Aluminium-intensive vehicle design could reduce electric vehicle (EV) weight, battery requirements and manufacturing complexity, according to a joint theoretical study by Stellantis and Alumobility. Using Stellantis’ STLA Medium platform as its reference, the study found that an optimised aluminium-based architecture could cut total vehicle mass by around 20 per cent and create the potential to reduce battery capacity by 15 per cent while maintaining equivalent range. Presented at EuroCarBody 2026 in Bad Nauheim, Germany, on October 22, the study examined how aluminium could be incorporated across the vehicle structure rather than simply replacing steel components on a like-for-like basis. The concept reduced body-in-white mass - the vehicle’s structural body before components such as...
Rio Tinto’s planned USD 1.9 billion investment in the Kangwinan bauxite project is expected to support more than 1,300 construction jobs in Queensland, while helping secure the long-term future of its Weipa mining operations as existing sources of production approach the end of their lives. Located on Western Cape York Peninsula, Kangwinan will add 20 million tonnes of annual bauxite production capacity, with first output targeted for 2029 and full production expected by 2032. The project will raise Weipa Operations’ annual capacity to around 44 million tonnes from current production of approximately 38 million tonnes. Construction is scheduled to ramp up in 2027. Beyond the immediate employment boost, the investment is expected to help sustain Rio Tinto’s residentially based workforce of...
Grow with
AL Circle
According to the world's energy watchdog, renewable energies are on the road to becoming the fastest growing energy source than any other source in the upcoming decades. This shall make the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources "inevitable" irrespective of the green backlash occurring in parts of Europe and the US. As per the flagship annual report shared by the International Energy Agency (IEA), within the next five years, it is expected that the world will emerge into projects that will build more renewable energy, which has been in place for the last 40 years. The report further highlights that the rapid inclusion of renewable energy will benefit in meeting the global growing demand for electricity. Moreover, it is estimated in the report that the electricity demand will...
A sharp decline in the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price was witnessed on November 14 in comparison to the price recorded on November 13. The LME cash bid fell by USD 42 per tonne or 1.5 per cent to reach USD 2,832 per tonne from USD 2,874 per tonne. Similarly, the cash offer also declined by USD 43.5 per tonne or 1.51 per cent to finally get at USD 2,832.5 per tonne from USD 2,876 per tonne. Concurrently, the 3-month LME bid shrank by USD 44.5 per tonne or 1.53 per cent, down from USD 2,899.5 per tonne to USD 2,855 per tonne. The 3-month offer replicated a similar trend where it went down by USD 43 per tonne or 1.5 per cent, from USD 2,900 per tonne to USD 2,857 per tonne. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Both the...
As per the recent third-wave international study conducted by Every Can Counts, which involved more than 16 thousand participants coming from 16 different countries, among which 1,013 participants were from Romania. According to the study, almost half of the participants and nearly 53 per cent of the participants from Romania link the circular packaging with the recycling of products back to their original form again and again. On the other hand, only 43 per cent of all the participants and 35 per cent of the Romanian participants tie circular packaging with the reusable feature. Concurrently, 57 per cent of all the participants and 65 per cent of the Romanian participants define the recyclable packaging as "designed for circularity". This reflects the consumers' resonance and awareness...
Rio Tinto has put its Jadar lithium project in western Serbia on hold, shifting the whole operation into care and maintenance for now, though the company says it isn’t walking away from Serbia. But it will hold the legal rights over the deposit and continue to operate in the country. Image for representational purpose The move isn’t particularly surprising. The Wall Street Journal reported—citing an internal memo—that Rio Tinto would stop further work after already spending more than USD 700 million (EUR 602 million) on the project. Long delays on key permits have made it difficult to keep pouring in money at the same rate. Back in August, Jadar project director Chad Blewitt said the company was still waiting for approval of its environmental impact assessment as well as other licences,...
Southeast Asia is entering a new phase of its energy transition. Nuclear power, once a distant idea for the region, is now a serious option for several ASEAN governments. This shift makes public awareness, cross-border safety literacy, and regional cooperation far more urgent. Singapore, despite not having made a decision on its own nuclear deployment, recognises this shift. Its government has now placed nuclear education at the centre of future energy preparedness. Why Singapore says nuclear literacy matters Speaking in Parliament on November 6, Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology, Tan See Leng, stressed a simple but crucial point. “There is a need to build up Singaporeans’ knowledge and understanding on nuclear energy, even if the government eventually decides not to...
Ardagh Group S.A. has reportedly made a final decision on a USD 5.8 billion worth recapitalisation that will reduce its debt position and extend loan maturities, with backing from financial support from almost all of its creditors. The restructuring includes a USD 4.3 billion debt-for-equity exchange, the issue of USD 1.5 billion in new first-lien senior secured notes maturing in 2030, and an extension of the company’s USD 0.5 billion asset-based lending facility to the same year. Following the transaction, the ownership has been transferred to the company’s lenders, consisting of major financial institutions and investment funds. Must read: Key industry individuals share their thoughts on the trending topics Reports in the Irish Independent state that the recapitalisation of the firm...
With two decades in the decision-making process, Hydro has now finally made its decision to proceed with the investment decision for the most extensive hydropower development in 20 years. The Illvatn pumped storage power plant, located in Norway’s Lustre Municipality, will commence its construction in November and is expected to kick-start its operation by 2030. When talking about investment, numbers always take the centre stage and Hydro is also giving a total of NOK 2.5 billion (USD 247.5 million), making it an essential aspect of the construction. In consideration of the firm's cash flow tax scheme, which is for the hydropower projects, it expects the total investment may come down to NOK 1.2 billion (USD 119 million) after the tax. Kari Ekelund Thørud, Executive Vice President of...
The energy industry attended ADIPEC 2025 with a familiar problem and left with a sharper one. Every major conversation in Abu Dhabi, whether on investment flows, upstream fuel security, grid volatility or the rapid buildout of digital energy systems, pointed to a structural shift already underway: the cost and carbon advantage of aluminium is no longer determined by the smelter, but by the energy system surrounding it. Image source: https://www.mdpi.com/ Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain This is the unavoidable conclusion when the power consumption map from 2023–24 (Part 1 of this series) is layered against the messages coming out of ADIPEC. Smelters are now operating in an environment where energy is both their largest risk...
NALCO’s strong September quarter results have sparked a sharp rebound in its stock, with the shares adding another 2% to hit a fresh high of INR 271.90 and extending the four-day rally to 16 per cent. Investors have been piling in since the company’s Q2 numbers beat expectations and several brokerages responded by lifting their target prices. The state-run aluminium producer delivered a solid set of results for the quarter ended September. Consolidated revenue came in at INR 42.92 billion (USD 484 million), up 7 per cent from a year earlier and 13 per cent from the previous quarter, helped mainly by higher alumina sales. EBITDA improved to INR 19.26 billion (USD 214 million), a 24 per cent rise year-on-year, as the company kept a tight lid on raw material, power and employee costs. Net...
Novelis has cut the carbon footprint of its aluminium melting operations in Germany by more than 40 per cent after completing a major furnace upgrade in partnership with industrial combustion specialist Fives. The project, finished in November 2025 at Novelis’ Voerde facility, is expected to deliver substantial reductions in natural gas consumption while improving thermal efficiency. The revamp centred on installing Fives’ North American regenerative combustion technology, including the high-efficiency TwinBed II burner system, which recycles waste heat to lower emissions without compromising temperature performance. The upgrade was engineered and commissioned by Fives’ North American Combustion team based in Bilbao, Spain. Novelis says the investment directly supports its “3×30” vision,...
The global aluminium downstream industry is experiencing a dynamic blend of innovation, investment, and evolving policy landscapes. From breakthrough alloy developments and increased ownership stakes to multimillion-dollar commitments for new extrusion projects, the sector has generated considerable momentum this week. Beyond these advances, the industry is also adapting to regulatory shifts while reinforcing its long-term growth outlook. Weekly downstream recap by AL Circle Pvt Ltd Sneak peek into groundbreaking innovations World's leading manufacturer of the drawn bars within the aluminium alloy segment, Eural Gnutti, has put up its 6026LF aluminium alloy for multiple lab testing. This testing will be done to assess the potential applications of this alloy by establishing direct contact...
Ball Corporation has supplied canned water made out of aluminium at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil, underscoring the significance of the lightweight metal in a circular economy. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain In collaboration with HEINEKEN Spin and Amapura, Ball Corporation produced 2.5 million cans for COP30. Of these, almost 1.5 million were branded under Mamba Water and the rest under Amapura. Ball Corporation has upheld its commitment to sustainability by using 78 per cent recycled aluminium and being powered by renewable electricity. Tamires Silvestre, sustainability director for Ball in South America, commenced, “Being present at COP30 reinforces our purpose of positioning aluminium...
ELYSIS has activated its 450 kiloampere (kA) inert anode cell, installed at the end of an existing potline at Rio Tinto’s smelter in Alma, Québec. The company described the development as a major step forward in the shift towards large-scale aluminium production with a lower carbon footprint. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain The launch is a major innovation and marks the first commercial deployment of inert anode technology. The technology results from extensive research, development and industrial trials, and demonstrates aluminium production at high amperage without direct carbon emissions. According to ELYSIS, the technology will offer further advantages, including improved safety conditions for employees, potential cost...
Over the past few years, the aluminium foil market has been moving in one direction — up—and it’s been doing very quietly, without any dramatic spikes. Back in 2018, global use of foil was around 5.3 million tonnes. By 2023, it moved up to 6.1 million tonnes. And if current projections hold, the world will be using close to 7.2 million tonnes by 2028. What’s curious is how familiar the consumption pattern still looks. In 2023, the industrial sector took 30 per cent of total usage, food and beverage packaging held 21 per cent, semi-rigid containers (SRC) formats accounted for 17 per cent, household foil for 13 per cent, other consumer uses for 9 per cent, and pharmaceuticals for 10 per cent. Even by 2028, the distribution barely changes: industrial demand edges to 32 per cent, food and...
According to a recent filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Envestment Asset Management Inc. has increased its investment in Kaiser Aluminium Corporation by 62 per cent by acquiring 25,546 shares. So, compared to the earlier shareholding of 41,227, it now owns 66,773 shares. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Increased exposure of the institutional investors Alongside Envestment Asset Management Inc, other institutional shareholders of Kaiser Aluminum have also adjusted their positions: Third Avenue Management LLC purchased an additional 205 shares Cetera Investment Advisers expanded its holdings by 7.3 per cent Mirae Asset Global ETFs Holdings Ltd. expanded its position by 4.4 per cent Central Pacific...
The world alumina production concluded the third quarter of 2025 with a positive trajectory, overcoming a soft September thanks to strong output in July and August when the volume reached an all-time high . Although primary aluminium production slowed, alumina output remained tightly aligned with consumption trends. Strong momentum keeps alumina output aligned with consumption According to the International Aluminium Insitute, the world alumina production volume in Q3 2025 amounted to 39.387 million tonnes versus 37.225 million tonnes, reflecting a Q-o-Q rise of 5.81 per cent. While metallurgical-grade climbed up from 34.937 million tonnes to 37.002 million tonnes, chemical-grade grew from 2.288 million tonnes to 2.385 million tonnes. Through the first nine months, the output also showed...
A new strategic investment has surfaced within the Chinese aluminium industry, with GLENCORE and Hillhouse Investment plans to acquire Chuangxin Industries during its upcoming IPO to be held in Hong Kong. This further signals an uplift in the Chinese aluminium smelter's potential as metal prices keep climbing. The asset manager and the Swiss commodity giant will be participating as the cornerstone investors, and as per the sources, but they wish to remain unidentified while conducting a discussion of a private matter. The IPO buyers who are allocated for the guaranteed share, as referred by the cornerstone investors, will be holding the stock for a specific time frame. Moreover, as per some people's saying, the China Hongqiao Group, which is deemed to be the country's largest private...
The International Aluminium Institute (IAI), on November 11, 2025, at COP30, announced that the recycling of aluminium beverage cans had achieved a 75 per cent rate globally in 2023. This marks a significant achievement, bringing the industry closer to complete circularity. Two years ago, at COP28, key players in the aluminium production and recycling working under IAI pledged an industry-wide target of recycling 80 per cent of the aluminium beverage cans. This target is set to be achieved by 2030 and they further urge to gain a 100 per cent recycling rate by 2050. Eunomia’s study A new global study highlights this significant milestone with a comprehensive evaluation of the beverage packaging recycling ever conducted. This study has been carried out by Eunomia Research & Consulting,...
