
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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German luxury car maker Audi is going to use more light weight technologies than ever before in its new generation 2017 Audi A8. The model is due to be unveiled this year. The company would use more aluminium in the body while magnesium and carbon fibre would be utilized in other components part of the car. The new Audi A8 comes with a hybrid construction using four different materials for the first time including aluminium, steel, magnesium and carbon fibre that will be combined through 14 different processes. The model is likely to get more weight than the outgoing model due to addition of hybrid powertrains. Tim Hämmerle , body engineer said, “The increase is also due to the need to accommodate new alternative powertrains and because of the increased specification our customers want.”...

Aluminium foil characteristics are strength, formability and barrier properties which have made it an essential part of many flexible packaging and container applications along with its use in automotive and heat exchange components, insulation material and other industrial applications. UK as one of the leading economy consumes a large amount of aluminium foils. {newsStudioGallery} European flexible packaging market is expected to grow from $28.22 billion in 2016 to $ 41 billion by the end of 2021 at a CAGR of 7.76%. Germany is set to have the highest consumption, followed by the UK and Spain. As shown by our data, UK imported 1,11,313 tonnes of aluminium foils in 2015, which dropped down to total at 1,01,651 tonnes in 2016. The total value of import stood at USD 472 million and USD 263...

Aluminium started the year 2017 on a positive note. The light metal traded on the world's biggest commodity exchanges experienced a steady rise till it hit the two-year high of US$1,963 per tonne on March 30. Since then, the uptrend seems to have somewhat lost its steam. Rio Tinto Group chief executive Alfredo Barrios said in a recent interview that the lightweight metal is heading for an “extremely” volatile period. The market is eagerly looking at China as it endeavours to check pollution caused by its domestic aluminium industry players. The uncertainty over when the Asian giant will curb the production of the metal is actually helping to keep the investors on edge. Barrios said, "There’s no doubt that if you look at the supply side, if you look at the environmental issues, sooner or...

Vedanta-controlled Bharat Aluminium Company’s (Balco) proposal for the expansion of bauxite mine gets mixed reaction from the residents. The proceeding was held on Monday in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh in order to get approval from the local community. The proceedings were attended by more than 2,000 residents of which 800 locals expressed their views. The company had planned to raise its bauxite production from 750,000 tonnes per year to 2.25 million tonne per year. The bauxite mine’s workers, local residents and representatives supported the company’s proposal to increase production in Mainpat whereas the green activists opposed saying the company did not implement the environment clearance (EC) norms effectively. The company’s Korba facility is expected to get support from this...

According to the aluminium recycling statistics published by the U.S. Geological Survey and Department of Interior, the U.S. aluminium industry purchased an estimated 754 million pounds of aluminium scrap during January 2017, registering an increase of 2.2 % over the January 2016 total of 738 million. USGS estimates that recovery of aluminium and aluminium alloys totalled 649 million pounds in January, an increase of 2.2 % year-over-year. Preliminary data indicate that recovery of aluminium from scrap totalled an estimated 7,785 million pounds in 2016, up 4.6 % over the 2015 total of 7,441 million. U.S. exports of scrap, not included in the government’s consumption statistics, totalled 244 million pounds in January, up 13.5 % over January 2016.

Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill (Garmco), the Bahrain-based international aluminium rolling mill, has appointed Mohammed Essa, the current general manager of operations, as its interim chief executive officer. Essa has over 30 years of work experience in the company. He joined Garmco in 1985 as a material tester in laboratory and served in key departments such as sales and marketing, operations and quality control, said a statement from the company. Mahmood Al Soufi, chairman, Garmco, said: “We are confident that Essa’s experience with the company and his close working relationship with the executive team will ensure continuity and a smooth transition; and the company will stay the course with the existing strategic plan.” “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our departing...

The uptrend in LME aluminium price seems to have lost its momentum recently. The contract though inched higher at US$1,948.50 per tonne on Monday, April 3, from its previous day's close of US$1,946.50 per tonne, is likely to break a support at US$1,948 per tonne and fall to the next support at US$1,934 per tonne, analyses Reuters. Over the next few days, LME aluminium may retrace towards US$1,913. A more realistic target for the metal contract could be US$1,934, Reuters forecasts. As on April 3, LME official cash buyer price of aluminium stands at US$1,948 per tonne, cash seller & settlement price is US$1,948.50 per tonne, 3M buyer price is US$1,958 per tonne, 3M seller price is US$1,959 per tonne, Dec1 buyer price is US$1,992 per tonne, and Dec1 seller price is US$1,997 per tonne. The...

Bushwacker, which manufacturers and supplies body gear to automotive industry, especially jeep, SUVs and trucks has introduces reinforced aluminium fender flares for the ’07-current Jeep Wrangler JK. Bushwacker Fender Flares are made to be flexible enough to protect the wheel wall from any environmental pressures starting from the debris on the roads to the brush on the trails. The lightweight aluminium flares are designed to withstand off-roading and trail-crawling abuse. The fender flares sports a 1 1/2-inch diameter tubing frame and are available in a black lightly textured powder-coated finish. The flares are ready to use as they are or can be painted to match the colour of the Jeep. The complete set comprises four flares. All mounting hardware and heavy-duty back plates are included...

Jindal Aluminium Limited (JAL), the largest manufacturer and supplier of aluminium extrusions in India, recorded the highest ever production of aluminium extrusions during 2016-17. The company recorded 83,425 tonnes production during 2016-17 against 80,300 tonnes during 2015-16, as per company release. The company has 11 aluminium extrusion presses with an installed capacity of 1, 28,000 tonnes per year. Jindal’s extrusion products meet India’s 30 per cent of total demand. It exports extrusion products all over the world. Jindal Aluminium’s rolled products division achieved production of 35,670 tonnes during 2016-17 against 31,320 tonnes during the year 2015-16. The company’s rolled products facility has an installed capacity of 50000 TPA. The company produces aluminium flat rolled...

After China Hongqiao company was recently sold short by Emerson Analytics , China Hongqiao company bonds were sold off continuously, making the company apply for an emergency suspension, and because the company needs more time to deal with the 2016 annual audit work problems, and the 2016 annual report will be delayed released. In addition, China Hongqiao is applying for duty exemption to avoid $ 700 million offshore loans default clause. On Saturday, the letter on prevention and response to Western countries leading by US to contain China's aluminum industry which is issued by China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association was found on internet. It is heard the letter has been submitted to the Ministry of Industry on March 9th. In the letter Weiqiao Group said the recent short forces from...

Goldman Sachs has updated its commodities price forecasts and that’s led to higher price targets for South32 (S32.AU) and Alumina (AWC.AU). Unused aluminium spools for work in the oil industry pile-up in a shop yard in the Permian Basin oil field. Here’s Goldman’s take on what the changes mean for South32, which remains a conviction buy: Diversified (RIO, S32): Upgrades in aluminium and coal price forecasts has had an upward impact on earnings and cash flows for both companies. S32 is most impacted due to the larger exposure to the aluminium and coal price revisions with our EPS forecasts increasing +8.9%/+38.3%/+41.2% in FY17E/18E/19E. We raise our 12-month target price to A$3.00ps (from A$2.90ps) and maintain our positive view on the stock and retain it on CL-Buy. We raise our EPS...

Nigeria-based company First Aluminium, involved in manufacturing aluminium coils and sheets, collapsible aluminium tubes and other aluminium products, registered profit for the financial year 2016. First Aluminium’s turnover stands at NGN 9.1 billion in 2016 as compared to NGN10.4 billion in the last financial year. The cost of sales were NGN9.7 billion in the last year against NGN8.1 billion registered in 2016 In 2016, the company’s profit before taxation stands at NGN271.6 million and after taxation stands at NGN165.4 million compared to NGN43.1 million and NGN112.5 million respectively in 2015. First Aluminium’s gross profit registered NGN1.0 billion and operating profit registered NGN851.5 million vs NGN726.9 million and NGN450.3 million respectively in the year 2015. First Aluminium...

India is preparing to live its ‘100 Smart Cities’ dream. With a vision to build a better India through modernization and digitization, the government is marching ahead with great zeal to transform 100 shortlisted cities with high prospects into “smart” hubs in a phased manner. The project would see a complete overhaul of housing, energy, transport, technology and infrastructure of these chosen cities, which means a burgeoning of opportunities for companies operating in these sectors. Construction being a significant part of this entire process would be seen as consuming a lot of aluminium bar rods and profiles as the green metal fits perfectly into applications like fenestration, facades, curtain walling, structural glazing, roofing and cladding applications. {newsStudioGallery} While...

The British Drops Cycling Team will wave the flag of Every Can Counts at De Ronde Van Vlaanderen, the famous Belgian cycling race taking place on 1-2 April. They will encourage spectators to make their cans count and spread the news of the upcoming launch of Every Can Counts in Belgium during summer 2017. With the Every Can Counts logo printed on their cycling gear, the Drops Team underlines key awareness messages concerning the need to collect and recycle each beverage can. Hopefully thousands of enthusiastic spectators will pick up this message. The Drops Team is sponsored by Alupro UK, the British aluminium packaging recycling organisation running Every Can Counts in the UK. Alupro Executive Director, Rick Hindley says: “The partnership with Drops gives us a great opportunity to reach...

A century old Freeport Brick Co., which was bought by Fuzion Technologies in 2005, will shut down on April 30, according to the United Steelworkers union in Pittsburgh. The plant produces fire bricks that line industrial equipment such as kilns and furnaces and supplies to steel mills and aluminium producers. Though Fuzion Technologies declined to comment on the reason of the plant's closure, the steelworkers union attributed it to “financial reasons related to the downturn in the domestic aluminium industry, which results from unfairly traded goods caused by global overcapacity.” Refractory closures over the last two decades have caused tremendous amount of job losses around the U.S. “It's sort of unfair. You have no control over what a company decides to do,” a worker said. “But if they...

Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill (GARMCO), one of the largest downstream aluminium facilities in the Middle East for rolling, cutting and fabricating aluminium, plans to set up a new recycling and cast house facility worth $ 55 million. Mahmood Alkooheji, Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat) CEO, made the announcement recently when he visited the facility along with GARMCO’s Chairman, Acting CEO and board members. A re-melt operation would develop GARMCO’s metal recycling capability resulting in an increase in production by 150% to 200,000 tonnes of aluminium slabs per year. GARMCO’s Acting CEO Mohammed Essa said that the new facility is on track and hopes to receive the first cast in July so that the plant’s operational capacity would touch highest by November 2017. Mohammed Essa...

LME aluminium ended last week in a drop from its weekly high of US$1,981 per tonne on Thursday, March 30, to US$1,946 per tonne on Friday, March 31. The contract declined 0.46 per cent from Thursday's closing at US$1,955 per tonne. The price movement of the light metal on LME was in tandem with the US dollar index that slowed down towards the end of the week after a consecutive four-day bull run. This divergence is likely to continue in the short term. Reuters analysis suggests, LME aluminium may test a support at US$1,948 per tonne and retrace towards US$1,913 per tonne over the next few days. A break below US$1,948 could cause a further loss to US$1,934, while a break above US$1,970 could lead to a gain to US$1,984. The fall in LME aluminium prices can also be explained by the drop in...

Government of Odisha, the mineral-rich state on India's east coast, has collected INR6,693.62 crore royalty as on March 27, 2017, since the amended Mines and Minerals-Development & Regulation (MMDR) Act was promulgated on January 12, 2015. The revenue, as per state mining ministry data, has accrued from 96 mines engaged in bauxite mining and extraction of other mineral ores. The enactment of the amended MMDR Act has enabled Odisha to extend the mining lease validity of more than 60 mines. This has helped in boosting the production and despatch of minerals from the mining sites to a considerable extent during the period under consideration. The state government has executed mining lease (ML) deeds with 16 lessees before the January 11, 2017 deadline stipulated for these 60 plus mines. Some...