Nespresso is expanding its aluminium coffee capsule recycling network across New Zealand, adding 25 JB Hi-Fi stores as collection points and bringing the total number of participating retail locations to 138. The move gives coffee drinkers more places to return used capsules, helping make recycling a little easier after that final, satisfying sip. The new collection points join existing locations at Briscoes and Noel Leeming stores. The expansion also complements other return options available through Nespresso, including its boutiques, public collection points, NZ Post drop-off locations and courier collections from customers’ homes. The aim is to make returning used capsules more convenient, recognising that a single collection method will not work for everyone. For those who enjoy...
Iran has ruled out reopening the Strait of Hormuz until the United States meets seven conditions outlined in a June memorandum of understanding, prolonging uncertainty over a critical global energy shipping route as diplomatic efforts continue. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Tehran’s position remained firm, state media reported on October 4. Iran had presented a proposal during the United Nations General Assembly under which normal maritime passage through the strait could resume within seven days if its conditions were met. Washington responded to the proposal last week through Qatari intermediaries. “The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is completely clear and firm, and the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until our seven conditions, based on the...
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Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world’s largest aluminium smelter on a single site, released its financial results for the first quarter of 2025, marked by strong revenue growth but compressed margins due to rising production costs. Topline surge powered by price and premium upswing Alba recorded a 22.2 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) increase in revenue, reaching BHD 408.9 million (USD 1.09 billion) in Q1 2025 compared to BHD 334.6 million (USD 889.8 million) in Q1 2024. The growth was driven by a 20 per cent Y-o-Y rise in LME aluminium prices, averaging USD 2,629 per tonne, alongside a 38 per cent jump in regional premiums. However, the revenue bump failed to translate into bottom-line strength. Gross profit dropped by 11.3 per cent Y-o-Y to BHD 50.8 million (USD 135.1 million), and...
On National Technology Day 2025, Vedanta Aluminium announced a patent for its breakthrough tech that recovers 99 per cent pure graphite from aluminium waste, aligning with this year’s theme, YANTRA, by turning waste into a strategic resource. Vedanta’s solution recovers usable graphite from aluminium industry waste, turning a challenge into a resource. This method showcases Indian industry’s deep-tech capabilities, supporting missions like Atmanirbhar Bharat, Critical Minerals and Net Zero goals. Vedanta Aluminium’s in-house R&D team, with CSIR-IMMT Bhubaneswar, developed the patented process to extract battery-grade graphite from aluminium waste like Spent Pot Lining and Shot Blast Dust. This supports India’s circular economy goals and can reduce over 70 per cent dependence on imported...
They say "Old is Gold". Well, this is indeed true for the brands in question as Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM), who are old allies since 2000, have signed a definitive agreement for conducting the Winu Project joint venture. The striking partnership between the two firms emerged for delivering the Winu copper-gold project based in the Great Sandy Desert region of Western Australia. What's this project going to hold for the mining industry globally? Image source: weforum.org Rio Tinto, a British-Australian multinational company also known to be the world's second-largest metal and mining corporation, had discovered a long-life copper-gold deposit back in 2017. Owing to those deposits discovered, the Winu Project came into the light, making the discovery an opportunity to expand...
A study commissioned by the UK’s Can Makers shows the generation gap in recycling, with 18- to 34-year-olds still lagging behind older generations when it comes to recycling their beverage cans. In this piece for The Metal Packager, Tim Conybeare, chairman of the Can Makers, discusses some of the findings of the latest research and campaigns designed to improve younger consumers’ understanding of circularity and the important role recycling plays in achieving a more circular economy. While more than four in five aluminium beverage cans are being recycled in the UK, Conybeare writes: “There is still work to do to ensure those consumers who purchase cans most frequently recycle more of their used packaging.” Two thirds of consumers believe cans are the most circular – but are we all...
China and the US struck a trade deal on May 12 in Geneva, prompting a collective sigh of relief from businesses and exporters, not just at home, but across the globe. After almost 90 days of retaliatory tariffs and spiralling economic tension, this long-awaited breakthrough spells hope for the aluminium sector that had been buckling under pressure. This AI-generated image is for representational purposes only Aluminium imports into the US from China peaked in 2022 but have trended downward since. The ongoing calendar year has only intensified the decline , as trade tensions escalated. While the original optimism around steel and aluminium tariffs centred on strengthening domestic production business, the compounding layers of tariffs, first by the US, and then countered by other nations,...
Novelis Inc., the premier manufacturer of flat-rolled aluminium goods and the world’s largest recycling company, has announced its financial performance for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024-25. As per the records, strong shipments throughout the year backed by increased demand for beverage packaging continue to remain the fundamental strength of the business. Q4 2025 highlights Net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025 rose by 13 per cent Y-o-Y to $4.6 billion from $4.1 billion, primarily due to higher average aluminium prices and a 1 per cent increase in total rolled product shipments, reaching 957 kilotonnes. Stronger demand in beverage packaging, aerospace and specialty products helped drive growth, partially offset by a decline in automotive shipments. Net income...
A global leader-manufacturer of proprietary automotive solutions and systems, Uno Minda, announced on May 9, 2025, its plan to develop a new manufacturing facility for two-wheeler alloy wheels in Bawal, Haryana. For the successful development of the new manufacturing plant, the board of directors have approved the total investment of INR 200 crore (USD 24.39 million). Image source: Autocar Professionals The firm reports that the new manufacturing plant has been strategically set up in Haryana as it will aid them in meeting the growing demand as well as in delivering the recent orders. As of now, the existing plant in Bawal has an installed annual production capacity of 1.5 million alloy wheels. The new plant in Bawal, Haryana, is expected to be operational in the second quarter of the...
Shares of India-based Baheti Recycling Industries Limited, a micro-cap company specialising in recycling aluminium scrap into various aluminium alloys such as ingots, cubes, shots, notch bars, and de-ox alloys, surged by up to 9.3 per cent on Monday following the announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Minda Corporation Ltd. The company’s stock reached an intraday high of INR 639.55 per share ($7.67 USD), compared to its previous closing price of INR 585.00, pushing its market capitalisation to INR 658.40 crores ($79.02 million). Under this agreement, Baheti will supply 4,368 metric tonnes of aluminium alloy ingots during the financial year 2025–26, with the order valued at approximately INR 121 crore ($14.52 million). This collaboration represents a significant milestone...
After prolonged consultations and bilateral discussions with the United States regarding the 25 per cent tariffs on aluminium and steel exports, India has officially proposed the imposition of retaliatory duties under World Trade Organization (WTO) guidelines. These countermeasures, scheduled after 30 days from the notice, could take the form of suspending concessions previously extended to the US or adjusting tariff rates on select American imports. Through these measures, India aims to recover an estimated USD 1.9 billion, an amount it would require to pay to the US government for exporting USD 7.6 billion worth of aluminium and steel products. According to a WTO communication cited by a PTI report, "The safeguard measures would affect $7.6 billion worth of imports into the U.S. of...
Hydro is putting urban mining in the spotlight as an official supporter of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. At the exhibition, Hydro is featuring two collaborative projects made with 100 per cent recycled post-consumer aluminium, Hydro CIRCAL 100R, one of which is the core structure throughout the venue. Urban mining, defined simply as “the process of reclaiming raw materials from spent products, buildings and waste,” reframes the waste generated by cities and urban environments, viewing it as a highly valuable resource. Recycling and repurposing valuable building materials, such as aluminium, are at the very core of the urban mining methodology. “Raising awareness of low-emission, recycled aluminium among architects is key to lowering the...
In the dynamic and constantly evolving landscape of energy infrastructure, progress is driven by the synergy between engineering excellence and dependable materials. A prime example of this is the collaboration between PLP Australia and Capral Aluminium, whose combined expertise has been instrumental in advancing one of Australia's major energy projects—Project EnergyConnect. Project EnergyConnect (PEC) is a landmark 900-kilometre interconnector that unites the electricity grids of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia for the first time. The aluminium used in the busbars for Project EnergyConnect is sourced from Capral, not just as a supplier, but as a trusted long-term partner to PLP. Adam Talbot, General Manager of Sales and Marketing at PLP Australia, said, "If there is an...
The Indian aluminium market witnessed a strong upward trend on Monday, May 12, with significant gains in the stock prices of major players - NALCO, Hindalco, and Vedanta. Among these, NALCO emerged as the standout performer, with its stock price soaring by 7.4% over the weekend to surpass INR 168 (USD 1.98). Vedanta and Hindalco followed with gains of 7% and 3.8%, respectively. As of 2:36 PM IST, NALCO's share was traded at INR 168 (USD 1.98), representing a notable increase of INR 11.16 or 7.12% from its previous close on May 10. The intraday performance signaled strong market momentum and heavy buying interest. NALCO began the trading session at INR 162.39 (USD 1.91), up from its Friday close of INR 156.84 (USD 1.85). Throughout the day, it fluctuated between a low of INR 161.36 (USD...
A leading Indian producer of energy transition metal, Vedanta Group, on National Technology Day, i.e., May 10, 2025, promised to power India's technology and engineering sector. The firm aims to increase production of the transition metals alongside the value-added products. With this focus, the company is undertaking the expansion of its aluminium and zinc products, which shall further include a 30,000 tonnes per annum (kilo-tonnes per annum) plant of zinc alloys. Image source: Adobe The plan ahead Concerning the aluminium sector, Vedanta is looking forward to strategically increasing the share of its value-added products by over 90 per cent as their short-term plan. For this, the firm's board has permitted a total investment of USD 105 billion to support capacity expansion of both...
Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB), an agency under the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, US, had initiated "Love the Boot Week" from April 5 to 13, 2025, for the annual litter removal and beautification. For this initiative to succeed, Coca-Cola partnered with KLB to recycle aluminium cans and plastic bottles, facilitated by the Osprey Initiative. Owing to this initiative, a total of 16,503 aluminium cans and plastic bottles have been recovered from the landfill, indicating an increase of 23 per cent from the previous year. Image source: keeplouisianabeautiful.org A little about Love the Boot Week This is regarded as one of the largest litter removal and beautification efforts, where the event is held in more than 64 parishes every year in April. The major aim of this event is to engage...
In the first quarter of 2025, European aluminium foil rollers experienced a significant uptick in demand. According to the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA), total deliveries reached 243,900 tonnes, marking an 11.4 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024. This growth was driven by heightened demand within Europe and in export markets. Domestic deliveries within Europe rose by nearly 11 per cent, while exports saw an approximate 18 per cent increase. The export surge is partly attributed to anticipatory effects stemming from current trade policies, especially in the Americas. Concerns over potential cost increases from impending aluminium foil tariffs may have prompted many American companies to ramp up their stockpiles. This robust performance contrasts sharply with...
Alstone, India's premier manufacturer of high-quality exterior cladding solutions, recently hosted an exclusive event in Bengaluru to unveil its groundbreaking product, Alstone Alcomb – the Aluminium Honeycomb Panel. The event received an enthusiastic turnout from leading architects, façade consultants, and industry experts, underscoring Alstone's dedication to innovation and excellence in façade technology. "We're thrilled with the tremendous response we received in Bengaluru. Alstone Alcomb represents a significant step forward in high-performance facades, and the enthusiasm shown by the architect community here validates our belief that Alstone Alcomb is the Future of Exterior cladding," said Sumit Gupta, Managing Director of Alstone. Hosted at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bengaluru, the...
China-based Smartee Denti-Technology, a global leader in clear aligners and digital orthodontic solutions, is set to cut its annual CO₂ emissions by 209,370 kg with the launch of a rooftop solar installation at its Jiaxing smart factory. This reduction is equivalent to the yearly carbon absorption of over 11,700 mature trees. The initiative is a key pillar of Smartee’s 2025 ESG strategy, integrating renewable energy adoption, employee well-being, and agile governance to drive sustainable business growth. The factory in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China, is setting new benchmarks in sustainable manufacturing with a suite of green technologies. The facility now features 20,000 square meters of rooftop photovoltaic panels with a capacity of 2MW—enough to supply 50 per cent of its total...
US-based Merritt, one of the leading manufacturers of livestock and gooseneck trailers, with a legacy spanning nearly 75 years, has announced a strategic move that aims to strengthen its foothold and expand capabilities across aluminium truck accessories. The Merritt family of companies comprising of Merritt Aluminum Products and Merritt Trailers announced the acquisition of Magnum Trailer & Equipment, a renowned British Columbia-based company. With this acquisition, the company now employs around than 520 team members across North America, with operations spanning five locations and over 400,000 square feet of production and service center space. This strategic alignment will enable the combined team to offer a comprehensive, front-to-back aluminium solution for customers in the...
