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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Hertwich Engineering, a part of SMS group won a contract to supply compact remelt plant for aluminium billets to SuperAlloy Industrial CO. Ltd. (SAI), located in Dou-Liu City, Taiwan. The remelt plant is designed to remelt aluminium billets in sizes up to maximum 305mm diameter and 7,000mm length. The plant would have a capacity of 40,000tpy and shall be commissioned in September 2017. SuperAlloy Industrial Company Ltd is an internationally renowned supplier to the automobile and aviation industries operating since 1994. The company specializes in manufacturing forged aluminium wheels for premium and sports cars and aircraft seats and more recently they have added aluminium chassis components to their product portfolio. The company supplies to Europe, the U.S.A. and Japan. By investing in...
Building and construction company Danube recently introduced an all-new fire-resistant aluminium composite panel (ACP). The Dubai based firm is currently showcasing the product at the Big 5 event at the World Trade Centre in Dubai. The launch follows the UAE’s decision to stall 270 odd construction projects on the grounds that they do not comply with the Civil Defence safety standards. Danube’s Alcopanel is non-combustible, less smoke-emitting, and is available in either 4.4mm or 6mm thickness variety. It has a central fire resistant core and reduces the risk of droplets to a significant extent. The product will be used on the Riyadh Metro development project and the company is in talks with what it described as “seven or eight major projects.” According to Danube, they can produce around...
Rio Tinto outlines strategy to generate $5 billion of additional free cash flow over the next five years and the company has unveiled a productivity drive to achieve the same. Rio Tinto chief executive J-S Jacques underlined the strategy in a presentation at an investor seminar in Sydney with a strong focus on safety, cash generation, a world-class portfolio, commitment to capital discipline and the delivery of superior shareholder returns. The company said they plan to raise productivity across its $50 billion portfolio of assets by focusing on operational excellence and expect to generate a total $5 billion of further free cash flow by the end of 2021. Commenting on the new strategy, J-S Jacques said “Our strategy plays to our strengths: world-class assets, a strong balance sheet along...
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LME aluminium price continues to rise. On Wednesday, the contract closed at US$1,765/mt and Shanghai Metals Exchange says it will range between US$1,760-1,795/mt on Thursday, November 24. The current cash buyer price of LME aluminium is recorded at US$1765/mt and LME official opening stock of the metal stands at 2136300 tonnes. LME Asian Reference Price of aluminium (3-months ABR) as on November 24, is estimated at US$1754.08/mt. In China, aluminium on Shanghai Metal Exchange traded at US$2,174/mt on Wednesday. On Thursday it opened at US$2,154/mt down 0.91 per cent from the previous close. Aluminium traded on Shanghai Futures Exchange- SHFE 1712 aluminium will be refrained by soft spot aluminium. Suppliers rushed to sell goods in China’s domestic market hurting SHFE 1701 aluminium....
Christmas is approaching and the festive spirit is setting in all around the globe. Christmas shopping is incomplete without the Christmas tree. Keeping up with the Christmas spirit, the Wisconsin Historical Museum is organizing their new exhibition, “Ever Gleaming: The Enduring Love Affair with the Aluminum Christmas Tree” to be open for visitors from Friday, November 25. “Aluminum trees were very popular in the 1960s and we want to give guests a chance to experience the nostalgia of a bygone era,” said Mike Hollander, interim director of the Wisconsin Historical Museum. “Guests will be able to see over two dozen different aluminum trees in different colors, from the standard silver tree to a rare pink tree. Over the last 10 years, the popularity has grown incredibly, and a whole new...
As an encouraging step towards the building of a bauxite mining industry in Bua and the development of infrastructure around the project, villagers have agreed to invest in a proposed bauxite project. A large sum of $1.8 million is to be invested for the third bauxite mine in Bua. Members of the yavusa Maururu of Nadua Village and land owners that have rented their land for the new bauxite mine at Wainunu have agreed to invest most of the funds on the bauxite mine so that they can secure the betterment of the future generation. As Yavusa head Inosi Masivava said, they were working with the iTaukei Land Trust Board to come to a conclusion on the matter. "We will invest $1m and we have discussed options for investment, but it has to happen because our decisions today will have an impact on...
Rio Tinto has reached an agreement to sell its assets at Lochaber, Scotland to SIMEC for consideration totalling $410 million (£330 million). The sale purchase agreement comprises the sale of Rio Tinto’s 100 per cent shareholding in Alcan Aluminium UK Limited which includes the operating smelter, the hydroelectric facilities at Kinlochleven and Lochaber as well as all associated land. Rio Tinto Aluminium chief executive Alf Barrios said “This is a value-creating sale for Rio Tinto and represents another example of refining our portfolio to focus on our suite of tier one assets. “At the same time, our priority has been to ensure a long-term sustainable future for Lochaber and economic benefit for the wider Fort William community. There was significant interest in the assets, but SIMEC is...
In a recent submission to the government, the domestic aluminium industry body has sought supportive measures in the next Union budget, including increase in basic customs duty on aluminium products from 7.5 per cent to 15 per cent to check rising imports and reduction of clean energy cess on coal to INR50 per tonne. With a slowdown in the Chinese economy and devaluation of the Chinese Yuan, global metal prices have declined and threat of imports has increased. InfraCircle on 21 November reported domestic aluminium manufacturers have requested the government to exempt the domestic alumina manufacturers from anti-dumping duty on caustic soda. The key requests made by the industry includes increase in customs duty on aluminium products from 7.5 per cent to 15 per cent and reducing clean...
The world of gadgets is so full of futuristic designs, yet there are few brands which make it to the curator's den. Apple is one such name that tops the list of creative gadget brands. The consumer electronics and technology company has outdone its own creative self with its latest release- the Surface Studio. The desktop PC with an oversized 28-inch, 10-bit colour screen sports a one-off look and comes in an case crafted out of aluminium. Microsoft has planted the desktop PC on a solid base and housed the massive screen inside a suave aluminium case. The entire set though weighs 9.56 kilograms is quite easy to handle thanks to the effortless adjustments of the aluminium frame. There is this unique feature called zero Gravity hinge that helps move the display from its upright position to...
Dudley’s Aluminium, a Cardiff-based aluminium fabricator has been awarded with some premium housing projects in and around Cardiff. Recently, the company secured a major contract to do fabrication for the new One Canal Parade office in the heart of Cardiff. The company signed the contract with BECT Building Contractors to install the Kawneer curtain walling façade of the six storey office building. The company will also install state-of-the-art windows, smoke vents and revolving doors. The project is expected to complete by May 2016. The office space will house hundreds of jobs and the project is expected to underline the growth of the commercial property sector in the Welsh capital. Other than One Canal Parade, Dudley’s have secured other high profile contracts in Cardiff during the last...
As confirmed by the Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) on Tuesday Nov 22, the company is processing the loading its first sample shipment of bauxite from its Guinea mine to China. Guinea Alumina Corporation S.A. (“GAC”) is a mining development company owned by EGA, focused on bauxite mining and an alumina export project in the Boké region of north-western Guinea. EGA is constructing a $5 billion facility which will include a bauxite mine, alumina refinery and a port to ship the bauxite. The marine facility started operationg since October. The bauxite mine is expected to produce 12 million tonnes of bauxite annually after the commissioning of commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2018, Abdulla Kalban, the CEO of EGA, announced it during the ARABAL...
Primary aluminium producers in the Gulf region are looking at strategies to cut costs heavily as they find it difficult to cope with the rising global aluminium glut and protectionism under a new U.S. presidency, reported industry sources. All five Gulf aluminium producers namely, Emirates Global Aluminium, Aluminium Bahrain, Sohar Aluminium, Qatalum, Maaden- said they were planning cost cutting in order to deal with the oversupply of the metal exacerbated by the woes of low aluminium prices. "The most important factor in our business is to protect our margin," said Abdulla Al Kalban, the chief executive of EGA, at the International Aluminium Conference in Dubai today. "We keep hammering our costs every day." EGA is the Gulf’s largest aluminium producer and produces 2.4 million tonnes of...
According to the estimate of The Aluminum Association, shipments of aluminium products in U.S. and Canada drop slightly YOY in October 2016. During October 2016, shipments of can stock by domestic producers totalled 310.4 million pounds, a drop of 12% from the October 2015 total of 354.5 million pounds. Sequentially, shipments dropped 12.6% from the September 2016 total of 355.1million pounds. YTD shipments from January to October 2016 were 3,496.0 million pounds which recorded a slight drop over the same period of 2015. While producer shipments of can stock to U.S. markets dropped 10.4% to 271.5 million pounds in comparison to October 2015, exports recorded a drop of 25% to 38.8 million pounds. U.S. and Canadian producers shipped an estimated 78.3 million pounds of aluminium foil during...
Coca-Cola is planning to introduce aluminium bottles for their brands Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero and Sprite in India in the next three to four years, said a top executive from the beverage firm. The 200 ml aluminium bottle is already quite popular in countries like the UK, US, and China but costs about 40 per cent more for consumers than the now available PET bottles, said Dana Bolden, vice president at Bottling Investments Group at Coca-Cola. Aluminium bottles unlike aluminium cans debuted only a decade ago but thanks to their stylish design soon made their way on to marketplaces like eBay, upscale fashion magazines and shelves of luxury retailers. The packaging solution not only speaks of a revamped styling and new-age presentation but also makes transport easier while promising a...
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LME aluminium is on an upward trajectory. Marginal decline in China's aluminium exports this year coupled with steep rise in thermal coal and alumina prices have buoyed the prices up on the bourse, so much so that even the most pessimistic estimates put the annual demand growth rate of the metal at about 4 per cent. LME aluminium closed at US$1,739/mt after Tuesday's night trading. The current cash buyer price as on November 23 stands at US$1,738/mt. Three-Month LME aluminium prices are trending higher this year. The 3-months LME Buyer price is recorded at US$1,36.5/mt and 3-months LME Seller price is at US$1,737/mt. LME official opening stocks of aluminium as on November 23 stands at 2144100 tonnes. In China, aluminium on Shanghai Metal Exchange was traded at US$2,164/mt on Tuesday and...
Altech Chemicals provides an update on the outlook for global high purity alumina (HPA) demand from a report entitled “High Purity Alumina Market – Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016 – 2024” by Persistence Market Research. Persistence has reported that Global HPA demand is likely to Increase on backdrop of growing applications. The report also says that the global consumption of HPA in 2015 increased to 21,309 tons from 17,832 tons in 2014, up 19.5%. The demand growth is expected to remain strong and the global market for HPA is forecast to reach 86,831 tons by 2024 from the current estimate of 25,315 tons, registering a growth of 343%. Report Highlights: • Global HPA demand up 19.5% YOY in 2015 • Annual HPA demand forecast to be 86,831tpa by 2024 • Report endorses Altech’s...
Deliveries of aluminium foil from European rollers fell by 1.6% in Q3, putting year-on-year targets under pressure, according to figures released by EAFA, the European Aluminium Foil Association. Total deliveries for the first nine months of 2016 stand at 655,800 tonnes, down slightly, by 0.4%. Thinner gauges, used mainly for flexible packaging and household foils, have dropped by 1.1% year on year and by 2.0 % in the three months to the end of September. This continues a trend seen over the first two Quarters, reflecting flat demand. Unexpectedly, production of thicker gauges, used typically for semi-rigid containers and technical applications, dropped, by 1.0% in the same period, following strong growth in the last quarter. However, the first nine months still remain positive, 0.9%...
China diversified its bauxite imports sources in September this year in order to meet the rising demand from the domestic alumina industry, reported Shanghai Metals Market. In spite of shrinking imports of aluminium ore from Australia and Guinea, shipments from India, Fiji and Solomon Islands grew steadily. Annual shipments into China have accounts for an average 60 per cent of global bauxite imports since 2010, despite several major supply disruptions. In 2016, China's total bauxite import is estimated to reach 59.4 million metric tonnes, valued at US$ 1.9 billion. China General Customs data released recently showed the country imported 4.47 million metric tonnes of bauxite in September, down 2.87 per cent from the corresponding period previous year. The figure, however, inched higher by...
