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
Southern Aluminium Finishing (SAF), a manufacturer and distributor of aluminium products, could be hit by Trump’s latest move that imposed tariff on imported aluminium. A 10 per cent tariff on aluminium imports is expected to affect company’s operations. Aluminium tariff will raise its costs and therefore selling prices. SAF buys half of the aluminium rolls or coils from China and half of the products from U.S. producers. SAF’s products include architectural aluminium sheets, architectural metalwork, anodized and painted aluminium sheets, custom anodized aluminium extrusions, coil anodized aluminium extrusions etc. The company has manufacturing plants in Georgia, Tennessee, and California. “I think it definitely helps the rolling mills but the end users or manufacturers like us . . ....
India Day was celebrated at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention in Toronto, Canada, on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, Nalco CMD and Aluminium Association of India chairman Dr Tapan Kumar Chand said India and Odisha in particular are making rapid progress in the aluminium sector. Addressing a large number of investors, prospectors, miners, manufacturers from all across the globe, Dr Chand also made a presentation on prospects of investment, exploration, technology collaboration, plant and equipment supply, export and import with India focussing on the growing significance of the aluminium sector. In response, a lot of enthusiasm was noticed among industries about the Nalco’s upcoming Angul Aluminium Park. The PDAC is considered one among the biggest...
Ever since the successful restart of Alpart alumina refinery in Jamaica; its Chinese owner Jiuquan Iron and Steel Company (JISCO) has been constantly brainstorming ideas to make the refinery most profitable by expanding production within a short span of time. The company now aims to upgrade the plant and expand its capacity so that it can facilitate one export shipment of alumina every month. The company has already exported two shipments of alumina in just over six months since the reopening of the plant in June 2017. According to the statement by Assistant Managing Director of JISCO Alpart refinery, Sun Jing, the company has already invested US$150 million in order to upgrade the plant in order to commence production so that they can attain the shipment target this year. “I think we are...
UK’s exports of goods and services reached GBP 52.12 billion in December 2017. The country has been following a downward pattern for the export of aluminium containers for compressed gas. UK’s export of aluminium containers for compressed gas is estimated to decline in both volume and value in 2018. The major countries to which UK exports aluminium containers for compressed gas include Australia, Denmark, France, Germany and Italy. Global trade data suggests that UK exported 12105 tonnes of aluminium containers for compressed gas worth US$35 million in 2016.Aluminium containers for compressed gas export totalled 8084 tonnes and was valued at US$57 in 2017. UK is estimated to export 4981 tonnes of aluminium containers for compressed gas by this year end. The value of export will decrease...
State-owned diversified miner PT Aneka Tambang (ANTAM) announced plans to significantly increase production and sales of bauxite in 2018.The company targets 126 per cent increase in production and 90 per cent increase in sales this year. The company aims both production and sales volume of bauxite in 2018 of 1.60 million wet metric tons (wmt) respectively to meet domestic and export market demand. ANTAM exported 838,069 wmt of bauxite in 2017, an increase of 181 per cent. The company produced 705,322 wmt of bauxite last year. In April 2017, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Indonesia issued a series of export recommendations that allowed ANTAM to export bauxite overseas. The directive allowed export of 850,000 tonnes of washed bauxite. ANTAM's President Director, Arie Prabowo...
The US dollar rebounded above 90 overnight, while base metals saw mixed trading. LME aluminium is struggling under increasing downward pressure and closed further down at US$ 2082.50 per tonne on March 8. However, the contract inched up and received support at US$2,100 per tonne overnight. Shanghai Metals Market expects the contract to trade at US$2,095-2,120 per tonne. As on March 8, LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2082 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2082.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2103.50per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2104 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2150 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price is US$ 2155 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock has dropped to 1315500 tonnes, Live Warrants totalled at 1080625...
Ning Jizhe, the VC of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has recently announced that China will continue to cut aluminium capacity in 2018, and it would be market-based, standard, and prevent rule violations. This indicates the supply side reforms and environmental cuts would repeat in 2018, though not specific policy has been announced. The recently published data from China Customs show China's exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products dropped to 372,000 tonnes in February from 445,000 tonnes in January. On the other hand in the first two months of 2018, China’s exports of unwrought aluminium and products rose 26% to 817,000 tonnes. February drop is also partially due to the Chinese New year holidays. The rise in aluminium shipments in Jan-Feb suggested...
President Donald Trump has signed proclamation imposing 10 per cent tariff on aluminium and 25 per cent levy on steel. The new tariffs will go into effect in 15 days. The move is likely to face retaliation from its major trading partners, the European Union and China. Trump said Canada and Mexico will be exempted from the new import tariff till the three countries decide on North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA talks are expected to resume in early April. He said: "We're going to hold off on the tariff to those two countries to see whether or not we're able to make the deal on NAFTA. If we're making the deal on NAFTA, this will figure into the deal, and we won't have the tariffs on Canada or Mexico." Donald trump said America’s trading partners who want exemptions from the...
European Aluminium applauds EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström’s statements concerning the potential US tariffs against all aluminium products from Europe. The association representing the entire aluminium value chain with more than 600 plants all across Europe encourages the executive body to take the necessary actions to fight for European jobs by applying WTO-compatible tools. “The Commissioner ticked all the boxes during yesterday’s press conference. Yes, it’s unfair to justify any unilateral decision under the false pretense of national security. Yes, it’s out of scope because it does not fix Chinese overcapacity, which is at the heart of the problem. Yes, the EU has to respond to stand in for our interests and the respect of international trade rules. She is spot on,” commented...
China metals lost ground on Wednesday as looming U.S. trade tensions overshadowed data that showed February semi—finished aluminium exports surged at the fastest pace in three years in China. Average A00 Aluminum Ingot prices dropped to RMB 13,910 per tonne today. The prices are expected to range within RMB 13,890 to RMB 13,930 per tonne and spot discounts are expected to settle at RMB 140 to 110 per tonne. Primary ingot prices registered a drop of RMB 120 to 170 per tonne across all domestic markets. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi remarked at the National People's Congress on Thursday March 8 that the trade war by the US will result in a 'harmful outcome' in today's globalised world. He added that China will respond as necessary in the event of a trade war with the United States. In an...
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced an infrastructure development plan across the country to be financed with proceeds of the country’s bauxite as part of measures to move Ghana beyond aid. According to the President, the plan which would be executed in the coming months would involve the batter of refined bauxite for infrastructure. He said in that regard, government was in talks with potential partners to establish an aluminium refinery to add value to the country’s bauxite for export. Speaking at the 61st Independence Day celebrations in Accra, President Akufo-Addo noted that the law establishing a bauxite and aluminium development authority was far advanced and would soon be submitted to Parliament. “My government is going to implement an alternative financing module...
Concerns that the U.S. could slap down import tariffs on aluminium as well as steel have dragged those metals down. LME aluminium edged down during yesterday’s trading and overnight and is set to test support at $2,100/mt today. LME aluminium is struggling under increasing downward pressure and closed down at US$ 2112.50 per tonne on March 7. Shanghai Metals Market expects the contract to trade at US$2,085-2,120 per tonne. As on March 7 LME aluminium cash (bid) price stands at US$ 2112 per tonne, LME official settlement price stands at US$ 2112.50 per tonne; 3-months bid price stands at US$ 2131.50per tonne, 3-months offer price is US$ 2132 per tonne; Dec 19 bid price stands at US$ 2177 per tonne, and Dec 19 offer price is US$ 2182 per tonne. The LME aluminium opening stock has dropped to...
China's exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products increased 25.8 percent in the first two months of 2018 from the same period last year. The country exported 817,000 tonnes of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products in January-February 2018. Chinese exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products were down in February. Total exports of these products decreased to 372,000 tonnes in February 2018, According to the latest preliminary data from the General Administration of Customs. China exported 445,000 tonnes of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products in January 2018, up 14.3 per cent YoY. In 2017, the country exported 4.79 million tonnes of unwrought aluminium and aluminium product, up 4.5 per cent year on year. Separately, China has expressed "strong...
After the success of four successful industry reports and a Recap of 2017, AlCircle is now coming up with a comprehensive Aluminium Industry Outlook 2018. While we have wrapped up a positive and eventful year and are treading into the New Year, we are analysing how the significant developments of 2017 are shaping up the industry value chain in 2018. The year starts with a persisting volatility in the market and an impeding trade war between the East and the West, however, we are also enthusiastic about the way demand and supply has been handled in 2017, hence looking at a balanced aluminium market in 2018, with more sustainable growth. Aluminium cannot be seen as an independent commodity as the market is driven by forces that have impact on the entire value chain. The entire value chain...
Hydro announced that SGW Services will conduct an independent review of the water treatment and effluent management systems at its Alunorte alumina refinery in Barcarena. The independent review by SGW is expected to announce its conclusions during the first week of April. "The objective of the SGW review is to assess whether Alunorte’s water and effluent management system has been operated according to design specifications, applicable permits and legislation, and relevant internal and external requirements. The review will especially focus on all outlets discharging into Alunorte’s external environment, and specify any identified irregularities or gaps,” according to company press release. SGW will conduct an independent environmental review in two phases. The first phase will cover the...
Trump’s proposed tariffs on aluminium and steel imports will have negative impact on U.S. design and construction industries, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) President Carl Elefante, FAIA, and EVP/Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, FAIA. The action will increase the prices of many building materials such as window frames, mechanical systems, and exterior cladding. "The Administration’s announcement of new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports threatens to drastically increase the prices of many building materials specified by architects. These metal products are some of the largest material inputs in the construction of buildings. Structural metal beams, window frames, mechanical systems, and exterior cladding are largely derived from these important metals. “As...
A new aluminium smelter will open in New Madrid County, Missouri, at the site of the former Noranda Aluminium plant, state and federal officials said Tuesday. State Rep. Don Rone, R-Portageville, and U.S. Rep. Jason Smith welcomed the jobs the new Magnitude 7 Metals plant will create. Gov. Eric Greitens, Rone and Smith are among officials scheduled to attend the formal announcement at 2 p.m. Friday at the former smelter at St. Jude Industrial Park in New Madrid County. Magnitude 7 Metals is hiring workers for the new plant, which could generate close to 400 jobs for the area, Rone said in an online news release. The Swiss-based company purchased the smelter in bankruptcy. It was the only potential buyer that didn’t want to scrap the plant, Rone said last year. “The project has been two...
Japan’s aluminium industry is urging Trump to not advance with his tariffs plan, saying the action will damage country’s business and will increase uncertainty for future trade relations. U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week that he will impose a 10 per cent tariff on imported aluminium and a 25 per cent on imported steel to protect U.S. producers. “We want Trump to abandon the plan,” Yoshihisa Tabata, executive director of the Japan Aluminium Association told Reuters on Monday. “The U.S. is the second-biggest exporting market after China for Japanese aluminium producers and the high duties will directly impact on their business.” Japan produced 2.07 million tonnes of rolled and extruded aluminium in 2017. The country shipped about 27,000 tonnes to the United States last year....
