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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Bosnian oil and oil derivatives trader Hifa Oil has acquired a German manufacturer of aluminium door and window profiles, LB.Profile GmbH, local media reported. Last year, Hifa's unit Euro Roal concluded a strategic partnership with LB.Profile paving the way for the acquisition. This is Hifa Oil's seventh subsidiary, but its first in Germany. Following the acquisition, Euro Roal - local leader in the distribution of aluminum and inox steel profiles - will strengthen its position on foreign markets, the source reported. LB.Profile employs 45 workers and is based in Hesse, in Germany. Its dominant markets are Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Russia. Hifa Oil is a leader in the transport of oil and oil derivatives in Bosnia. Its subsidiaries include EURO ROAL, EURO METALI,...
As per data released by the Indian Bureau of Mines in the latest edition of India Minerals Yearbook 2015 (published in January 2017), the total value of exports (including re-exports) of ores and minerals at INR1,78,077 crore accounted for 9.4 per cent of the total value of all merchandises exported from India. The value was down by 8.58 per cent from the corresponding period previous year. The value of total bauxite exports from the country, estimated at INR 14.05 billion, more than doubled in the period under review. In 2015 alone, India exported 8.11 million tonnes of bauxite worth US$488.4 million. In 2016, the export volume almost halved to stand at 4.12 million tonnes and was valued at US$149.8 million. The bauxite export industry in India experienced the setback due to the high...
Swedish architecture firm Snohetta has built a treetop cabin named The 7TH room for the Treehotel in Northern Sweden. The entire bottom of the treetop cabin is covered with a huge aluminium sheet. The aluminium sheet is printed with black and white image of pine tree, which is used as camouflage. The 7th room is located ten metres up on the pine tree. The firm said, “The boundaries between indoors and outdoors are blurred, making the cabin part of the forest. The 7th Room experience begins when approaching the cabin from the forest. Nearing the base of the tree, the view of the complete cabin gradually recedes as a sixth facade appears." The treetop cabin sits 12 stilts and it has two bedrooms with large windows and a skylight which gives views out over Swedish Lapland, the Lule River by...
A number of analysts downgraded shares of Century Aluminum Company in 2016 after its negative performance in Third Quarter results. However, after the U.S. election results were out, the shares of the company, traded on the Nasdaq under ticker CENX, had been on a steady rise. During the current week, the shares of Century appreciated over 24%. Century Aluminum Company operates three U.S. aluminium smelters, in Hawesville, Kentucky, Robards, Kentucky, and Mt. Holly, South Carolina, and one smelter in Grundartangi, Iceland. The company announced partial curtailment of production at the Hawesville facility in 2016. Century’s primary aluminium facilities produce standard grade and value-added primary aluminium products. The company blamed overcapacity in China as one of the factors for their...
The city of Detroit has always been known for its tradition in industrial development as much as it has been known for its musical legacy. Now, the city's socially responsible start-up Shinola has come up with an offering that marries both- engineering and music. The company has launched its first audio-gear- a turntable made from precision-machined aluminium. Named as the Shinola Runwell Turntable, the gadget celebrates both the ethos and audio and flaunts a chassis made from high-end aluminium machined parts. It is 19 inches wide, 14 inches deep and weighs 40 pound, and comes with a built-in phono preamplifier that facilitates convenient speaker or amplifier connectivity. There is a belt-driven pulley for operating the turntable; it offers speeds to the gadget at 33 1/3 or 45 rpm....
Lester ‘Mike’ Henry, Transport and Mining Minister of Jamaica said on Sunday at Lydford in St Ann, that he expects a jump in the country’s bauxite and minerals sector. The growth, according to him, was due to the policy shift towards profit sharing in downstream operations and maximizing the use of the “world’s finest quality limestone”. Henry was speaking at a weekend retreat with the technocrats in his ministry. Henry stated that if production of the resources could rise to over 340,000 tonnes annually then Jamaica could expect a higher inflow of foreign exchange. The minister said that he would set guidelines for the development of measures that will allow the domestic bauxite and minerals sectors to grow. This will also help in creating employment opportunity in the bauxite and...
The latest edition of Non-Ferrous Metals World Mirror published by the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) is out now and available for industry reference, reported Scrap Monster. The highlight of the report remains an almost silent secondary non-ferrous metal market after the Indian government, in order to curb the flow of 'black money' in the economy, decided to demonetize currency of INR500 and INR1000 denominations. The sudden withdrawal of high-value currencies created an acute liquidity crunch which went on to impact heavily on the metal scrap trade where a huge proportion of business dealings are usually made in cash. Aluminium scrap trade, as a result, hit an all-time low in the months of November and December. However, recent reports suggest, market is now returning to...
2016 has turned out to be a buoyant year for primary aluminium after a long period of volatility. LME aluminium prices recovered 13.4% in 2016 ending the year with a rate of USD 1714 per ton. The market sentiment on aluminium has improved considerably since the beginning of 2016, when prices hovered at a range of USD 1466 to USD 1500 per ton. Falling supply in China with the closure of capacity and demand growth as the result of China’s infrastructure initiatives supported the price throughout the year. The production base for primary aluminium has visibly shifted to Asia while the market primarily remains in the east. {newsStudioGallery} Here we are trying to analyse the trading pattern for primary aluminium covering the major primary aluminium suppliers in Asia. We are considering four...
Alcoa Corporation, a global leader in bauxite, alumina, and aluminium production reported fourth quarter 2016 results on Tuesday, January 24, registering profit growth at the combined segment level and an improved cash position. Highlights: • Net loss of $125 million as a result of costs to streamline portfolio • Excluding special items, adjusted net income of $26 million, or $0.14 per share • EBITDA excluding special items of $335 million, up 18 per cent sequentially on rising alumina pricing • Revenue of $2.5 billion, up 9 per cent sequentially, reflecting higher volume in the Company’s rolled products business, and higher alumina pricing • $853 million cash balance and $1.4 billion of debt as of December 31, 2016 “Alcoa’s first reporting period as a new, standalone, publicly-traded...
LME aluminium price remained unchanged yet firm at US$1,870 per tonne on Tuesday on speculations that aluminium producers in major China markets would cut output to cope with increasing air pollution. Shanghai Metals Market went on to explain that rising production cost, tax burden, entry of low-cost capacities and exit of domestic high-cost producers, and supply surplus of aluminium along with proliferating aplications were the factors responsible for the rumoured production cut. However, according to today's SMM morning forecast, LME aluminium will stay firm at US$1,850-1,890 per tonne on Wednesday. As on January 24, LME official cash buyer price of aluminium stands at US$1,869 per tonne, cash seller & settlement price is US$1,870 per tonne, 3M buyer price is US$1,867 per tonne, 3M...
European Parliament’s ENVI Committee has voted on the amendments to the Circular Economy Package on Tuesday January 24. Gerd Götz, Director General of European Aluminium, has expressed the association’s stand on the outcome of the vote. • Calculation method Today the European Parliament’s ENVI Committee voted in favour of a single point of measurement for recycling targets at input to the final recycling process. European Aluminium strongly supports this new rule. A real comparison of national recycling results will accelerate the transition to a more efficient circular economy. In addition, the new rule will trigger investments to improve the whole recycling value chain, closing the loopholes present in the current methods. This is a strong negotiating position that will push Member...
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Emirates Global Aluminium (“EGA”), has filed four new patents that increase productivity and operating efficiencies. The patent applications result from EGA’s technology development programme, which has focused on continual improvement for the past 25 years. EGA’s latest reduction technology, DX+ Ultra, has more than double the pot productivity of the company’s original D18 technology. Last year EGA licensed DX+ Ultra to Aluminium Bahrain for Alba’s potline 6 expansion, making EGA the first UAE industrial company to license its own large scale industrial technology internationally. The four recent patent applications target improvements in the electrolytic Hall-Héroult process, used to produce metallic aluminium from aluminium oxide, and are detailed below. Bi-metallic insert in the...
Vertu, British manufacturer of luxury, handmade mobile phones, has launched its latest handmade smartphone - the Constellation. The handset comes with anodized aluminium frame and leather finish. The Constellation is designed for global travellers. It is the first dual-SIM phone manufactured by Vertu that can support 34 international bands and protocols. The Constellation features a 5.5-inches display with sapphire crystal, 12 megapixel rear camera and 4GB of RAM. It offers concierge service that operates 24 hours a day. Vertu offers enhanced performance technology and high-quality material, and the fact that it is handcrafted makes it stand apart from other phones available in the market. Vertu’s Constellation made from anodized aluminium is priced at £6,500 approximately and will be...
Hulamin, the aluminium product manufacturer and supplier from South Africa is expected a surge in earnings at a rate of 127 per cent and 141 per cent for FY2016. The company has attributed the expected surge in earnings to a strong manufacturing performance last year. This target will lift the earnings per share to a range of 116 cents to 123cents in comparison to 51c a share reported at the end of the previous financial year. Hulamin’s share price improved on the good news. “This positive momentum, achieved with an excellent safety record, provides a solid base for further focus and improvements going into 2017,” the company said. Hulamin’s rolled products division had benefited from consistent investment in operational excellence and risk management and achieved a record total sales...
Palatine, Illinois based Arlington Plating Company has recently installed and started up an aluminium anodizing line at its facility in Cook County headquarters, reported company sources. The US$2 million plus capital investment has been made by Arlington in order to meet the increasing demand of aluminium anodizing in the surface finishing industry that prioritizes superior precision as per design specifications and stringent OEM performance. The 5,000 sq ft fully automated aluminium anodizing line is comprised of 44 process tanks and can produce MIL-A-8625 Type II (sulfuric) anodizing characterized by die colouring, electro colour capabilities and high pH sealants. Various finishing applications such as bright dip, satin finish, and lacquer/post-dip are offered by the line. The...
Accuride Corporation, a leading supplier of components to the North American and European commercial vehicle industries, has launched on Monday at Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week 2017 in Las Vegas its new Quantum 99 aluminium alloy and 40 lb. aluminium wheel. Accuride President and CEO Rick Dauch said, “As the latest step in our efforts, we’re excited to introduce our next-generation Quantum 99 alloy and 40 lb. aluminium wheel. These demonstrate our commitment to offering the industry’s strongest, lightest and most durable aluminium wheels.” Dauch added that Quantum 99 is 20 per cent stronger than company’s previous aluminium alloy and lessens the weight of company’s standard lightweight aluminium wheel by 11 per cent. Accuride’s 22.5 x 8.25 aluminium wheel will be available in the third...
Gunsynd PLC on Monday has recently announced its agreement on investing GBP40,000 to acquire 10% stake in Sunshine Minerals Ltd. The invested company is planning to acquire nickel and bauxite deposits in the Solomon Islands. "Whilst this investment is not in line with our recent onshore oil and gas focus it does provide the potential for a very large reward at a small cost. We will be working closely with Sunshine in order to help them to both obtain the Jejevo licence and then if successful to obtain a maiden JORC resource and bring the company to market," said Executive Chairman Hamish Harris. Gunsynd PLC, an investment house on natural resources, said Sunshine has applied for prospecting mining licences for the Jejevo nickel deposit and Tausere bauxite deposit. And the investment...
Rio Tinto has reached a binding agreement for the sale of its wholly-owned Australian subsidiary Coal & Allied Industries Limited to Yancoal Australia Limited for up to $2.45 billion comprising: • An initial $1.95 billion cash payment, payable at completion; and • $500 million in aggregate deferred cash payments, payable as annual instalments of $100 million over five years following completion. Prior to 24 February 2017, Yancoal Australia is entitled to elect an alternative purchase price structure of a single cash payment at completion of $2.35 billion. After the sale is completed, Rio Tinto will also be entitled to potential royalties. Rio Tinto chief executive J-S Jacques said “This sale delivers outstanding value for our shareholders and is consistent with our strategy of reshaping...
