PV aluminium extrusion: This week, operating rates among sampled PV frame enterprises showed divergence. Some top-tier PV frame enterprises in Anhui and Hebei continued to run at relatively full operating rates; some other small and medium-sized integrated industrial extrusion enterprises reported that, for profitability considerations, they have proactively controlled production and reduced PV frame orders after the holiday, but their PV frame orders are limited, having little impact on the overall PV aluminium extrusion operating rate. From the downstream module side, October module scheduled production is expected to edge up from September, but the growth falls short of expectations, with China's scheduled production increasing by only 1-2 GW, providing limited support for PV-related...
This week, the overseas aluminium market overall remained in the doldrums. Weak demand continued to be the core issue across major markets, with offer prices in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the US, and China generally under pressure. Trading activity was sluggish, and the tug-of-war between sellers and buyers persisted, with the market lacking clear directional guidance overall. Japan: MJP negotiations continue, market sentiment remains subdued The Japanese market remained relatively quiet this week, with focus still on the progress of Q4 MJP negotiations. Some sellers are still negotiating premiums with buyers, but the two sides have significant differences in price expectations, and negotiations are progressing slowly. As a result, the MJP market remains subdued, with limited spot...
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Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) is currently producing aluminium at an annualised rate of around 1.3 million tonnes, with the smelter operating at roughly 80 per cent of its pre-Iran war capacity, according to CEO Ali Al Baqali. Alba had a pre-war capacity of around 1.6 million tonnes per year, but production was disrupted after the outbreak of the war and restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz affected exports. The smelter was also hit by an Iranian attack in late March. The Bahrain-based producer is now operating Lines 4, 5 and 6, together representing annualised aluminium production of approximately 1.3 million tonnes, Al Baqali told Reuters on the sidelines of the Fastmarkets Aluminium Conference in Budapest on September 16. Al Baqali described the damage from the Iranian strike as minor...
For the past two decades, the US aluminium industry has been treading through a volatile path, with a domestic primary aluminium sector deteriorating at a rapid and alarming rate, and the number of operational smelters falling from around thirty to only four. Primary aluminum output was estimated at 680,000 metric tons with a domestic demand hovering around 5.8 million metric tons in 2025, leaving the country heavily reliant on imports. Although the annual capacity remained unchanged from that in 2024, at 1.31 million metric tons per year, some smelters were operating at reduced capacities, while some faced temporary shutdown. The situation was compounded by the Section 232 tariffs on aluminum products, further blocking the inbound trade. The rebuilding of domestic capacity, therefore, is...
Ducati has unveiled the Desmo450 SM, a new production supermoto developed from its Desmo450 MX platform, featuring an aluminium twin-spar frame. This is designed to combine low weight, rigidity and strength. The motorcycle made its debut during World Ducati Week and is aimed at competition use. The Desmo450 SM uses the same aluminium frame architecture as the motocross model. Ducati says the frame has also been designed to allow a straighter intake route while maintaining the strength and rigidity needed for high-performance riding. The bike has a fuel capacity of 7.2 litres. The company has also focused on reducing weight in other areas. Its Bartubeless wheel system, for example, removes inner tubes and cuts rotating and unsprung mass by 1.2kg. The motorcycle also features a cast...
China’s domestic aluminium inventories declined, giving some support to aluminium prices. However, China’s aluminium production remained high, while a new alumina project in Guangxi entered trial production and is expected to add to future supply. For aluminium, the fall in domestic inventories is a positive factor for prices. However, the supply picture remains mixed, as China’s aluminium production reached a record 4 million tonnes in August, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Output was 4.7 per cent higher year on year, while production during January-August reached around 31 million tonnes, up 3.9 per cent from the same period last year. At the current pace, annual production could reach around 47 million tonnes, above the country’s long-standing 45-million-tonne...
London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices edged lower on September 17, with cash and three-month contracts declining from the previous session. Dec-27 prices moved slightly higher, while the Asian reference price gained nearly 1 per cent. Opening stocks and live warrants remained unchanged, while cancelled warrants declined. The LME aluminium cash bid price fell 0.21 per cent to USD 3,302.50 per tonne on September 17 from USD 3,310 per tonne , while the cash offer price declined 0.20 per cent to USD 3,303.50 per tonne from USD 3,310 per tonne. The three-month aluminium bid and offer prices both fell 0.12 per cent. The bid price declined to USD 3,284 per tonne from USD 3,288 per tonne, while the offer price eased to USD 3,285 per tonne from USD 3,289 per tonne. Explore the production,...
Malaysia is emerging as a rare earth hub by developing a domestic “mine-to-magnet” ecosystem spanning exploration, mining, separation, metals, alloys and permanent magnets. But, how is the venture faring? A study by Hiu Dilangit Sasongkojati at the University at Albany, SUNY, puts Malaysia’s ambition under a microscope. Malaysia’s supply chain remains fragmented, with limited domestic upstream activity, heavy reliance on foreign technology and downstream manufacturers still dependent on imported processed metals. To learn about the market potential of aluminium dross, explore “ ALuminium Dross Processing: Generation, Recovery & Strategic Roadmap ” Malaysia has the resources, but not yet an integrated chain Malaysia estimates around 16.2 million tonnes of inferred total rare-earth elements...
Canadian aluminum fabricators are warning that their US sales could disappear after the latest US tariff measures pushed duties on some aluminum products to as high as 100 per cent, making Canadian-made goods less competitive in the US market. The new measures include a 50 per cent US tariff on aluminum products that previously benefited from exemptions. When combined with the existing 50 per cent tariff rate on foreign supplies, some products now face a total levy of 100 per cent. For Canadian manufacturers that rely heavily on US customers, the change is already affecting export plans. Apex Aluminum Extrusions Ltd., a British Columbia-based manufacturer of aluminum parts for the construction industry and data centers, generates about 40 per cent of its sales from the US. “Our US...
China’s aluminum door and window manufacturing sector includes a range of suppliers offering thermal-break systems, customized solutions, OEM/ODM production, and products for international building projects. A recent industry guide highlights Guangdong Dejiyoupin, Guangdong EEHE, Foshan CIVO, Sichuan Yazhixuan, and Sichuan Mingrenju, citing their production capabilities, product portfolios, project experience, customization services, and testing or certification coverage. The companies differ in their areas of focus. Dejiyoupin is highlighted for its production capacity and international certifications, while EEHE is noted for patents and a broad range of project solutions. CIVO focuses on factory-direct customization and climate-oriented systems, while Yazhixuan provides OEM/ODM...
Researchers at Leibniz University Hannover in Germany have developed a custom aluminium alloy and produced pre-alloyed powder using Electrode Induction Melting Inert Gas Atomisation (EIGA), with the material being developed for metallic foams and, ultimately, foamable wire for Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). The research, published in The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, focused on creating an aluminium alloy with a melting range suitable for producing metal foams while retaining enough workability for subsequent extrusion into thin wire. Metal foams offer a combination of low density, stiffness, energy absorption, and damping. One established powder metallurgy route involves combining metal powder with a blowing agent and compacting the mixture into a...
Novelis is extending its coated aluminium solutions to batteries and energy storage, transferring its automotive expertise to address the rising demand across electric mobility and stationary energy storage. Its portfolio combines high-performance aluminium sheet with surface technologies to improve manufacturing efficiency, component durability and application-specific material performance. The aluminium solutions are aimed at battery enclosures, casings, electrical connectors such as bus bars and other critical battery components. They bring together lightweight performance, formability and corrosion protection, alongside electrical insulation capabilities where required. To know the global production, demand and consumption forecasts of aluminium extrusions, explore our report “ The...
Saudi Arabia has identified approximately 114 million tonnes of ore containing high concentrations of rare earth elements and promising uranium concentrations in the Madinah Region, adding another significant resource to the Kingdom’s expanding minerals portfolio. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s minister of energy and minister of industry and mineral resources, announced the discovery during the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. The resources were identified through exploration and geological studies at the Jabal Sayid project, with particularly high concentrations of heavy rare earth elements reported. Prince Abdulaziz said the findings place the project among the significant rare earth resource sites currently...
Alcoa has approved USD 1.5 million in funding for Equus Energy’s gas project in Western Australia, allowing the company to move into the second phase of development and begin work to secure key project partners. The funding will support partnering activities as Equus seeks operating, LNG offtake, infrastructure and financing partners needed to advance the project toward front-end engineering design (FEED) and a final investment decision (FID). The Stage Two approval follows Alcoa’s acceptance of the project’s Stage One pre-FEED deliverables. It also comes after Equus signed a binding 10-year gas sales agreement with Alcoa in August. Equus said it has already started discussions with several strategic operating partners, which are reviewing the findings from the pre-FEED work. To learn...
French vehicle recycler Groupe GPA is broadening the scope of its automotive recycling strategy. Moving beyond parts reuse, it aims to recover aluminium, rare earth elements or critical minerals, copper, plastics, glass and batteries from end-of-life vehicles and return them to vehicle manufacturing supply chains. The company has created a dedicated five-person R&D team to formulate processes for turning materials recovered during vehicle dismantling into secondary raw materials for the automotive industry. Led by mechanical engineer Marc Jolivet, the team is working around three priorities: extracting greater value from materials amid rising pressure on raw material supplies; helping automakers establish closed-loop recycling systems; and developing safe treatment methods, particularly...
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has expressed concern over the European Union’s decision to drop a proposed 15 per cent export duty on aluminium scrap, saying the move could affect its plans to expand recycling capacity in Germany. The EU withdrew the proposed duty earlier this month. The measure was intended to keep more aluminium scrap within the bloc, but concerns over its possible impact on the final signing of a free trade agreement with India contributed to the decision. Pal Kildemo, EGA’s finance chief, said the company had already invested heavily in Europe to support higher aluminium recycling rates. He said "We put a lot of capital... on the ground to take part in the larger recycling rates in Europe. And when this becomes a part of bigger trade politics, it's unfortunate for...
The EU aluminium scrap export plan has emerged as a sensitive issue in EU-India trade negotiations. It highlights that Brussels has met with a challenge, attempting to secure recyclable raw materials for European aluminium producers while advancing a long-awaited free-trade agreement (FTA) with New Delhi. India was among 91 countries that would have been exempted from a proposed EU levy on aluminium scrap exports. European and industry sources said that the proposal faltered before the European Commission put the levy on hold as pressure from New Delhi appeared at a crucial juncture of the EU-India negotiations. The Commission has confirmed that the measure is no longer moving ahead in its original form. However, the decision has not been publicly linked to India or the ongoing trade...
Saudi Arabia’s domestic aluminium demand could rise to 1.8 million tonnes a year by 2030, up from around 1 million tonnes currently, according to Maaden’s executive vice president for aluminium, Ahmad al-Alshaikh. He expects that demand could potentially double over the next five to seven years. Speaking at the Fastmarkets International Aluminium Conference in Budapest on Wednesday, al-Alshaikh said demand could potentially reach between 1.6 million and 1.8 million tonnes by the end of the decade. Al-Alshaikh linked the expected growth to construction activity in Saudi Arabia, including projects connected with the country hosting major expositions and the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The tournament is expected to require 15 new stadiums, adding to demand for aluminium and other materials. Maaden...
London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices rebounded on September 16, with cash and forward contracts moving higher from the previous session. Warehouse stocks edged down, while the Asian reference price and alumina Platts price also increased. The LME aluminium cash bid and offer price rose 1.53 per cent. The cash bid rose to USD 3,309.50 per tonne from USD 3,260 per tonne , while the cash offer rose to USD 3,310 per tonne from USD 3,260 per tonne. The three-month aluminium bid price climbed 1.64 per cent to USD 3,288 per tonne from USD 3,235 per tonne. The offer price also rose 1.64 per cent to USD 3,289 per tonne from USD 3,236 per tonne. The Dec-27 bid and offer prices both rose 1.55 per cent from the previous session, with the bid increasing to USD 3,202 per tonne from USD 3,153...
China’s national carbon market is scaling up rapidly, with annual trading volume reaching a record 235 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025, up 24.36 per cent year-on-year, according to a report released at the China Carbon Market Conference 2026 in Wuhan. By the end of August 2026, cumulative trading volume since the market’s launch had reached 961 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, while total turnover stood at RMB 65.7 billion (about USD 9.71 billion). A key development for the aluminium industry is the expansion of China’s national carbon market to include aluminium smelting, alongside power generation, steel and cement. As of 2026, 3,680 key emitters across these four sectors had been included in the market, collectively covering around 8.3 billion tonnes of CO₂...
