Canada is looking to expand its domestic aluminium processing capacity as the government seeks to reduce the sector’s dependence on the United States. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly has described more than USD 193 million in federal funding for projects at five industrial sites in Quebec as a first step towards strengthening the country’s aluminium supply chain and building the capacity to process more metal at home. The funding, announced in La Baie, Quebec, covers projects at four Rio Tinto facilities in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region and the Alouette aluminium smelter in Sept-Îles. Joly, who also serves as the minister responsible for economic development in Quebec, said the investment reflects the strategic importance of aluminium to Canada’s economy and national sovereignty. The...
Russia’s aluminium market could face a new competitive dynamic after Sual Partners signed a production-sharing agreement with state-controlled hydropower group RusHydro, potentially giving Sual access to up to 150,000 tonnes of aluminium from the Boguchany smelter in Siberia. The arrangement could challenge Rusal’s near 20-year dominance of Russia’s primary aluminium market, allowing Sual to target both domestic and overseas customers with the metal. The agreement, announced on October 15 during Russian Energy Week, provides for a production-sharing mechanism at the Boguchansky aluminium plant, which is co-owned by RusHydro. The arrangement could give Sual access to as much as a 50 per cent share of the smelter’s output, putting it in a position to compete directly with Rusal, its...
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China's unwrought aluminium trade landscape in 2025 shows imports on the rise, climbing to 2.1 million tonnes in the first half of the year, which is a 2.4 per cent increase compared to the same time last year. This growth is largely driven by robust demand from the construction and transportation sectors, along with increased bauxite inflows by 18.2 per cent year-on-year ensuring a steady supply of raw materials. However, exports face hurdles, totalling 272.9 thousand tonnes during the same period. While this marks a slight recovery from last year, exports are still grappling with changing global demand trends, likely India’s anti dumping duties, US tariff conflicts and so on, price fluctuations and various regulatory challenges. Year-to-date: China's imports of unwrought aluminium...
Federal interest rate cut often creates a paradox. On one hand, it is intended to shore up economy by making borrowing cheaper and encouraging businesses to take loans to invest in hiring and expanding production. On the other hand, this exercise potentially leads to inflation, dampens stock market growth, reduces investment appetite, and affects consumer behaviour. The recent Fed rate cut in September by a quarter-point, bringing down the rates to 4 to 4.25 per cent, is also triggering the same conundrum. While the latest rate cut is aimed at boosting economy and employment, it fuels the risk of inflation from the current 2.9 per cent as of the end of August. But the fact is the government is now prioritising jobs over price stability. "The labour market is really cooling off," said Fed...
“2024 was an important year for the apt Group in many respects, characterised by strategic decisions and operational development. Our path toward achieving climate neutrality by the end of 2044 continued,” wrote Manon Gahmann, Director of CSR Compliance. This statement comes amid the European aluminium industry facing a historic pivot of climate legislation and escalating energy prices. It demands circularity that is no longer a choice but an existential factor shaping business models. And Apt Group stands out in this landscape as a regional leader with four production sites across Germany, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, pressing 44,393 tonnes of rods and selling 43,392 aluminium profiles for construction, transport, automotive, and industry sectors. In 2024, the company...
The United States and China are edging closer to a landmark Boeing aircraft deal that could anchor a broader trade agreement between the two powers. US Ambassador to China David Perdue, said the negotiations are in their “final days,” signalling a breakthrough that has been long in the making. Image for representational purpose According to Bloomberg, Boeing is working toward the sale of as many as 500 jets — a transaction that would end a sales freeze stretching back to Donald Trump’s 2017 visit to China. Diplomacy and trade backdrop The talks are unfolding at a moment of renewed diplomatic engagement. In recent weeks, Trump spoke by phone with President Xi Jinping, while negotiators reached a framework for ByteDance to divest its US-based TikTok operations, easing a major flashpoint....
The report titled "Can Coatings Market by Type (Epoxy, Acrylic, Polyester, Other Types), Application (Food Cans, Beverage Cans, Aerosol Cans, Other Applications), and Region – Global Forecast to 2030" reveals that the can coatings market is projected to grow from USD 2.76 billion in 2025 to USD 3.44 billion by 2030, reflecting a CAGR of 4.46 per cent during this period. Metal containers including aluminium are among the most recyclable packaging options, and the use of coatings ensures their durability across multiple recycling cycles. Additionally, the global shift towards banning single-use plastics is driving the adoption of cans as an eco-friendly alternative. A clear shift towards sustainable packaging Consumers are increasingly gravitating toward brands and packaging that prioritise...
Vedanta Aluminium, India's largest aluminium producer, operates in a resource-intensive industry where efficiency, sustainability, and, most importantly, safety remain paramount. Under the leadership of Rajiv Kumar, CEO, the company has launched a comprehensive digital transformation initiative to implement AI, IIoT and advanced technologies across its value chain – from mining to metal production. Image for referential purposes only (source: https://d1rbiogke1jwo5.cloudfront.net/) Also read: Advanced Industrial Technologies in the Aluminium Industry “At Vedanta Aluminium, we’ve always believed that transformation begins with intent. As India’s largest aluminium producer operating in a high-risk, resource-intensive industry, our vision has been to lead not just in scale, but in...
The previous day trend is followed on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, where the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices have further fallen. However, there is still no change witnessed in the LME price of alumina platts. Both the LME cash bid and offer price inched down by USD 21 per tonne or 0.8 per cent and finally settled at USD 2,645.5 per tonne and USD 2646 per tonne. Similarly, the 3-month bid and offer also calmed down by USD 24 per tonne or 0.9 per cent and stood at USD 2,639.5 per tonne and USD 2,640 per tonne respectively. The trend was further mirrored in the LME December 26 bid and offer price when it fell by USD 23 per tonne or 0.85 per cent. Bid settled down at USD 2,682 per tonne and offer at USD 2,687. To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2025...
Consulting firm McKinsey & Co. has urged the aluminium industry to adopt advanced scrap sorting methods to unlock higher-value recycling opportunities. In a recent chart published on its website, the firm noted that 68 per cent of aluminium scrap is post-consumer and over half of it is collected in mixed formats, creating a barrier to quality recovery. “A large portion of aluminium scrap comes from postconsumer sources , but much of it ends up in mixed scrap pools,” noted McKinsey and Germany-based staff member Peter Spiller. He warns that such mixed streams are prone to being “downcycled,” meaning high-value alloys are left unrecovered. Aluminium recycling and the circular economy The analysis builds on McKinsey’s July 2025 report, part of its six-part “Materials Circularity” series,...
In a significant step toward sustainability and energy efficiency, Maxion Wheels, the global leader in wheel production for both passenger and commercial vehicles, has partnered with Terra Firma, South Africa's leading provider of solar and storage solutions. Together, they have successfully launched a 2.9 MWp solar project at Maxion's Johannesburg manufacturing plant. This milestone project not only supports Maxion's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint but also marks a major advancement in the company's ongoing efforts to enhance energy resilience and cost efficiency. The energisation of the solar system was a highlight of Maxion Wheels South Africa's 60th anniversary celebrations. This cutting-edge solar installation combines carport and ground mount systems, and is set to...
Japan’s aluminium can industry is treading water. According to the Japan Aluminium Can Recycling Association (JACRA), total demand for aluminium cans (including both domestic and imported volumes) will remain at about 2.091 billion units in 2025, unchanged from the previous year. Domestic demand is estimated at 2.07 billion units, essentially flat. This makes 2025 the tenth consecutive year that aluminium can consumption has hovered around the two-billion mark. Image for representational purposes only (source: https://www.tskg-hd.com/) Also read: Canned out: America’s food can market declines 16.7% in four years On the surface, the data might appear to signal maturity, even stagnation. But dig deeper, and the story is more complex. Aluminium cans dominate Japan’s beverage packaging...
Impact Minerals Limited (ASX:IPT) is excited to announce that it has secured firm commitments from sophisticated investors for a significantly oversubscribed strategic placement. The placement will raise AUD 4,000,000 (USD 2,560,000) (before costs) through the issuance of 615,384,616 fully paid ordinary shares (Placement Shares) at an issue price of AUD 0.0065 per share. Impact Minerals Subject to shareholder approval, each Placement Share will come with one free-attaching IPTOC Quoted Option, which will have an exercise price of USD 0.015 per option and an expiry date of 28 September 2027 (Placement Options). Stay updated with our specialised report - A Comprehensive Analysis of Bauxite Residue - Red Mud The placement received strong support from major shareholders, highlighting their...
Aluminium prices dipped by 0.79 per cent, settling at USD 257.2, as the market continued to grapple with volatility stemming from inconsistent supply and demand. In August 2025, China's domestic aluminium production saw a year-on-year increase of 1.22 per cent and a month-on-month rise of 0.33 per cent. On the trade side, imports showed a robust growth, climbing 12.9 per cent year-on-year in August to reach 320,000 tonnes. Cumulatively, imports for the first eight months of 2025 hit 2.65 million tonnes, reflecting a 2.7 per cent increase compared to the same timeframe last year. Amid the rising output, there have been evidences for regional demand drops, such as in Japan, where aluminium stocks increased by 6.3 per cent M-o-M in August, resulting in lower offerings of shipment premiums...
India's aluminium sector is currently navigating a rapidly changing landscape in the first half of 2025, with significant shifts in both exports and imports of alloyed, non-alloyed and scrap aluminium. Exports of non-alloyed aluminium, alloyed aluminium and waste and scrap have all taken a noticeable dip compared to last year. On the flip side, imports are showing a mixed bag, with alloyed aluminium and scrap seeing a sharp increase. India's export of alloyed & non-alloyed aluminium and scraps In H1 2025, India's exports of non-alloyed aluminium dropped to 495.7 million tonnes, valued at USD 1.36 billion, from the same timeframe the previous year, which stood at 818.7 million tonnes, valued at USD 2 billion, representing a decline of 39 per cent. In the same timeline, 2025, India's export...
National Environmental Recycling Co., popularly known as Tadweeer, has signed a landmark agreement with Chinese automaker Chery to establish an aluminium smelter in Saudi Arabia, announced Tadweer’s CEO Nasser Aldueb announced in an interview with Al Arabiya TV. The project, to be located over 15,000 square metres, is estimated at USD 10–15 million (SAR 37.5–56.3 million). The plant will have an annual production capacity of 50,000 tonnes of specialised aluminium, particularly used in cars. This development follows three years of collaboration between Tadweeer and Chery, during which the former used to supply the latter with recycled aluminium products , which Tadweer is exclusively specialised in.. Aldueb noted that a joint task force has been formed to prepare the feasibility study,...
Queensland’s state-owned electricity distributor Energex, has announced plans to replace about 52,000 kilometres of copper cabling with aluminium across its Southeast network. The move comes as copper theft continues to rise in the region, costing the utility approximately AUD 4.5 million annually in damages and repairs. Image source: https://m.media-amazon.com/ Also read: Canned out: America’s food can market declines 16.7% in four years The replacement decision came in with an interest in both economic and safety considerations. Copper, with a higher market value, has become an increasingly limelight target for theft in recent years. Energex reported that the damaging incidents have quickly aggravated since 2020, with thieves targeting high-voltage network components despite the severe...
America’s appetite for canned goods is shrinking, putting the industry under pressure. Between 2020 and 2024 US domestic shipments of food cans fell 16.7 per cent, from 28.45 billion cans to 23.7 billion, as per CMI. Image for representational purpose Behind the decline is a rearrangement of what Americans buy in tins — a retreat from staple human-food categories and a quiet surge for coffee and pet food — and a story about changing tastes, packaging innovation and the mechanics of making the very objects whose fortunes are being reshaped. Winners and losers on the production line Not every can suffered equally. Coffee cans were the clear standout, rising 63 per cent over the four-year span to 0.075 billion cans in 2024 from 0.046 billion in 2020. Pet food also eked out gains, up 3.9 per...
In the heart of south Louisiana, Atlantic Alumina operates the last remaining bauxite refinery in the US, a massive facility that transforms red earth from Jamaica into alumina. However, the process leaves behind a by-product known as "red mud," which has raised environmental concerns. State regulators recently stepped in, issuing orders and warning fines after claiming that the plant’s containment systems failed, causing bright orange runoff to flow into a nearby swamp. The sprawling facility, located in St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes, was first established in the late 1950s by Kaiser Aluminum. Here, alumina is extracted and shipped to smelters to produce aluminium, a key material in various industries. The land, however, is dotted with hundreds of acres of red mud, laced...
India’s steel and aluminium exports to the EU plummeted 24.4 per cent in FY25, according to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). This drop occurs even before the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) duty comes into effect on 1 January 2026, suggesting early market consequences. Reporting rules on carbon emissions which were implemented from 1 October 2023 have already discouraged exporters from shipping to Europe. Steel was hit hardest: iron and steel exports declined 35.1 per cent to USD 3.05 billion, while aluminium exports fell 9.8 per cent. Image for representational purposes only Also read: EGA eyes a USD 10-15 billion IPO, taps regional and global banks amid Middle East listing boom Rising costs and carbon price gaps Ajay Srivastava, founder of GTRI, comments that...
