctions on its operation. Timur Toktabayev, deputy minister for investments and development said on Thursday, April 19, 2018 that the cabinet is looking at various options for opening up new markets and avoiding...
Metalcorp Group B.V., one of the leading manufacturers of secondary aluminium ingots in Europe, has planned to make investments in a second continuous casting line and a homogenisation plant at BAGR Berliner Aluminiumwerk GmbH. BAGR Berliner Aluminiumwerk GmbH specializes in producing rolling slabs from secondary aluminium for the European market. The company operates as a subsidiary of Metalcorp Group. Furthermore, the Group has initiated negotiations with its co-shareholder regarding the latter's 50 per cent stake in Stockach Aluminium GmbH with a view to fully taking over the company. The planned takeover will further enlarge and improve the range of products and services offered by BAGR and Stockach Aluminium to their customer. Last year, BAGR Berliner Aluminiumwerk GmbH acquired 50...
Aludecor Lamination Private Limited, the pioneers in the world of Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP) has launched 3 mm Fire Rated Aluminium Composite Panel (ACP). The best insurance against fire casualty in a building giving people a 2-hour escape window. Aludecor’s FireWall is a tried and tested non-halogenated FR ACP which Will not produce toxic gases that cause death. (80 percent of death in a fire accident is caused by smoke) Will not blur vision and thus make it easy for people to get out via the escape routes. Will not release excessive heat onto other materials that can cause fire. Will not contribute to the rapid spreading of flames towards the upper floors of the building, for 2 hours, Will not melt into flaming droplets and instead turn into innocuous dust particles. Will not come...
Japan, a major exporter of aluminium scrap and automotive grade aluminium alloy scrap to the entire of South East Asia, exports considerable amount of aluminium scrap every year. Aluminium scrap export from Japan to South Korea increased in 2017. Aluminium scrap export from Japan to South Korea stood at 89151 tonnes last year, up from 84740 tonnes in 2016. The country is estimated to raise its aluminium scrap export to South Korea in 2018. Japan is likely to export 96873 tonnes of aluminium scrap this year. According to recent estimates, Japan shipped 132085 tonnes of aluminium scrap globally in 2016. In 2017, the total exports volume stood at 132036 tonnes. This year, by December end, the country’s aluminium scrap export volume is estimated to increase to 142103. Japan’s aluminium scrap...
After China and European Union who have already corresponded with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over safeguards from the US aluminium and steel tariffs, now Russia joins the squad too. On April 20, 2018, Russia has approached the WTO arguing that 25 per cent tariff on steel and 10 per cent tariff on aluminium as imposed by the US is nothing but the “safeguard measures”, but without abiding by any of the rules set by the WTO. According to the WTO, safeguards are when the import of a product is temporarily restricted with the aim to protect a specific domestic industry from an increase in imports, which otherwise threatens to cause irreversible harm to the industry. The safeguard measures are allowed to be used subject to various conditions. One of them is, the country wishing to put...
With an incessant rise in aluminium future price in China as a consequence of US sanctions against Rusal, a large number of brokers and downstream consumers are becoming keen to purchase and stock aluminium for their future use, thereby, contributing to an enthusiastic trading activity in China’s spot aluminium market across all the major Chinese cities on Thursday April 19, 2018, Shanghai Metal Market research found. While in Shanghai, most transactions stood between RMB 15080 per tonne and RMB 15160 per tonne with spot discounts hovering at RMB 60 to RMB 50 against the 1805 contract, in Wuxi and Hangzhou, transactions were seen strolling around RMB 15070 per tonne to RMB 15150 per tonne and RMB 15080 per tonne to RMB 15170 per tonne respectively. In Guangdong, on the other hand, were...
Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange increased further to close at US$2602.5 per tonne on Thursday, April 19, up from the previous day’s close at US$ 2528.50 per tonne on Wednesday April 18.According to Shanghai Metals Market, LME aluminium dipped to a low of US$22,397 per tonne and tested support at the five-day moving average overnight amid an overall selloff sentiment. SMM expects the contract to trade at US$2,410-2,500 per tonne today. As on April 19, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2597.50per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2602.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$2586 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2587 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2445 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2450 per tonne. The LME...
Triangles Cycling Equipment has taken the next major step in its launch of aluminium frame production in Europe. After the initial start of the production in October 2016 with a small batch of test frames, the manufacturer gradually increased volumes as well as the complexity of frames produced, including e-bikes. Right from the start it was one of the main goals of Triangles to combine the e-bike frame production with hi-end frames for conventional bicycles. “But we expect that e-bike frames will take up 70% of our total annual production of 500,000 units,” said Triangles General Manager Luis Pedro during Bike Europe’s visit last week . “We assume to reach full capacity by 2020.” According to the initial planning of the three Portuguese Triangles investors; Ciclo Fapril, Rodi and Miranda...
Roy Harvey, CEO of Alcoa Corporation, a global leader in bauxite, alumina and aluminium production, announced on Wednesday April 18, 2018, the company will redirect 800,000 tonnes of bauxite to the market which was otherwise committed to Rusal. As a consequence of US sanctions, Harvey believes that there is likely to be a global deficit in both aluminium and alumina this year. On asking repeatedly about the ultimate impact of the US sanctions on Russia, he says the situation is complex and is difficult to predict. Due to delays in projects to expand smelters in China, the company estimates the global aluminium deficit to grow between 600,000 tonnes and 1 million tonnes, up from last quarter’s deficit estimates between 300,000 tonnes and 700,000 tonnes, while global aluminium demand is...
Alcoa Corporation, the leading global conglomerate in bauxite, alumina and aluminium, reported first quarter 2018 results that show resilient profitability amid lower alumina prices earlier in the year. The company closed the quarter on March 31, 2018 with $1.2 billion cash, down $162 million sequentially, but up $392 million year-over-year. Alcoa is projecting its full-year 2018 adjusted EBITDA excluding special items to range between $3.5 billion to $3.7 billion due to recent favourable market conditions. In first quarter 2018, Alcoa reported net income of $150 million and excluding special items, adjusted net income of $145 million. Alcoa reported $653 million of adjusted EBITDA excluding special items, down 18 percent from $796 million in fourth quarter 2017. “Lower alumina prices...
