PV aluminium extrusion: This week, operating rates among sampled PV frame enterprises showed divergence. Some top-tier PV frame enterprises in Anhui and Hebei continued to run at relatively full operating rates; some other small and medium-sized integrated industrial extrusion enterprises reported that, for profitability considerations, they have proactively controlled production and reduced PV frame orders after the holiday, but their PV frame orders are limited, having little impact on the overall PV aluminium extrusion operating rate. From the downstream module side, October module scheduled production is expected to edge up from September, but the growth falls short of expectations, with China's scheduled production increasing by only 1-2 GW, providing limited support for PV-related...
This week, the overseas aluminium market overall remained in the doldrums. Weak demand continued to be the core issue across major markets, with offer prices in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the US, and China generally under pressure. Trading activity was sluggish, and the tug-of-war between sellers and buyers persisted, with the market lacking clear directional guidance overall. Japan: MJP negotiations continue, market sentiment remains subdued The Japanese market remained relatively quiet this week, with focus still on the progress of Q4 MJP negotiations. Some sellers are still negotiating premiums with buyers, but the two sides have significant differences in price expectations, and negotiations are progressing slowly. As a result, the MJP market remains subdued, with limited spot...
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The Aluminium Federation (ALFED) has launched a new Reindustrialising UK Aluminium briefing, developed through its Trade Committee, setting out the immediate trade and industrial priorities facing the UK aluminium sector. The briefing comes as aluminium takes on increasing strategic importance within UK Government policy. Aluminium is recognised within the UK’s Critical Minerals framework and as a Growth Mineral, reflecting its importance to future UK manufacturing and economic growth. Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy describes critical minerals as foundational inputs to the Industrial Strategy’s growth-driving sectors. ALFED’s latest economic modelling estimates that the UK aluminium industry supports a wider economic footprint of £8.18 billion (USD 11.03 billion) in GVA and...
European Aluminium and the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) are calling on the European Parliament and the Council to make low-carbon aluminium eligible alongside steel under the proposed material-credit mechanism for vehicle CO2 standards. The joint industry statement focuses on the revision of Regulation (EU) 2019/631, under proposal 2025/0420 (COD). The two organisations want both materials covered by a single, technology-neutral mechanism with harmonised carbon-intensity thresholds and verification rules. They said the approach would give automakers greater flexibility in meeting regulatory requirements while supporting European markets for low-carbon materials. It would also allow vehicle engineers to continue selecting materials based on technical and economic...
Aluminium extrusion is quietly powering the global sustainability shift, ranging from solar mounting systems and renewable energy infrastructure to aerospace, electrification, industrial automation and next-generation mobility. Its combination of low weight, durability and recyclability makes aluminium sit at the core of this shift. Against this backdrop, India’s aluminium extrusion industry is gaining momentum, with Dhaatu Fabex emerging as one of the companies strengthening the country’s position in the global aluminium extrusion market. Dhaatu Fabex Pvt. Ltd is an Odisha-based producer of engineered aluminium extrusions and alloy billets, positioning itself in higher-value applications including renewable energy, automotive, aerospace, electrical systems and industrial automation....
Across Europe, aluminium extrusion has become closely woven into some of the region’s biggest industrial and construction markets. From automotive and transport to buildings and industrial applications, extruded profiles are finding demand across a wide range of sectors. This is reflected in Europe’s position in the global market: the region accounted for 12 per cent of global aluminium extrusion capacity, making it the second-largest regional contributor after China. At the same time, Europe represented 10 per cent of global aluminium extrusion usage, out of total global usage of 35.35 million tonnes . With production capacity and usage shares relatively close, Europe’s extrusion capacity and consumption are broadly at par. If we break down Europe’s 10 per cent share of global aluminium...
Taber Extrusions has launched a $70 million expansion in Russellville featuring North America’s largest aluminum extrusion press, with production scheduled to begin Wednesday and 70 new jobs expected at the facility. The company marked the grand opening of the expanded facility Tuesday, unveiling the new 10,000-metric-tonne aluminium press. Taber Extrusions has operated in the Russellville community for more than 50 years, making the latest investment a significant addition to its long-standing local presence. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders attended the ceremony and said the project would strengthen manufacturing employment in the River Valley while supporting the US industrial base. "This will be another major employer for Russellville and the entire River Valley. It will further...
Fire crews responded to a molten aluminium spill at Bridgnorth Aluminium on September 14 afternoon after the incident caused several small fires at the facility. Crews from Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock arrived shortly before 4 pm on September 14. The incident was recorded as a building fire, and operations officers also attended. Firefighters dealt with the fires caused by the molten aluminium spill. The incident also shows the role fire crews can play when such an incident occurs at a production facility. Molten aluminium is handled at very high temperatures, so a quick response is important when a spill leads to fire. Firefighters are trained to deal with these situations and can provide industries with support when an unexpected incident takes place. A spokesperson for Bridgnorth...
Metro Mining has ramped up bauxite shipments from its Bauxite Hills Mine in Cape York, Far North Queensland, after its offshore floating terminal Ikamba returned to full strength in late July. The Australian bauxite producer shipped 756,000 wet metric tonnes (WMT) of bauxite in August 2026, marking an 8 per cent increase from July, according to its September 16 operational and marketing update. The August performance also put the spotlight on Ikamba’s ability to operate independently. With the offshore floating terminal back at full capacity, it handled the month’s shipments without the contribution of the TSA Skardon, which was undergoing dry-docking. The TSA Skardon has now completed its dry-docking and is scheduled to return to site in mid-September, just as shipping conditions are...
Expanding across Africa may no longer require building an electric mobility network from scratch. The Chinese electric two-wheeler maker, Yadea, has partnered with African electric mobility company Spiro, giving it access to an established fleet of electric motorcycles and battery-swapping infrastructure across the continent. Signed in Dubai on September 11, 2026, the strategic partnership will see Yadea supply electric two-wheelers and related products for Spiro’s African markets. The scale of Spiro’s existing network is significant. The company operates more than 130,000 electric motorcycles and around 2,500 battery-swap stations across West and East Africa. For Yadea, that network could provide a ready-made route into markets where electric two-wheelers are gaining ground. Yadea has...
Vedanta’s share price fell in early trading on the NSE as the Indian stock market declined and rising crude oil prices increased concerns about higher costs for metal companies. The stock opened at INR 431.25 (USD 4.50), down from its previous close, and fell to an intraday low of INR 419.50 (USD 4.37), marking a new 52-week low. Market experts attributed the decline mainly to weak global and domestic market sentiment and the sharp rise in crude oil prices. Higher energy and input costs can put pressure on the margins of mining and metals companies. Rising base metal prices in international markets, followed by some profit-booking, also contributed to the stock's movement. Crude oil prices add to cost concerns Anuj Gupta, a SEBI-registered market expert, said rising crude oil prices were...
Norway will provide a guarantee of up to NOK 150 million (USD 16.08 million) to support revenue security for the planned 255 MW Thakadu solar project in South Africa, helping reduce the risk faced by investors in the renewable energy development. The guarantee will be provided to Lyra Energy, an electricity sales platform jointly owned by Scatec, Standard Bank and Stanlib. It will cover the risk of companies buying electricity from the solar plant failing to make their payments. The agreement, announced on September 14, 2026, is the first involving a private company under Norway's renewable energy guarantee mechanism. The NOK 5 billion (USD 536 million) programme is designed to encourage greater private investment in renewable energy projects in developing countries by taking on part of...
London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices declined on September 15, with cash, three-month and longer-dated contracts all settling below their previous-session levels. LME warehouse stocks also recorded a small decline, while the Asian reference price and alumina Platts price moved higher. The LME aluminium cash bid price fell 1.53 per cent to USD 3,259.50 per tonne on September 15 from USD 3,310 per tonne previously , while the cash offer price dropped 1.54 per cent to USD 3,260 per tonne from USD 3,311 per tonne. The three-month aluminium bid price decreased 0.64 per cent to USD 3,235 per tonne from USD 3,256 per tonne. The corresponding offer price also slipped 0.64 per cent to USD 3,236 per tonne from USD 3,257 per tonne. For the Dec-27 contract, both the bid and offer price...
China's aluminium production reached a record high in August as strong margins encouraged smelters to maximise output, bringing the world's largest aluminium producer closer to its longstanding national capacity ceiling. Primary aluminium output rose 4.7 per cent year on year to 3.98 million tonnes in August, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. Production was also higher than the just-under 3.9 million tonnes recorded in July and was close to the previous monthly record of 3.979 million tonnes set in June. China's aluminium output for the first eight months of 2026 reached 31.12 million tonnes, up 3.9 per cent from the same period a year earlier. At the current pace, annual production would reach around 46.7 million tonnes, above China's 45 million-tonne capacity...
Uno Minda is set to invest around INR 14.15 billion (USD 147.51 million) across four manufacturing expansion and consolidation projects, with a major portion of the spending directed towards increasing its aluminium casting capacity in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The automotive components maker plans to lift aluminium casting capacity at Hosur from around 13,000 tonnes to 34,000 tonnes at peak, representing an increase of about 162 per cent. The expansion will add 21,000 tonnes of capacity and serve demand across two-wheelers, passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles. The broader investment programme will be implemented over the next two to three years and spans aluminium casting, alloy wheels, moulding, and interior, exterior and sealing components. Uno Minda Managing Director Ravi Mehra said...
North America’s aluminium industry is entering a new era in 2026. As the US races to rebuild primary smelting capacity from near-zero, Canada pairs expansion with low-carbon innovation and recycling. From a USD 4 billion Oklahoma smelter to Quebec’s newly commissioned AP60 plant, here’s how each nation’s projects stack up. The US: Rebuilding primary aluminium capacity The biggest project is the Century Aluminum-Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) joint venture of a 750,000-tonne-per-year primary aluminium smelter planned in Inola, Oklahoma. Announced in January, the investment of around USD 4 billion would become the first new US primary aluminium smelter in almost 50 years and more than double current domestic primary production. The US is also strengthening upstream resilience. The federal...
The European Parliament has backed plans to expand the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to a wider range of steel and aluminium products, including screws, wires, springs and household utensils. MEPs approved the Parliament’s position on the proposed CBAM review with 464 votes in favour, 50 against and 159 abstentions, supporting a broader product scope than initially proposed by the European Commission. The expansion would take the EU’s carbon border system beyond basic raw materials and cover more downstream goods, with the aim of preventing imported products from gaining a cost advantage over European production by avoiding equivalent carbon costs. The Parliament also wants tighter rules to prevent companies from exploiting gaps in the mechanism. Parliament...
Hindalco Industries has partnered with Germany-based digital marketplace Metalshub to introduce a structured online bidding process for spot sales of metallurgical-grade alumina, with the first tender expected between October and December 2026. The initiative aims to bring greater competition and transaction-based price discovery to a segment of the alumina market where most volumes are traditionally traded through long-term contracts. Under the new process, qualified buyers will be able to participate in confidential digital request-for-bid events, allowing multiple bidders to compete for available spot alumina volumes. Metalshub said the approach will generate transaction data from competitive bidding, potentially providing a more transparent reference for spot-market pricing. Digital...
Guinea is looking to expand its partnership with Glencore beyond bauxite exports, with the two sides discussing potential investments in alumina refining, energy and other strategic projects as Conakry seeks to build more processing capacity at home. The discussions follow a more than USD 300 million bauxite pre-financing and offtake agreement signed last week between state-owned Nimba Mining and Glencore. Under the deal, the Swiss commodities group will market 10–12 million tonnes of bauxite annually for five years, giving it a significant position in one of the world's largest bauxite-producing countries. Guinea's Mines Minister Bouna Sylla said the agreement could provide a foundation for a broader partnership across the country's aluminium value chain. "Glencore has indicated strong...
For aluminium recyclers, managing profitability is no longer only about securing scrap, improving recovery rates or controlling operating costs. The timing of purchases, inventory holding, price fixation and customer sales can also influence the final margin that must be achieved. When aluminium prices move during these stages, even a commercially sound transaction can become less profitable. With the evolving market, evolving one's skills is also vital, which includes understanding the concept and effective application of hedging strategies . Why price exposure matters across the recycling cycle An aluminium recycler may purchase scrap at one price, process and hold the material for a period and sell the recovered metal at a later date. Between these transactions, aluminium prices can...
