
Cleaner aluminium depends on three things going right at once: scrap collection, melting it in a furnace without much carbon, and the electricity behind the whole chain not being coal-powered. Developments across North America, the UK, the European Union (EU), Egypt, Thailand, Malaysia and India depict how unevenly those pieces are falling into place. While some markets are losing recoverable metal at the sorting line, others are redirecting cargoes or writing scrap into industrial policy, and a few are lining up green projects to hold primary aluminium production together. Aluminium scrap trade: North America leads, Thailand bans, EU retains The international aluminium scrap market is facing a combination of changing trade flows and growing pressure to secure cleaner, more consistent...
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...
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Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) has reported sales volume of 978,195 tonnes in 2017, up 0.4 per cent Year-over-Year (YoY). The company had achieved total sales volume of 974,014 tonnes in 2016. For the fourth quarter of 2017, sales volume rose 8 per cent to reach 277,567 tonnes compared with 256,445 tonnes for the same period in 2016. The company has produced 981,016 tonnes in 2017, up by 1% Year-over-Year (YoY), versus 971,420 tonnes in 2016. For the fourth quarter of 2017, production increased 9 per cent YoY to 274,147 tonnes, from 250,670 tonnes for the same period in 2016. Alba said that the company has managed to close 2017 with its Value-Added (VA) Sales averaging 57 per cent of total shipments versus 56 per cent in 2016. Chief Executive Officer, Tim Murray said: “Despite 2017...

Aluminium manufacturing and installation company AB Glass has been awarded a contract by Kier Construction to provide installation services for the development of Carluddon Technology Park in Cornwall. The company has already installed aluminium system that includes Kawneer AA100 curtain walling, and AA720 windows and doors. Nigel Harvey, Operations Director at AB Glass, said: “Carluddon Technology Park is a fantastic development for the Cornwall area and we are thrilled to be contributing to its development. This project also marks our continuing relationship with Kier Construction, who we are proud to be working with once again on such an impressive development.” “Our commitment to our clients, along with many years’ experience on large construction sites, means we are able to continue...

Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) sought new trade protections against Chinese imports on Tuesday through its Aluminum Extrusions Fair Trade Committee (AEFTC), while filing a circumvention petition against China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd and its affiliates of evading anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties by shipping aluminium extrusions through Vietnam. They urged that extrusions shipped by Zhongwang’s Vietnamese affiliates should be subject to the same US import duties as Chinese extrusions. They alleged that after Zhongwang’s fake extrusion pallets were caught evading AD/CVD duties by Commerce Department in December 2016, the company shipped substantial quantities of these pallets to its affiliate in Vietnam, Global Vietnam Aluminum Co., Ltd. The company is claimed to be changing the shape...

Materion Corporation has secured a contract from UTC Aerospace Systems for the supply of AlBeMet for MS-177 long-range, multi-spectral imaging (MSI) sensor. “The MS-177 sensor gives the U.S. military long-range capabilities to see with greater clarity than previous technologies”, Materion said. Materion produces AlBeMet, a metal matrix composite that combines the high modulus and low density characteristics of beryllium with the fabrication and mechanical property behaviors of aluminium. AlBeMet is used extensively in optical, structural and electronic housing components in aircraft, satellite and commercial applications, it said. According to Materion Corporation press release, “the sensor is currently undergoing integration testing and qualification for the Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global...

Rio Tinto has accepted a purchase offer from UK industrialist Sanjeev Gupta for its Dunkerque aluminium smelter, Europe’s biggest aluminium producer. According to the sources, the purchase would be announced today unless there were any unforeseen circumstances. This is the latest investment by Mr Gupta’s company Liberty House that has been expanding its business operations by acquiring a number of assets in the metal and mining, shipping, recycling, banking and automotive sector in last four years. Mr Gupta was dubbed the ‘Man of Steel’ in a recent BBC documentary on his deal-making exploits. It was rumoured last month that Mr Gupta met with French president Emmanuel Macron earlier in the year to talk about his interest to invest in the Dunkerque smelter, located in northern France. The...

According to the Product Complexity Index (PCI), aluminium structures are the 268th most traded product and the 615th most complex product. Aluminium structures are a 4 digit HS92 product. The data shows an upward pattern for aluminium structures export in Italy. Italy is one of the top exporters of aluminium structures. The value of exports of this product is estimated to reach a peak in 2017. According to available export-import data, Italy exported 62549 tonnes and 66333 tonnes of aluminium structures in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The country’s total aluminium structures export is estimated to reach 71388 tonnes in 2017. The total aluminium structures exports were valued at US$465 million in 2015, which increased to reach US$524 million in 2016. In 2017, aluminium structures are to be...

As said by state-run Mines & Geology Division in Jamaica, Noranda’s mining operations have not been affected by the expansion of the protected areas of the Cockpit Country. Noranda’s mining licence covers some mining lands that are now a part of the redrawn Cockpit Country boundaries, the agency said. However, New Day, the managing partner for Noranda Jamaica, did not reactivate that licence after taking control of the operation in September 2016. New Day now owns 49 per cent of Noranda Jamaica after acquiring the bankrupt company Noranda Aluminium Holding Corporation in in the third quarter of 2016. The Jamaican Government owns the other 51 per cent of the mining company. The original mining lease held by Noranda under Special Mining Lease No. 165, encompassed 177 square kilometres (68...

SMM has published the latest output data from the major Chinese producers in the base metals market. The following table shows the latest output for alumina and aluminium in December and a forecast for January. The report shows a drop in alumina production month on month, as December output drops from that in November. SMM sees three reasons for the alumina output drop in December: Winter production cut in Nov-Dec is one of the major factors that affected production numbers of companies including Henan East Hope Sanmenxia, Kaiman, Shanxi Zhaofeng, Fushen, Shandong Weiqiao and China Aluminium Shandong Branch. East Hope Sanmenxia and Henan Zhongmei were ran operations at only 50% of their capacities during the 30-day special green policy in Henan province. Shandong branch of the Aluminium...

Czech Republic-based producer Metal Trade Comax Group said Tuesday January 9 that the company has acquired German aluminium producer Oetinger Aluminium for an undisclosed sum. Oetinger Aluminium specialises in the production of high quality aluminium alloys. Oetinger supplies its products mainly for the automotive industry. The company produces around 180,000 tonnes per year of aluminium casting alloys in solid and liquid form at the Weissenhorn and Neu-Ulm locations in Southern Germany. Metal Trade Comax with its headquarters in Velvary produces around 200,000 tonnes of steel and aluminium products annually. The company also has aluminium recycling business with a capacity of 30,000 tonnes per year.

LME aluminium continued to drop and the 20-day moving average may not provide enough support today. The initial positive trend is slowing down and market sentiments are being driven by concern over the futility of China’s output cut and the growing aluminium output. The light metal contract plunged from US$ 2177.50 per tonne on January 8 to close at US$ 2143.50 per tonne on January 9. As seen by Shanghai Metals Market, a rising US dollar would accelerate the drop of LME aluminium further. The price, according to Shanghai Metals Market is expected to trade at $2,140-2,165/t. With the slowing down of US dollars, other base metals are moving up while aluminium is the only metal that ended lower. As on January 9, LME official cash buyer aluminium price (Bid Price) stands at US$ 2143per tonne,...

Maxion Wheels, a division of IOCHPE-MAXION S.A., has announced the formation of a new legal entity, Maxion Wheels Aluminium India Private Limited, for light vehicle aluminium wheels production in Pune, India. The company will produce low pressure die cast aluminium wheels with a high-end wheel finish. Maxion Wheels will initially build a 25,000 square meters manufacturing plant with annual capacity of two million wheels beginning production expected for the third quarter of 2019. The company will increase annual production capacity to four million wheels in the coming years. Pieter Klinkers, Chief Executive Officer, said: “Maxion Wheels is committed to serving its customers’ growing demand for light vehicle aluminium wheels, especially in India where market growth is outpacing available...

Hansens Aluminum which is planning to start operations in 2019 from its new plant within the Henderson County Riverport Industrial Park is expected to create 90 jobs. The planned 75,000 square-foot facility, to be built on 10-acres of land will connect this area to a global automotive industry. It has been built on Hansens' reach as an international supplier of aluminium automotive components. Hansens Aluminum is a South African company established in Port Elizabeth in 1956, has supplied to domestic customers as well as customers in Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Mexico and China. "The (Henderson County) facility will house extrusion presses, as well as CNC machine centers," said Donna Crooks from Kyndle, this region's economic development agency. Hansens company...

National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has presented Corporate Plan (2017-2032) that foresees the company to reach a turnover of INR 31,248 crore and a PAT of INR 3,010 crore by 2032. NALCO said that the new plan expects the company to reach a turnover of INR 18,171 crore with PAT of INR 1,693 crore by 2024 with enhancement of the smelting capacity to 1.1 million tons & refining capacity to 3.27 million tons. The plan also envisages backward integration to CT Pitch & Caustic Soda; forward integration to Extrusion, Foils & Castings; expanding value addition capacities in Wire rods & Rolled Products; diversifying into commercial mining in Bauxite & Chromite, Conductors & Lithium-Ion batteries, it said. The Corporate Plan was released by Shri Arun Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of...

The Aluminium Federation, the trade body for the UK aluminium industry, has announced the appointment of a new chief executive. Tom Jones joins the organisation from MMC Hardmetal UK, part of the Mitsubishi Materials group, where he was general manager. Tom has more than 35 years experience of working in manufacturing. The Aluminium Federation has grown its membership in recent years, to around a hundred companies. Members include Arconic, Bridgnorth Aluminium, Novelis, Hydro and Liberty British Aluminium. The Aluminium Federation manages the All Party Parliamentary Group for the UK Aluminium Industry, and is a founder member of UK Metals Council. Aluminium Federation President Giles Ashmead said: “We are delighted that Tom has joined the Federation to lead our team in driving forward our...

According to an SMM report, aluminium scrap supply would stay tight in 2018 as environmental protection policies weigh in further in the coming year. SMM believes supply tightness would be mostly felt around Chinese New Year and the fourth quarter when demand is at its peak. Secondary aluminium producers have started restocking ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday. Despite that their inventory levels are still low. According to SMM sources the secondary smelter stocks could last just seven to 10 days of production. The tightening supply of aluminium scrap is attributed to environmental protection measures and policy changes on imported materials. China’s open-door policy on U.S. recycled material has ended in 2017 and they have already turned down mixed recyclables shipped from the U.S....

According to the Product Complexity Index (PCI), aluminium bars are the 177th most traded product and the 741st most complex product. Aluminium bars represents 1.5% of the total imports of Belgium. Belgium’s imports of aluminium bar rods and profiles, which was down in the second half of last year, is projected to increase slightly in the first half of 2018. According to available export-import data, Belgium imported 59948 tonnes of aluminium bar rods and profiles in the first half of 2017. The country imported aluminium bar rods and profiles worth USD194 million. Belgium’s imports of aluminium bar rods and profiles reduced to 58854 tonnes and cost of this product stood at USD 179 million in the second half of last year (estimated). In H1 2018, the total import volume of aluminium bar...

Primary aluminium ingot price is on a downward curve in China as the positive vibes in the last week of December is fading away and the market is getting concerned about the climbing inventory and the impact it is going to have on the aluminium prices in the first quarter of 2018. Despite the struggle to stay up in the face of higher inventory and lower raw material prices, Average A00 ingot price dropped today to stand at RMB 14,700 per tonne and expected to move within a range of RMB 14,680-14,720. Spot discount will range within RMB 170-130 per tonne today. Aluminium ingot prices registered a drop in all individual markets in China except the South China market. The following table shows the trend in ingot price in the domestic markets: Spot Alumina price in South China market has...

On the eve of the Italian mission – the most important Italian mission concerning metallurgy – METEF’s president Mario Conserva, has issued the following statement: "Indo-Italian MetalHUB is a joint initiative by the three major Italian metallurgy associations, which together have dedicated research and exploration to the growing Indian market. The Road-show is designed by ArtValley in cooperation with Al Circle. The mission, composed of various companies, will be headed up by Maurizio Sala, president of Amafond, Mauro Cibaldi, president of Deral and representative of Assomet, and Mario Pomari, delegate for the three associations and who, in particular, will speak to the importance of the substantial impact that the industrial development of aluminium has on the Indian market." Also...