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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LME aluminium climbed 3.7% to a record high in two months, driven by US sanctions and trade restrictions on Rusal. LME aluminium tested a high of $2,242 per tonne overnight as the US dollar weakened and as the US-Russia trade conflict took over the trade war issue. Reuters reported yesterday London Metal Exchange will suspend Rusal's aluminium from its list of approved brands from April 17. According to data by the exchanges on Monday April 9, Eastern Europe accounted for 36% of LME aluminium inventories, the majority of which is supplied by Russia. The metal contract finally closed at US$2,172 on Tuesday April 10. According to Shanghai Metals Market analysis, LME aluminium is likely to trade rangebound at US$2,185-2,235 today. SMM sees further upward room for LME aluminium. As on April...
Average A00 aluminium ingot price seems to be on a rising spree amidst an overall positive sentiment in the China market, where there’s a balance forming between production and consumption resulted in aluminium inventory and output plunge and input costs’ steady escalation. After a sharp rise from RMB 14080 per tonne to RMB 14200 per tonne yesterday April 10, 2018, Shanghai Metal Market research found a further hike of average A00 aluminium ingot price to RMB 14230 per tonne today April 11, 2018. The prices are expected to range between RMB 14210 and RMB 14250 per tonne with spot discounts to settle at RMB 110 to RMB 70 per tonne. This on-going week has been showing a great growth of average aluminium ingot price ranged between RMB 14080 per tonne and RMB 14230 per tonne against the last...
According to the update from Shanghai Metal Market, a large number of aluminium die-casting plants across some of the provinces in China, including Sichuan, Jiangsu and Zhejiang witnessed a lower export order in the first quarter of the FY2018-19. The reason for the plunge in export orders is primarily attributed to the appreciation of yuan’s value against the dollar. The yuan value in March was at 6.29, while in January it was hovering at 6.49. This month-on-month value appreciation resulted in affecting demands for Chinese products in foreign markets. The more the yuan value increased, the more the Chinese products lost advantages in foreign markets and aluminium plants’ profit margins from exports wore away. The maximum impact of the yuan value rising was seen in the aluminium...
New technologies or techniques bring out the best in aluminium foil, offering high impact shelf presence, environmental advantages and improved consumer convenience The Alufoil Trophy 2018 lived up to its reputation as one of the most highly valued awards competitions in the materials sector. This year’s winning entries display excellence in aluminium foil across a wide range of applications including pharmaceutical, food and snack packaging and one which literally does make it much easier to shine LED lighting. A panel of leading industry experts from all areas of the aluminium foil industry announced ten winners across the five competition categories. “We were impressed by the great originality of many entries, which took existing products further or added a new dimension to the use of...
Builder John Holland has ended an issue over aluminium cladding on its $100 million AutoHaus Newstead project in Brisbane by using a solid aluminium sheet that avoids flammability. AutoHaus project was getting delayed by a disagreement between its cladding fabricator and supplier over the fire testing of the specified Vitracore G2 cladding. The builder opted for a different aluminium product to avoid questions about fire safety. "As this is still under way, the project team has chosen a product which is undeniably non-combustible – solid aluminium sheets. The solid aluminium product will give our customer the same quality of finish and can be delivered in time to meet the project schedule." The bulder however, has not confirmed on the timeline for the project. The decision temporarily...
India and US are going to exchange dialogue over Indian aluminium and steel imported tariffs at India-US Trade Policy Forum Meeting today April 10, 2018 at Delhi. As reported, India is looking forward to an amicable settlement to the issue and not willing to indulge in a trade war with the US. “The issue of raised tariffs on steel and aluminium will be discussed at length at the Indo-US Trade Policy Forum meeting on Tuesday in New Delhi, but we don’t know yet what the US expects in return if it were to withdraw the duty hike. We will approach the matter with an open mind as we do not want a trade war with the country which is an important trade partner,” said a government official. He even said that the aluminium and steel items which have been penalised with import tariffs are largely...
Mr. David Hazelett, President of Hazelett Corporation, has announced the appointment of Mr. Anthony Tropeano to its Advisory Board of Directors effective immediately. Mr. Tropeano, after a 38-year executive career in the Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Industry, has recently retired and established his own company, TT Consulting Inc., a management consulting company providing management consulting services for metals, mining and contracting. “Tony’s tremendous knowledge and experience in the metals industry will be very helpful to us, particularly during this time of substantial growth in aluminum flat rolled products led by automotive,” Mr. Hazelett said. Hazelett Corporation pioneered twin-belt casting and is committed to increasing the productivity and energy efficiency of the world's metals...
US sanctions on Rusal has lifted the LME aluminium price, creating metal supply insecurities among traders and investors. LME aluminium contract rallied two per cent on Monday’s trading and finally closed at US$2,113-per tonne on April 9 from US$1967 on Friday, April 6. Shanghai Metals Market expects LME aluminium to stay range bound between the 40- and 60-day moving averages with a trading range at $2,110-2,150 per tonne considering the panic buying by traders encouraged by the US sanctions. As on April 9, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2113 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2114 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2121 per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2128 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2155 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price...
Alumina output has shrunk in March by 2.4 per cent year-on-year and stood at 5.73 million tonnes in China, while the daily output hovered at 185,000 tonnes, up 1.9 per cent month-on-month, Shanghai Metal Market research found. In the first quarter of the financial year 2017-18, output was at 16.52 million tonnes, down 0.7 per cent from the contemporary period of the previous year. The cause of decline attributes to the end of winter heating season from November 2017 to March 2018, as some alumina plants across the country have resumed their operations, except for Henan, Jinjiang, East Hope and Wanji. However in April, alumina output is estimated to have a slight rise from the past month and attain 5.74 million tonnes. The daily output is apprehended to increase as well to 191,000 tonnes,...
An internal task force and Brazilian environmental consultancy SGW Services have found no indication or evidence of contamination to nearby local communities from Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil, Norsk Hydro reported on Monday 9 April. “Both reports confirm our previous statements that there was no overflow from the bauxite residue deposit areas, as well as no indication or evidence of contamination to nearby local communities from Alunorte as a result of the heavy rainfall in February,” said President and CEO, Svein Richard Brandtzæg. “We have initiated several measures to further enhance Alunorte’s operational standards, including water treatment capacity, emergency preparedness plans and maintenance. We will also strengthen community engagement to ensure that we contribute to...
As reported by Reuters shares of aluminium producer Rusal, owned by Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska plunged as much as 41.8 per cent on Monday in Hong Kong Exchange after the U.S. administration announced sanctions on its co-founder Oleg Deripaska and seven other firms linked to him. They were the most prominent targets in a list of 12 Russian companies the U.S. hit with sanctions on Friday. U.S. sanctions generated uncertainties and doubt among the traders and investors on the future of the company’s banking and trading relationships. “The company’s initial assessment is that it is highly likely that the impact may be materially adverse to the business and prospects of the group,” the company said in a filing to the Hong Kong bourse on Monday. It said further evaluations were being...
At the recently held National Seminar in Mumbai, organised by Aluminium Association of India and sponsored by Hindalco, Nalco, Vedanta and TKIS on developments of special alloys and composites of aluminium, Dr. Tapan Kumar Chand, CMD of Nalco and President of Aluminium Association of India, projected an optimistic apprehension on high-strength aluminium alloy. He said that the demand for the high-strength aluminium alloy will increase by five-fold in the next ten years. According to Orissa Report Diary, many other aluminium stalwarts including the Consul General of Italy, Senior Government Officials, CEOs and Senior Executives of different organisations had also put an emphasis on a whole new world of opportunities lying ahead for the ‘wonder metal’. While expressing concerns over only...
The Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC) announced the development of a technology for the recovery of strategic rare earths from the waste generated from aluminium industry. The new process will recover rare earth metals (REMs) from red mud which can be easily available from aluminium industries and are considered as a hazardous waste. Anupam Agnihotri, Director of JNARDDC, said: “Red mud contains certain very expensive REMs which are largely used in electronic and defence industry. We are looking for three major metals — scandium, lanthanum and cerium — as they are present in relatively significant quantity. Of these, scandium costs Rs10,00 per one gram.” “If this works well, we would set up a pilot scale plant with guidance from the Indian Rare...
Vedanta’s long wait comes to an end on receiving a nod from Odisha Government for its Lanjigarh refinery production capacity boost to six million tonnes. According to an official source, “Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has given his nod to the expansion of the plant. The Vedanta has been asked to submit the plan for value addition in the state for expanded capacity." Long ago, Vedanta Alumina had developed its Lanjigarh’s refinery capacity from one million tonne to two million tonnes by investing about INR 50,000 crore. Now it is aiming at expanding to six million tonnes and creating job opportunities for thousands of personnel. To follow the plan, the company will haul the required bauxite from the bauxite mine run by Odisha Mining Corporation on the Kodingamali plateau, responding to...
On April 2, the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China issued a announcing that the 25 per cent tariff on aluminium scrap imported from the United States would take effect immediately. China immediately imposed tariffs on all 128 products, citing public comments expressing support for the measures. On March 23 Chinese Ministry of Commerce issued a notice soliciting public opinions and invited comments to be submitted by March 31. The ministry said, during the comment period, a large number of people expressed their support for measures and product lists. And the tariffs were implemented only after evaluating the feedback. Ministry of Commerce states, “In view of the lack of agreement between the parties, on March 29, China notified the WTO of the suspension of the...
Malaysia, one of the world’s top bauxite producers, has started exporting bauxite to China since November, though the volume has shrunk considerably in February 2018. As per export-import data shared by China’s General Administration of Customs, bauxite export by Malaysia to China in February totalled 29,486 tonnes, down 93.47 per cent year on year (YoY). Malaysia has prolonged the period of moratorium on bauxite mining in Pahang till June 30 2018 to give the government time to finalise a regulatory framework to prevent a repeat of the environmental damage. Malaysian companies remain positive about lifting of the ban in due time that would help revive mining segment. As per global export-import data, Malaysia is estimated to export 9 million tonnes of bauxite in the half of 2018, up from...
After the two days of holiday for Qingming Festival in China on Thursday April 5 and Friday April 6, the aluminium market shows an overall positive sentiment. Aluminium traders, manufacturers and investors get a reason to rejoice as both aluminium inventory and output declined. According to the Shanghai Metal Market data on Sunday April 8, China’s refined aluminium inventory including SHFE warrants plunged and returned to 2.227 million tonnes as downstream producers boosted their stock piles. This brings back an optimistic revision in aluminium inventory after a hike on April 4, 2018 from 2.27 million tonnes to 2.231 million tonnes. The current inventory status in major Chinese cities is as follows: Another update from SMM shows a fall in Aluminium output as well, which is down by 2.7 per...
Norwegian aluminium company Norsk Hydro ASA's wholly-owned subsidiary Hydro Energi AS has signed a long-term power contract with Norwegian power producer Statkraft, for annual supply of 0.75 terawatt hours (TWh) from 2021 to 2030 and 1 TWh from 2031 to 2038. The contracts will contribute to supplying power to Hydro's aluminium plants in Norway in the years after 2020, when the existing long-term power contract with Statkraft expires. "We have a good and long-standing relation with Statkraft, and I am pleased that we have been able to secure additional long-term renewable power for our Norwegian aluminium portfolio at competitive terms", says Executive Vice President and Head of Energy and Corporate Business Development Arvid Moss. Since 2014 Hydro has, including the above-mentioned...
