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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Inspired by the most marvel cinematic universe’s film Avengers, Taiwan-based computer hardware manufacturer Acer has unveiled three limited-editions laptops made from aluminium. The series includes the Aspire 6 Captain America Edition, the Nitro 5 Thanos Edition, and the Swift 3 Iron Man Edition. Following the existing Acer models, these new editions are specially customised to fit the Avengers theme which offers decent specifications and competitive pricing. Decked in striking blue with aluminium cover that embodies the spirit of Captain America, Acer Aspire 6 Captain America Edition is powered by an 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U CPU and NVIDIA GeForce MX150 GPU. It houses 8GB of DDR4 RAM and 1TB of SATA HDD storage and is equipped with an HD camera with HDR while Dolby Audio Premium. For...
Spain, the 17th largest exporter in the world, exported US$320.1 billion worth of products around the globe in 2017, up by 3 per cent since 2013 and up by 13.6 per cent from 2016 to 2017. Spain’s aluminium bar exports accounts for 3.8 per cent of the total exports of the country. The country exports a substantial amount of aluminium bar rods and profiles globally, Spain’s exports of aluminium bar rods and profiles is forecasted to increase considerably in the first half of 2018. According to available export-import data, Spain exported 97198 tonnes of aluminium bar rods and profiles in the second half of 2017. The country exported aluminium bar rods and profiles worth USD 40.5 million. Aluminium bar rods and profiles export by Spain is expected to rise reaching 119480 tonnes by June end....
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) kicked-off the 2nd quarter of 2018 with the safe delivery of two of six rectifier transformer units to Line 6 Expansion Project Site. The world’s largest rectifier transformer (rectiformer) rated at 120 kA at 1880V DC, is designed and built by Fuji Electric, Japan. The equipment for the third and fourth rectiformers have been shipped from Japan and are scheduled to arrive on-site by mid-May 2018 while the final shipment of the remaining units is expected to reach Alba by July 2018. Commenting on this milestone, the Chairman of Alba’s Board of Directors, Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa said: “Line 6 Expansion Project is brimming with all kinds of activities – the construction of Line 6 Smelter, Power Station 5 and Power Distribution System (PDS)...
Following Glencore and Rio Tinto’s decision to declare force majeure on Russian aluminium contracts, Japanese companies have asked Russia’s united company Rusal not to ship refined aluminium and other products to them further. On the occasion of US sanctions against world’s No. 2 aluminium producer Rusal, many Japanese buyers are also left with concerns about the limited availability of aluminium and lifting global prices by a fifth. On London Metal Exchange (LME), the aluminium price has already hit the highest in last six years, hovering at US$2400 per tonne. "We have requested Rusal stop shipments of aluminum for our term contracts as we can't make payment in U.S. dollars and we don't want to take the risk of becoming a secondary sanction target by the United States," said an anonymous...
Amid soaring aluminium prices across the globe, aluminium companies in China are indeed savouring propitious time as their stock prices reach the highest level. Shanghai Metal Market learned early this morning 19 th of April, 2018 that the stock prices of Aluminium Corporation of China (Chalco) climbed 6 per cent to hit the highest level of 4.96 yuan per share in last one month. On the event of US sanctions against Russian aluminium companies including the aluminium giant Rusal, as well as, Glencore’s and Rio’s decision to declare force majeure on Russia-linked contracts have jointly triggered the price surge of both aluminium and alumina globally. According to Shanghai Metal Market, China too is witnessing a price hike, as the price of average A00 aluminium ingot surged remarkably from...
As seen by Shanghai Metals Market, LME aluminium registered a fresh high since August 2011 at one point overnight .The metal closed at US$ 2528.50 per tonne on Wednesday April 18, up from US$2375.5 per tonne on Tuesday, April 17. SMM sees considerable upward room for it given the sweeping influence from US sanctions on Rusal and the potential production cut. SMM forecasts it to strongly trade at US$ 2,540-2,600 per tonne today. As on April 18, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2527.50 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2528.50per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$2522per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2523 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2433 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price stands at US$ 2438 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock...
Rio Tinto’s decision to declare force majeure on Rusal-linked contracts is already leaving innumerable impacts, including alumina price rise. Rio said it decided to announce force majeure on Friday April 13, 2018, on certain customer contracts like alumina shipments from a refinery in Australia with which Rusal is also associated, bauxite shipments to a Rusal alumina refinery in Ireland, as well as alumina supply from the same refinery to smelters in Europe. Following this decision, COMEX alumina futures for delivery in May jumped 15 percent on Friday itself, while global alumina price rose to its highest today April 18, 2018 since September 2011, climbing to as much as $2,445 per ton. Rio’s force majeure announcement is also likely to trigger global alumina supply constraints, especially...
The U.S. Department of Commerce said it has made a preliminary determination that imports of common alloy aluminium sheet from China are being subsidized. The Department will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to require U.S. importers of common alloy aluminium sheet from China to deposit estimated countervailing duties at the time of importation, according to the Aluminum Association. “The Aluminum Association and its members are pleased with the Commerce Department’s preliminary findings of subsidies and commend Secretary Ross’s leadership in self-initiating this investigation to vigorously enforce the U.S. trade laws,” said Heidi Brock, President and CEO of the Aluminum Association. “This is an important first step to begin restoring a level playing field for U.S. aluminium...
One of the world’s largest metals and mining corporations Rio Tinto today announced aluminium output for the first quarter of 2018. The production has plunged by 5 per cent in Q1 to stand at 0.8 million tonnes against the contemporary period last year. This is primarily due to disruptions at its Becancour smelter in Canada. The company has declared its total divestments of US$5 billion for 2018 as well, subject to binding offers for the Aluminium Dunkerque smelter in France for US$500 million and the ISAL aluminium smelter in Iceland for US$345 million. The sales are expected to complete in the second quarter of 2018. Rio also reported that it is reviewing Rusal’s 20 per cent stake in its Queensland Alumina Refinery, along with bauxite sales to Rusal’s refinery in Ireland and offtake...
Aluminium can export from UK is expected to witness an increase in 2018. The country has been following an upward pattern for the export of aluminium cans. The largest beverage can market in Europe- UK reached 72 per cent aluminium drinks cans recycling rate in 2017.The recycling rate for aluminium drinks cans continued to increase from 70 per cent in 2016 to hitting 72 per cent in 2017. The national recycling rate for all aluminium packaging reached 51 per cent last year. Global export-import data shows, UK exported 36529 tonnes of aluminium cans in 2016. Last year, aluminium cans volume was up at 45424 tonnes. In 2018, aluminium cans export by UK is estimated to reach 48374 tonnes by December end. Value-wise, from US$173 million in 2016, the value of aluminium cans export by UK...
Winel BV announced a new addition to its product range CMO aluminium overflow tank vent check valve with a mighty pride last week. The product is manufactured from a seawater resistant ALMG4.5 aluminium alloy and available in a wide range of sizes right from DN40 to DN400. It is lightweight and has a slimline design but rigid with high flow capacity. This new development compliments Winel’s ‘standard’ type CM aluminium tank vent check valve launched in Autumn 2016. Tank vent check valves or vent heads as they are commonly known are meant to use on any type of commercial ship or yacht, navy vessel and offshore platform for ventilating ballast and voiding tanks on ships, while preventing any contamination of the contents of the tank with water during rough seas. The previous version of the...
Global miner Rio Tinto today announced production results for the first quarter of 2018. The company’s bauxite production in Q1 2018 was 12 per cent higher than the corresponding quarter of 2017, due to continued operational improvements. Rio Tinto produced 12.7 million tonnes of bauxite in the first quarter of 2018. The third party shipments of 8.2 million tonnes were achieved, 19 per cent higher than the first quarter of 2017 due to firm demand and higher port availability. "Gove production was notably 31 per cent higher due to the debottlenecking of the materials handling system, whilst stronger production was also achieved at Weipa (eight per cent higher) and Sangaredi (five per cent higher). Production was lower than the fourth quarter of 2017 due to seasonal wet weather,” according...
After the stupendous surge in average A00 aluminium ingot price from RMB 14450 per tonne to RMB 14720 per tonne on April 17, 2018 on the occasion of aluminium production rise to 8.12 million tonnes in China in the first quarter of 2018, it again remained unchanged on April 18, 2018, Shanghai Metal Market learned. Like the previous day, the prices are expected to range between RMB 14700 and RMB 14740 per tonne, with a slight swing in spot discounts to settle at RMB 70 to RMB 30 per tonne. However, a few major markets in China have registered slight changes on the positive note, including East, South and North, wherein the aluminium ingot prices witnessed a growth to RMB 14715 per tonne from RMB 14690, RMB 14720 per tonne from RMB 14685, and RMB 14730 per tonne from RMB 14720 respectively....
Benchmark aluminium price on London Metal Exchange increased further to close at US$2375.5 per tonne on Tuesday, April 17, up from the previous day's close at US$ 2358.50 per tonne. According to Shanghai Metals Market, LME aluminium rebounded and closed at US$2,411 per tonne after it dipped to a low of US$2,346 per tonne as the ZEW eurozone economic sentiment indicator fell short of expectations overnight. SMM expects it to remain at high levels in the short run due to US sanctions on Rusal. The contract will trade in the range of US$2,389-2,470 per tonne today. As on April 17, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2375 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2375.50per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$2371.50 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2372 per...
Two back-to-back incidents in the aluminium industry, started with Norsk Hydro’s production cut followed by the US sanctions against Russian aluminium oligarch Oleg Deripaska-led Rusal could lead to aluminium supply starvation in global market, said Hydro’s chief executive on Monday April 16, 2018. The situation may get worsen further if Hydro’s production cut at its aluminium plant Albras in Brazil continues longer, in addition to an unresolved dispute at its nearby Alunorte alumina refinery. It may even result in an output cut at Norwegian smelter, which receives alumina from Alunorte, said Svein Richard Brandtzaeg. “This is not positive for the aluminum industry. We’ve got long-term customers seeking stable relations, and our car-making customers are particularly worried in this...
Magna International will open its new aluminium casting facility in Telford, United Kingdom on Thursday, April 19. The new castings facility will supply automotive aluminium products to Jaguar Land Rover. Image Source: www.shropshirestar.com The 225,000 square foot aluminium casting facility at Stafford Park will create 300 jobs in Telford. Construction of the new castings facility began in the autumn of 2016 and will be ready soon to begin production, Shropshire star reported. "Cosma’s patented vacuum casting process, High-Q-Cast, was added to the company’s portfolio in 2012. Since then, Cosma has continually grown its casting engineering and manufacturing presence globally,” said Ben Goater, General Manager of Cosma Castings UK. "This will be the first die casting facility for Magna in...
The European Union’s temporary relief from the US imported aluminium and steel tariffs is approaching an end since the impunity is valid only until May 1, 2018 and is subject to further discussion. The White House said, “By May 1, 2018, the president will decide whether to continue to exempt these countries from the tariffs, based on the status of the discussions.” So, following China, the European Union today April 17, 2018 corresponded with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) seeking safeguards from the US tariffs on imported aluminium and steel. According to a statement published on the world trade body’s website, European Union said "Having a substantial interest as an exporter in this case, the European Union requests consultations with the United States to agree safeguards". The...
The recycling rate for aluminium drinks cans continues to increase year on year, hitting 72% in 2017 (up from 70% in 2016), whilst the national recycling rate for all aluminium packaging reached 51% (up from 50% in 2016). According to packaging waste recovery data, recently released by the Environment Agency, aluminium packaging easily achieved its 2017 business target. There was a 4% increase in the number of PRNS raised in 2017 (94,092 tonnes) vs 2016 (90,095 tonnes). Ultimately, the PRN numbers show that over 8,000 tonnes of aluminium PRNs were raised but not issued. As in previous years, there is evidence that some reprocessors/exporters chose not to become accredited or decided not to raise the maximum number of PRNs that they could have done, due to the resulting low PRN prices....
