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...
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Tiwai Point smelter at Bluff, owned by Rio Tinto’s New Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS) has slashed its underlying profit by more than 50% to $25 million, partially due to higher transmission costs. This latest step by Rio Tinto has reopened the concerns about the smelter’s future as the decision will be facing tough negotiations ahead between Meridian Energy, the Electricity Authority, and even the Government. Chief executive of NZAS, Gretta Stephens said despite a record production in 2016, the smelter's underlying profit declined to $25million in 2016 from $54million in 2015. ''When it comes to transmission charges, we believe you should pay for what you use.” ''This isn't what is happening now, so we're committed to working with the Electricity Authority and Transpower to achieve a...
Nearly 105 tonnes of dismantled automotive shredded aluminum scrap from the US were recently rejected by Dalian Customs for containing higher levels of impurities and dust than national standard. This batch of aluminum scrap, declared for imports by one company in Liaoning Province, was intended to be processed into aluminum ingots after sorting for exports.
Ducab, a leading manufacturer of high-quality wire cables and cabling products from UAE, reported improved profit and exports in 2016 after moving into aluminium despite the tough market situation. The company reported strong financial performance in 2016 with 10% increase in sales volumes and 25 per cent growth in its export business. The company also reported an EBITDA growth of 15 per cent last year, with no comparative numbers. The company, which is jointly owned by Investment Corporation of Dubai and Abu Dhabi-owned industrial conglomerate Senaat, made these announcements in its annual report on Tuesday. Commenting on the results, Ducab’s outgoing chairman, Ahmad Al Shaikh said, "Despite another challenging year, the Ducab team delivered… [an] improved sales performance [last year]...
India’s leading aluminium producer Hindalco Industries Ltd is planning for setting up high-end alloy plate manufacturing plant for defence sector in India. The project will require an investment of INR 2,000 crore. The company is in discussions with the government whether they can start the project as a public-private partnership (PPP). Managing Director Satish Pai said, “We are talking to the Ministry of Defence for setting up more high-end alloy plate manufacturing in India... We are hoping for a pick-up in the defence sector.” “The end product is one thing, but it needs lots of very high-end aluminium to begin with. We really want support from the government to get that done. In defence sector, orders are never smooth; they come and go that’s why we need public private partnership for...
Beverage container recycling rates in California have fallen below 80 percent for the first time since 2008, according to new data released last week by CalRecycle, the state’s recycling agency. The reduced recycling rate means that two million additional containers are littered or landfilled every day, including more than one million plastic bottles. The agency’s annual report shows that 79.8 percent of empty beverage containers were recycled in 2016, down from 81 percent in 2015. Recycling rates have equaled or exceeded 80 percent since 2009. The drop in recycling rates comes in the wake of reduced program payments for recycling operations and the closing of more than 560 recycling centers in the state in the last 15 months. The loss of recycling centers has hit rural areas especially...
Spot alumina prices in China are on an upward track and now continuing to grow firm throughout all the major markets. As on May 31 2017, as reported by Shanghai Metals Market; the average spot alumina price in East China market increased from RMB 2,490 /t on May 26 to stand at RMB 2,510 /t. In the Central China Market, the average spot alumina price stands at RMB 2,500 /t, up from RMB 2,480 /t on May 26. The average spot alumina price in South China market increased from RMB 2,445/t on May 26 to stand at RMB 2,475/t today. In the North China Market, the average spot alumina price increased from RMB 2,475/t on May 26 to stand at RMB 2,495/t. Market price difference between north China and south China dropped to RMB 20/t. Alumina prices from large scale alumina enterprises remain unchanged...
Greece is the leading producer of bauxite in the European Union. The country is one of the key suppliers of bauxite in the global market. Aluminium of Greece is the foremost aluminium producing company in Greece which owns Delphi-Distomon mining company. The company operates two large bauxite deposits at Boeotia and Phocis on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth with total bauxite processing capacity of 200,000 tonnes in a year. {newsStudioGallery} On a quarterly basis, Greece exported an estimated 105484 tonnes of bauxite in the first quarter of 2016-2017 . In the second quarter, the country exported 97692 tonnes, a fall of 7792 tonnes of bauxite. The third quarter again witnessed a fall in the export of bauxite. In third quarter, the estimated bauxite export stood at 77434 tonnes and...
Hindalco reports record standalone/consolidated performance across all operation including aluminium segment for the fourth quarter and the year ended 31 March 2017. Hindalco reported 26% increase in March quarter net profit at INR 503 crore against INR 400 crore in Q4 2016, driven by better realisations. Revenue from operations was up 27% at INR 11,747 crore. Consolidated revenue for FY2017 was up 7 per cent at INR 39,383 crore while net profit increased more than 50% to INR 1,557 crore. EBITDA for FY2017 stood at a record ?13,558 crore, up 36% compared to FY2016, supported by stable overall operations. While the company's revenue from the aluminium business grew 9 per cent at ?5,548 crore for Q4 2017, the standalone revenue for aluminium division in FY2017 was also up 9% to stand at...
Aluflam, a manufacturer of aluminium fire-rated window and door systems in North America, inked an agreement with Soft Tech to automate its business. With this agreement, the company will streamline and automate their window and door business from design, quoting and manufacturing. Aluflam president Peter Lindgren said, “Soft Tech’s solution can be personalized to suit our needs, this was key to our decision, giving us freedom to grow our business.” Soft Tech vice president of sales Mitch Lewandowski commented: “Aluflam designs very complex and specialized window and door systems. They needed a customized solution to suit their needs.” Soft Tech offers software for the door and window industry. The company supports more than 10,000 door and window manufacturers, dealers and suppliers...
Hindalco reports record standalone/consolidated performance for the fourth quarter and the year ended 31 March 2017. For the FY2017, Hindalco achieved record production in alumina. The total alumina production (including Utkal Alumina) stood at 2,886 thousand tonne registering an increase of 8% YoY. The EBITDA for Utkal Alumina in the FY 2017 decreased by 6% to INR.672 crore impacted by lower realisation, which was partially offset by higher efficiency gain and increase in third party volumes. Notably, Utkal Alumina is one of the lowest cost alumina producers globally. During the financial year 2017, Utkal Alumina refinery achieved its nameplate capacity and produced 1.5 million tonne of alumina which is 7% more in comparison to FY2016.
Metals start-up Runaya signed two joint venture (JV) agreements worth $75 million with Russia’s UC Rusal and Bahrain’s Taha International Corporation (TIC) for the production of high technology aluminium paste and powder and sustainable solutions to the Indian aluminium industry. Runaya Metsource LLP (RML) said in a statement, “Runaya, one of the fastest growing manufacturing start- up in the metals space, has signed two joint venture agreements with leading global companies for providing sustainable and high-end solutions to the Indian aluminium industry.” “Aligned with the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ mission, both the JVs will be set up entailing investments worth $75 million.” RML inked a JV with Russia’s UC Rusal on equal terms to establish aluminium pastes and powders...
After touching US$1,954 per tonne on Thursday May 25 and followed by a drop, LME aluminium hit a new high of USD 1,968/mt during the Dragon Boat Festival in China, but then tumbled to the 40-day moving average. LME aluminium plunged 1.2% low to close at US$ 1943.50 per tonne on Tuesday, May 30. According to an SMM analysis, LME aluminium should fall further to USD 1,918-1,940/mt today. As on May 30, LME official cash buyer price of aluminium stands at US$1,943 per tonne, cash seller & settlement price is US$1,943.50 per tonne, 3M buyer price is US$1,943 per tonne, 3M seller price is US$1,943.50 per tonne, Dec1 buyer price is US$1,967 per tonne, and Dec1 seller price is US$1,972 per tonne. The current LME official Opening Stock of aluminium is estimated at 1487700 tonnes, total Live...
With Alpart refinery in Jamaica set to resume alumina refining operations from June 20, after an eight-year shutdown, the owners as well as local people are expecting the plant to gradually return to its annual production capacity of 1.65 million tonnes in early 2018 boosting job opportunities and economic growth. Its Chinese owners Jiquan Iron and Steel (JISCO) however, have bigger plans. JISCO is planning the construction of a second alumina refinery close to the 49-year-old Alpart plant subjected to the availability of bauxite. Sun Jing, assistant managing director of JISCO Alpart Jamaica explained to opposition leader Peter Phillips and a People's National Party (PNP) team on Friday that the new plant would have an annual alumina capacity of two million tonnes and would be...
Aluminium products manufacturer Alcomet from Bulgaria announced its consolidated results for the first quarter of 2017 on Monday May 29. Image: Alcomet Consolidated net profit for Q1 2017 dropped to 4.7 million levs ($2.7 million/2.4 million euro) in Q1 2017, from 7.5 million levs (3.8 million euro) during the same period of 2016. However, the company’s sales revenue increased to 88.8 million levs (45.3 million euro) in Q1 2017, from 79.9 million levs (40.7 euro) for Q1 2016. The value of total products sales volume, however, rose to 79.1 million levs in the first quarter of 2017, from 67.2 million levs in the same period of 2016. Alcomet shares closed 2.22% higher at 18.4 levs on Monday, in a trading volume of 25 units on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange.
A global aluminium producer has offered Japanese buyers a premium of $123 per tonne for July-September primary metal shipments, down 4 percent from the current quarter, four sources directly involved in pricing talks said on Monday. Another seller has sought premiums of $128 a tonne, flat to the price for shipments over April-June, the sources said. Japan is Asia's biggest aluminium importer and the premiums for primary metal shipments it agrees to pay each quarter over the London Metal Exchange (LME) cash price set the benchmark for the region. Spot premiums have softened in Japan and the United States, although some Japanese buyers face lower inventories due to solid local demand for automobiles and cans. For the April-June quarter, Japanese buyers agreed to pay a premium of $128 per...
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Constellium N.V. (NYSE and Euronext Paris: CSTM) will exhibit its latest portfolio of innovative aluminium solutions for the automotive industry at the Automotive Engineering Expo 2017 in Nuremberg on May 30-31, 2017. The latest innovations to be showcased include Constellium HSA6™, a new high-strength alloy for extruded parts, and Securalex® HS selected by the International OEM Exhibition Advisory Board as “Innovation Star 2017” for its unique properties of combining increased strength and crash resistance to improve passenger safety. Constellium will also offer visitors the possibility to enter an interactive Virtual Reality experience, allowing them to explore its broad range of products for the automotive industry. Constellium has been expanding its automotive offer of both extruded...
Gulf region is the fasted growing aluminium producer and exporter in Asia after China. The volume of aluminium production in the GCC countries stood at 5.2 million tonnes in 2015, accounting for around 10 per cent of total global output of 58 million tonnes. After oil and natural gas, now aluminium is one of the key economic drivers for the Gulf region. United Arab Emirates is the top aluminium producer in GCC also the global leader in export of aluminium alloys. The country has doubled its export capabilities in the last 5 years. The country has also been focusing on value added products and is a major producer of bar rod and profile. {newsStudioGallery} Aluminium rod and bar is produced by several different processes namely extrusion, rolling and coiling, or drawn directly from molten...
Nonferrous scrap traders in China could be facing a major disruption in business if the proposed Chinese trade regulations come into practice, said Ma Hongchang, a consultant in Chinese affairs for the Brussels-based Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) at the Non-Ferrous Metals Division meeting held during BIR 2017 World Recycling Convention in Hong Kong on 22-24 May. On 18 April, 2017, China’s Central Committee expressed its intention to introduce a policy to create “a drastic reduction in both the quantities and items [of scrap] imported [into China].” Recently, there was a raid on plastic and metals recycling firms in provinces and cities of China through the multi-agency National Sword campaign to investigate smuggling activities. “As far as I know, regarding nonferrous metal...
