Aluminium alloy powder production for additive manufacturing is set to expand through a new technical cooperation agreement between CNPC Powder China Ltd and Xi’an Bright Laser Technologies Co Ltd (BLT). The agreement covers the production and international distribution of BLT-AlAM400, an aluminium alloy powder developed for applications in humanoid robotics, new energy vehicles (NEVs), aerospace and other industrial sectors. Under the agreement, BLT has authorised Shanghai-based CNPC Powder to manufacture BLT-AlAM400 on a contract basis in China and sell the powder internationally. CNPC Powder has also secured exclusive overseas agency rights, excluding BLT’s direct sales network and existing regional agents. With an annual powder production capacity of almost 10,000 tonnes, CNPC Powder...
BorgWarner has won its first commercial order for an electric motor developed with aluminium-wire hairpin winding technology. The US automotive supplier will provide the new eMotor to a major Chinese automaker for use in hybrid vehicles, bringing the technology into its first production application. The motor uses aluminium-wire hairpin winding technology and is designed for hybrid vehicles. Its applications include generator motors and traction motors for auxiliary drive systems, with production scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. Explore AL Circle’s report ALuminium Wires & Cables - Insights & Forecast to 2030 for insights into aluminium applications, industry developments and opportunities across the electrical sector . Compared with conventional copper-wire motors with...
Grow with
AL Circle
Leading aluminium producer Alcoa sees in alumina prices a brewing concern for its alumina and aluminium business divisions. The alumina price index (API), which helps in alumina’s price discovery, has fallen significantly and this is likely to hit the company’s profitability in alumina operations. Price of alumina, a key raw material for aluminium smelting, is factored in aluminium prices just like the power cost which is a major cost component of the metal. When alumina becomes cheap, it drags down the price of aluminium. Till now, falling alumina prices have not had any major impact on aluminium prices but if alumina prices continue to drop further, it could impact aluminium prices. For integrated aluminium producers like Alcoa, those who have alumina upstream operations, downhill price...
Major aluminium scrap commodities prices in India stayed flat on the Scrap Register Price Index as on Friday, while aluminium futures prices at Multi Commodity Exchange gained mainly due to the better Chinese trade data that showed imports and exports picked up in May. India's major aluminium scrap commodities like aluminium accessories scrap, aluminium accessories scrap, aluminium ingots, aluminium rod company, aluminium rod local, aluminium scrap 6063, aluminium scrap taint/tabor, aluminium sheet cutting, aluminium utensil scrap and aluminium wire scrap showed a steady trend as on Scrap Register Prices Index as on Friday. The most active June aluminium contract on Multi Commodity Exchange settled higher by 0.41% to INR 122.60 per kilogram on Friday from previous close of INR 122.10 per...
According to the recently published “Index of Net New Orders of Aluminum Mill Products” by the Aluminum Association for May, the order increased 6.3% from April 2017. Orders for flat roll products (sheet, plate, can stock and foil) were up 4.1%, while orders for extruded products increased 14.7% and orders for redraw rod were up 9.5%. Orders were up 7.6% YoY. On average, orders recorded by domestic producers through the first five months of 2017 were up 3.0 % from the same period of 2016. The domestic aluminium industry is growing creating American jobs and r investing more than $2 billion since 2013 to expand U.S. manufacturing. Subsidized production in China is threatening the industry’s continued health, but a healthy demand from automotive and aerospace is supporting the industry....
The prices of A00 aluminium ingots in China major consumer markets are trending low today on June 13. A00 Aluminium Ingot (North China) price ranges at RMB 13,590-13,610 per tonne with the average price standing at RMB 13,600 per tonne, down 0.22 per cent from its previous price. The price of A00 Aluminium Ingot (Northeast China) has dropped in the range of RMB 13,580-13,600 per tonne. The average price currently stands at RMB 13,590 per tonne, down 0.22 per cent from its earlier price. The price of A00 Aluminium Ingot (East China)-Zhejiang is ranging at RMB 13,550 per tonne, down 0.37 per cent from its previous price. A00 Aluminium Ingot (East China) - Jiangsu price ranges at RMB 13,540-13,550 per tonne. The average price is registered at RMB 13,545 per cent, down 0.29 per cent from its...
The Aluminum Association, in cooperation with the Aluminium Association of Canada, reported that primary aluminium production in North America (U.S. and Canada) was at an annual rate of 3,950,536 tonnes during May 2017, down 0.4% from 3,965,567 tonnes in April 2017. The production rate in the U.S. was up 2.9 % MoM, while the Canadian rate was off 1.1 %. On a year on year comparison, the North American annual rate was slightly down from May 2016. Actual production through the first five months of 2017 totalled 1,640,433 tonnes, down 3.8 % YoY. Despite the drop in primary production, secondary recovery and downstream shipments are increasing in both the U.S. and Canada. Demand situation is strong and the protective policies of the present government is creating a positive vibe among the...
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) yesterday announced that they have asked for a judicial inquiry into Nalco’s all overseas investment. INTUC’s State president Ramachandra Khuntia said that they have demanded for investigation as Nalco’s profit is reducing due to wrong investment decision. Ramachandra Khuntia said the company which had made a profit of INR 2300 crore at one time, netted a profit of INR 669 crore in 2016-17 because of the wrong policy of the Central Government. In 2015-2016, the company’s profit stood at INR 787 crore. He further mentioned the reasons that affected the company’s financial health. The reasons include: central government’s decision to invest crores of rupees in coal mine lease project in Indonesia and to stop it later, investment of INR 2,052...
As anticipated by market watchers, LME aluminium fell below US$1,900 per tonne level unable to draw support from a weak US dollar index and strengthening crude oil prices. The light metal traded globally closed at US$1,888 per tonne on Monday, June 12, down 0.7 per cent from its previous close of US$1,901.50 per tonne on June 9. Reuters in its latest aluminium price analysis observed that the metal is still "the star of the London Metal Exchange (LME) base metals complex, up by over 12 percent on the start of the year." It has been taking a different set of cues from China, pinning its hopes on Beijing’s supply-side reforms; but the recent price trend suggests that LME aluminium will continue to struggle around US$1,900 per tonne, at least, in the short term. As on June 12, LME official...
Donald Trump’s administration is making an effort to save the US aluminium industry and its jobs by imposing tax on cheap aluminium imports. However, on the flip side, this extra tax on aluminium will be passed on to the end users and may raise the beer prices. Tim Weiner, the senior commodity risk manager at Molson Coors Brewing Co. and its MillerCoors LLC unit has expressed this observation during Harbor Aluminium Outlook Summit in Chicago last week. “If there are duties on aluminum coming to this country, it will obviously get passed on to us and the customer,” he said, “Our prices will go up.” The brewer’s view comes in contrast to primary producers like Century Aluminum Co who have been very enthusiastic at the prospect U.S. authorities undertaking action against unfairly priced...
Anrak Aluminium, a joint venture between Penna Group and Ras-Al-Khaimah Investment Authority (UAE), has requested Government of Odisha to find out a possible solution to its bauxite supply uncertainty issue that is making its alumina refinery unit at Makavarapalem, Andhra Pradesh starve since inception. The company clearly does not want the refinery built at a total cost of INR 5600 crore to suffer the same fate as Vedanta’s Lanjigarh refinery. Anrak had initially set up the 1.5 million tonne-alumina refinery on promise from the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) that it will supply bauxite for the unit. The deal mandating 224 million tonnes of bauxite supply was signed during the regime of former chief minister Y Rajashekhar Reddy. However, the deal was scrapped in...
Bosnian aluminium smelter Aluminij today announced that its unit AL Trade has secured two years license from FERK, the energy regulator of Bosnia’s Federation. FERK has granted a license to AL Trade to supply electricity. "Electricity is a key element and the most expensive item in the production of aluminium; thus by establishing AL Trade Aluminij moves towards achieving energy independence", according to the company. AL Trade will supply electricity to buyers and trade on the domestic market of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2016, Aluminij announced that its shareholders approved the founding of AL Trade to trade in electricity. Aluminij is based in Mostar, in the Federation, one of the two autonomous entities that form Bosnia and Herzegovina. The government of Bosnia's Federation owns 44%...
The global metal automotive sheet market is expected to grow at a moderate 3.7 per cent CAGR from 2017 to 2025, shows data in a recent market research report by Transparency Market Research. According to the report, the growth that is to be mainly driven by lightweight automotive market will result in the opening up of a whole new and solid end-use domain for aluminium. Steel, which has been dominating the segment so far, will soon witness a rising competition from the light metal, thanks to the changing preferences of the global automotive manufacturers. South Korea, along with United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, and China will dominate the market as a major consumer of automotive aluminium sheets and other rolled products. {newsStudioGallery} International trade data reveals...
The sale agreement of Aleris Corp to China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd has been one of the most critical as well as controversial announcements made during 2016. The announcement has created major concern among US lawmakers and aluminium players because of its critical after effects. About 27 US lawmakers have urged US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to reject the proposed sale agreement of American aluminium products manufacturer Aleris Corp to China Zhongwang as it may impact US security interests. In an update to Reuters, shared by Mnuchin, the lawmakers alleged that it would be a “strategic misstep” if the US$2.33 billion sale takes place. “It is critical that CFIUS [Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States] exercise extreme caution when a foreign investment transaction...
Kawneer has appointed a facade designer and engineer as a new technical specialist. The company appointed Danny Birrell for the role of Technical Director. He has 18 years of experience in the construction and architectural aluminium industry. The company offers a wide range of architectural aluminium building products and systems which include curtain wall, windows, and commercial entrance doors and framing systems made from materials of the highest quality. Kawneer has a UK manufacturing base in Runcorn. Danny Birrell said, “I hope my track record on delivering high profile and challenging projects will help Kawneer to an even greater level of technical expertise and give customers additional reassurance that the company’s reputation in this area is well-founded.” Managing Director Phil...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the Bahrain-based international aluminium smelter, announced the promotion of Abdul Rasool Ahmed Abdul Rasool as the Director of Casthouse. A. Rasool joined Alba in 1985 as an Operator and was promoted to Supervisor Casthouse in 1997. He was appointed as the Casthouse Manager in 2006 thereafter Senior Casthouse Manager in 2013. Speaking on this occasion, Alba’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Murray said: “Casthouse is the operational area that interfaces directly with our customers and A. Rasool has played a critical role in maximizing Alba's Value-Added Production (VAP). Alba will continue down the path of growing our VAP portfolio with the commissioning of a new state-of-the-art Casthouse as part of the Line 6 Expansion Project. A. Rasool is another great...
Spot alumina prices in China are on an upward track in the major domestic market with a few exceptions like South China where they remain unchanged. As on June 12 2017, as reported by Shanghai Metals Market; the average spot alumina price in East China market increased from RMB 2,660/t on June 9 to stand at RMB 2,670/t. In the Central China Market, the average spot alumina price stands at RMB 2,670 /t, up from RMB 2,650 /t on June 9. The average spot alumina price in South China market remains unchanged from June 9 at RMB 2,610/t. In the North China Market, the average spot alumina price increased from RMB 2,650/t on June 9 to stand at RMB 2,670/t. Market price difference between North China and South China has increased to RMB 60/t today as average spot alumina price in South China...
Major aluminium scrap commodity prices in North America remained fairly unchanged on ScrapMonster Price Index on June 9, Friday. The prices of 365 aluminium wheels, 6063 extrusions/Fe, and 1100 scrap showed a flat trend. 3003 aluminium scrap too remained unchanged at US$0.64 per Lb. The prices of 5052 aluminium scrap and 6061 extrusions remained unchanged at US$0.61 per Lb and US$0.59 per Lb respectively. Aluminium 6063 extrusions, Aluminium Radiators and Aluminium Radiators/Fe prices also held steady throughout the trading hours of the day. Prices of other aluminium scrap commodities which remained steady on the Index as on June 9 were Aluminium Radiators, Aluminium Radiators/Fe, E.C Aluminium Wire, Aluminium Transformers and Breakage 50% Recovery, and Mixed Aluminium Turnings. Old cast...
United Romanian Breweries Bereprod (URBB) will be selling its cans covered in an aluminium foil. The URBB invested EUR 2 million for the implementation of the new technology. The company decided to wrap the top of its can with an aluminium foil in order to protect against external factors. The technology was developed by Italian company EcoCap’s. The technology will allow application of protective aluminium foil using heat as part of a fully automated process which will protect it from bacteria, dirt and dust as well as make the can sheet environmentally friendly. In 2016, the URBB conducted a study that revealed that 11 percent of the cans tested had not been kept in hygienic conditions. Shachar Shaine, URBB president said, “All Tuborg Romania initiatives start from our concern for total...
LME aluminium just managed to stay on the higher side of US$1,900 per tonne last week. The light metal traded globally closed at US$1,901.50 per tonne on Friday, June 9, marginally down from US$1,902.50 per tonne on June 8. Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) analysis suggests that aluminium prices on LME will decline further this week dropping to US$1,870-1,920 per tonne. Aluminium demand in the overseas market is softening due to cyclical dynamics. This is likely to put a downward pressure on the LME aluminium prices. As on June 9, LME official cash buyer aluminium price stands at US$1,901.50 per tonne, cash seller & settlement aluminium price is US$1,901 per tonne, 3M buyer price is US$1,902 per tonne, 3M seller price is US$1,902.50 per tonne, Dec1 buyer price is US$1,933 per tonne, and Dec1...
