Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd is expected to face weaker smelting margins in the second half of 2026 as aluminium supply constraints ease, input costs rise and market sentiment shifts towards a potential surplus in 2027, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Research. “The narrative now is increasingly shifting to a potential surplus in 2027. Coupled with falling Japan-Port (MJP) premium and rising alumina as well as carbon anode costs, we foresee sequentially weaker smelting margins in 2H2026,” the research house said in a note on Monday. HLIB Research estimates that Press Metal’s core earnings for the third quarter of 2026 will range between MYR 600 million (USD 146.85 million) and MYR 650 million (USD 159.09 million), representing a decline of 10 per cent to 17 per cent...
South Asia’s beverage-can manufacturing capacity continues to expand, with Bangladesh preparing to enter the industry through a USD 100 million aluminium beverage can plant while new and expanded facilities advance across India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, the planned Bangladeshi project still faces a key infrastructure hurdle: securing a gas connection before production begins. Chinese-owned Alu Hi-Tech Industries Ltd is developing Bangladesh’s first aluminium beverage can plant at Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park in Gazipur, north of Dhaka. The facility is designed to produce around 1 billion cans annually, with approximately 90 per cent of its output earmarked for export markets. The company registered with the hi-tech park in 2024, when work on the project began. Construction has...
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Viva Composite Panel Pvt. Ltd., Asia’s leading manufacturer of aluminium composite panels (ACP), has reportedly secured the prestigious Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certification for its ACP products. Recognised globally under the International EPD® System, this certification underscores Viva’s commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible manufacturing. Image source: Viva ACP The certification also verifies that up to 95% of the aluminium and 90% of the polyethylene core in Vivas panels are recyclable and this emphasises the product is consistent with circular economy principles. Thus, it positions Viva as a trusted supplier for architects and developers seeking certified materials for sustainable construction projects, including those aligned with LEED, BREEAM,...
In a move set to propel India's downstream aluminium industry, Vedanta Aluminium, in collaboration with its subsidiary BALCO, has signed an MoU with the Central Bank of India. The deal announced on June 6, 2025, aims at introducing a collateral-free facility of financing to the company's customers directly. Image source: Vedanta MetalBazaar From end-user MSMEs to large OEMs, all stakeholders will be able to avail themselves of easy, cost-effective finance through the rapidly growing Vedanta Metal Bazaar platform . This is going to prove as a game-changer, especially for the smaller players in the value chain. Unlocking new avenues for customers It's all about creating growth with comfort and ease. Loans will range from INR 10 lakh (USD 11,694) to INR 10 crore (USD 11.7 million), with the...
Japan’s economic engine, though sputtering, is not stalling just yet. Revised data from the Cabinet Office show that Japan’s GDP shrank by only 0.2 per cent annualised in Q1 2025, sharply better than the earlier estimate of 0.7 per cent, and just enough to keep recessionary panic at bay. The improvement was primarily driven by a surprise uptick in private consumption, which accounts for over half the nation’s GDP. From restaurants to gaming, updated spending data lifted consumption growth to 0.1 per cent, reversing the earlier flat-line reading. Image for representational purposes only What’s more, domestic demand contributed 0.8 percentage point to growth, effectively offsetting the 0.8 percentage point drag from net exports. However, the modest rebound is unlikely to shift the Bank of...
In April 2025, while most countries and regions witnessed a month-on-month decline in alumina production, there was one region that stood out as an exception and that was Africa & Asia (ex-China). According to the International Aluminium Institute, alumina production in Africa & Asia (ex-China) during April was 1.173 million tonnes, up by 4.45 per cent from the previous month’s 1.123 million tonnes. Production insights IAI data further indicates that Africa & Asia’s alumina output in April marked the second consecutive monthly rise, following a 7.36 per cent increase in March. In April, the growth extended but recorded relatively modest rate than the earlier month. As a result of increase in monthly output during April amid sluggish global alumina production, Africa & Asia’s (ex-China)...
The UK achieved an impressive recycling rate of 157,049 tonnes of aluminium packaging in 2024, as reported in the annual data published by the National Packaging Waste Database by the Environment Agency. The recycling rate of the UK in 2024 surpassed the kept up pace, indicating a higher capture rate amidst the rapidly growing domestic market. With the support of the kerbside, on-the-go systems and bring have aided in recycling 114,462 tonnes of aluminium packaging. On the other hand, 41,635 tonnes of aluminium packaging is recycled via incinerator bottom ash (IBA). The remaining 952 tonnes were recycled from different sources. The UK has yet again surpassed the obligation target of 151,281 tonnes, with a carry-in worth 2,811 tonnes and a surplus of packaging recovery notes (PRNs) for...
Norsk Hydro ASA has announced the successful placement of its inaugural European Green Bond (EuGB), issuing EUR 500 million (USD 571 million) in senior unsecured bonds under its Euro Medium Term Note (EMTN) Programme. To be listed on the Irish Stock Exchange (Euronext Dublin), the bond carries a tenure of eight years and a fixed annual coupon rate of 3.75 per cent, with a reoffer yield of 3.779 per cent. Image credit: hydro “We are delighted to have completed such a successful placement and issued our inaugural EuGB. The strong interest confirms that Hydro is considered an attractive investment for bond investors, supporting our strategy of pioneering the green aluminium transition, powered by renewable energy. We are pleased to have achieved highly competitive terms,” said Trond Olaf...
From June 4, 2025, Trump's 25 per cent tariff on aluminium and steel doubled to 50 per cent, creating tension among worldwide manufacturers, especially those heavily relying on exports. Owing to this, most Brazilian manufacturers are pushing back against the US tariffs on aluminium and steel. What circumstances are making the Brazilian manufacturers retaliate? Image source: legamart.com Impact on Brazil’s overall GDP With the effectiveness of the 50 per cent tariff, Brazilian manufacturers have faced immense challenges, especially for the small and medium enterprises deemed to be the major contributors to Brazil's industrial GDP. In 2024, Brazil’s GDP stood at USD 5.48 trillion as per the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). As per the data of Market Research Future, aluminium's contribution to...
Crown Holdings, Inc., the U.S.-based global packaging company specialised in beverage and food cans packaging, has announced that Carlos Baila intends to step down as President of Asia Pacific region, effective June 30, 2025. As a replacement, Dr John Rost, currently serving as the Senior Vice President, will take the position from July 01, 2025. Image source: crowncork.com/ Dr Rost has been the firm's senior vice president of technology, sustainability, and regulatory affairs since 1997 and has been in a highly responsible position. He successfully developed a global regulatory team throughout his time at the company. He further instrumented in creating and leading the firm's current sustainability team, which launched the firm's globally acclaimed Twentyby30 program. Later, in 2023, he...
Freshwrapp, the flagship food packaging brand from Hindalco, has rolled out its latest nationwide campaign titled, “Bacteria ki Entry ko Rokey” with none other than renowned chef and author Vikas Khanna leading the charge. At the heart of the campaign is the introduction of the Freshlock Shield, a powerful promise of protection featuring aluminium that helps block bacteria from entering your food. The message is clear: when it comes to keeping food fresh, safe, and hygienic, Freshwrapp aluminium foil outperforms old-school methods like cloth, newspaper, or tissue. Speaking on the collaboration, Chef Vikas Khanna said, “Food is one of the purest expressions of love in every Indian home—but how we store that food is often taken for granted. I’ve used aluminium foil often as it’s hygienic,...
Note: This image is AI-generated and for representation purpose only The Trump Administration’s latest aluminium tariff hike to 50 per cent has triggered renewed concern among traders and manufacturers over a further shift in trade dynamics to a point where export markets may face a deepening blow. European aluminium producers are neither immune to this strain as worries linger over an increasingly fragile trade environment and fear grows for the further destablisation of trade relations between the two key economic partners. But more than tariff hike, what currently causes sleepless nights to the European aluminium industry is tariff exemption on scrap. Earlier, during the implementation of 25 per cent tariff effective from March 2025, the United States duty exemption on scrap already...
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the world’s leading ‘premium aluminium’ producer, has long been a trailblazer in the global metals sector. From being the first in the Middle East to join the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative to pioneering the international sale of UAE-developed industrial technology, EGA has consistently set benchmarks. Building on this legacy, EGA has now taken a significant step toward advancing rare metal production. In collaboration with the Tawazun Council and RTX , EGA has signed a MoU to establish the UAE’s first gallium production source further cementing its leadership in strategic material development and sustainable industrial growth. Now here comes the question – Why Gallium? Gallium (Ga) is closely linked to the aluminium industry, as it is commonly recovered...
India’s talks with the US for a Bilateral Trade Agreement, which would smoothen gross exports worth USD 86.5 billion (FY 2024–25 data, up 11.6 per cent from FY 23–24), are walking on a double-edged sword. Image source: Linkedin (Handle: Harnam Prajapati) With the progression of a second Trump administration, there is a renewed and pressing push for comprehensive trade relations. Current high-level negotiations are underway, with India and the US aiming to finalise an interim three-phase trade agreement by June 25, ahead of a potential July 9 deadline for the USA’s 26 per cent reciprocal tariff on India, which is currently suspended. While Indian exports still face America’s standard 10 per cent baseline tariff, discussions are focused on securing duty reductions across labour-intensive...
To avert a supply squeeze, the London Metal Exchange has ordered Mercuria Energy Group Ltd to loan out part of its outsized June aluminium position, which exceeds the metal available in LME warehouses. As of June 2025, Mercuria Energies' aluminium stock was reported around 600,000-800,000 tonnes, indicating 30 per cent to 39 per cent of the open interest for June. According to LME, the position held by the firm represented almost 40 per cent above the peak. On the same grounds, the LME system's on-warrant aluminium inventories were only above 320,000 tonnes. Mercuria holding 90 per cent of the inventory creates a mismatch between the contract and the material available for delivery. Moreover, this mismatch restricts the small position holding traders from sourcing the right amount of...
Qcells, a South Korean solar manufacturer with production facilities in the US and Malaysia, has officially launched EcoRecycle by Qcells, its first dedicated solar panel recycling operation. The initial facility is set to be established in Cartersville, Georgia, where Qcells is also ramping up solar module manufacturing with a planned production capacity of 3.3 GW. Image credit: redington.solar Once fully operational, the EcoRecycle plant will be capable of recycling approximately 250 MW of solar panels annually, translating to around 500,000 panels per year. With this initiative, Qcells becomes the first crystalline silicon (C-Si) solar panel producer to integrate both manufacturing and recycling operations in the US. “With this new business, Qcells will emerge as the first-ever...
For the first time in the Middle East, Dubai played host to the ‘Every Can Counts Global Managers Meeting’ a dynamic four-day event that brought together sustainability champions and communications experts from more than 21 countries. This landmark gathering marked a pivotal moment for the innovative programme, which is dedicated to inspiring people to recycle their aluminium cans wherever they are. Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the UAE’s largest industrial company outside the oil and gas sector, joined forces with leading can-makers Crown and CANPACK to introduce the Every Can Counts programme in the UAE during COP28. This initiative is designed to encourage consumers to sort and recycle aluminium cans, supporting efforts to reduce emissions and conserve valuable resources. A global...
The world aluminium market is abuzz with optimism once again as futures of the metal on the London Metal Exchange inched higher to USD 2,460 per tonne today from a bottom of USD 2,166 per tonne in April. The hike comes against the backdrop of expectations of top-level trade talks between China and the US being held in London, and it is a sign that even a slight de-escalation in trade war tensions can have ripples of optimism sweep through commodity markets. The aluminium industry has been witnessing for months the turbulent geopolitical tensions, the most significant being trade wars between the two biggest economies of the world. Past reciprocal tariff hikes and accusations of violations of trade accords have created enormous uncertainty, supporting price volatility as much as world...
Specialists at the Khomein branch of Islamic Azad University in Iran have successfully produced aluminium fluoride, a compound that helps lower the melting temperature of aluminium. Aluminium fluoride (AlF₃) is a colourless, inorganic compound typically found as a white powder or granules with a density greater than that of water. "In line with the development of Islamic Azad University, we are pursuing projects that not only contribute to scientific progress but also meet the vital needs of the country," said Mohammad Baqer Tavakkoli, the president of Islamic Azad University in Markazi province. Its main application is in aluminium production, where it serves as a flux to lower the melting point and enhance the conductivity of the molten electrolyte, leading to reduced energy consumption...
India-based mircocap company, Baheti Recycling Industry Limited, specialised in recycling aluminium scrap into various aluminium alloys, reportedly concluded the day on June 9, 2025, at a 1.43 per cent higher than its previous closing price. The company’s share price clocked at INR 602 (USD 7.03) after ranging between INR 604.50 (USD 7.05) and INR 591.00 (USD 6.89) throughout the day. Image source: Baheti Recycling Industries Limited Baheti’s share price has been performing very strongly, returning 52.96 per cent this year and 5.01 per cent in the past five days. The recycling firm has TTM P/E ratio 33.47 as compared to the sector P/E of 20.16. Ever since, Baheti has declared its robust financial performance, with a net profit significantly up by 159 per cent at the end of H2 FY2025, the...
