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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No matter what industry it is, the demand for aluminium is skyrocketing alongside the urge to attain products which are sustainable, recycled and environmentally friendly. Rising demand for aluminium is surging due to the sectoral shift towards reducing GHG emissions. Hence, rapid aluminium usage is done in the renewable energy sector and electric vehicles (EV). For this, China has set their production cap to 45 million tonnes as their initiative to achieve low-carbon production. In 2024, the global low-carbon aluminium production stood at 55.2 million tonnes indicating the rapid shift. Demand from renewable energy sector Key features of aluminium, likely corrosion-resistance, durability and lightweight strength, are contributing towards the global demand for the same in the renewable...
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK in Berlin, Mecklenburger Metallguss GmbH in Waren, and Technische Universität Berlin have published a paper in Additive Manufacturing that examines the processability, microstructure, and mechanical properties of nickel-aluminium-bronze (NAB) grinding chips. Nickel-aluminium bronze (NAB) is a copper-based alloy known for its strength and exceptional corrosion resistance particularly suited for marine environments. Typically, these alloys comprise 9-12 per cent aluminium, up to 5 per cent iron, and 3 per cent nickel. These chips, a by-product of ship propeller production, were tested as feedstock for Directed Energy Deposition (DED) Additive Manufacturing. The study compared the 'chip-powders'...
Cloud Beauty Innovation Hub will unveil its latest sustainable packaging solutions at LUXEPACK New York 2025, which will take place on 7-8 May at the Javits Centre. The company aims to showcase eco-conscious designs for the beauty and personal care industry. Image source: parispackagingweek A key highlight is their all-aluminium cosmetic and accessories packaging line. Crafted entirely from 100% recyclable aluminium, it offers a minimalist aesthetic. This design aligns with circular economy principles, ensuring durability and sophistication. Another innovation is 'Sludge', a material composed of over 70 per cent pre-consumer recycled reservoir mud from Taiwan. With a metallic-like texture and stone-like appearance, it's suitable for luxury applications like perfume caps. Sludge has been...
Comstock Metals, a subsidiary of Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE), has unlocked a major milestone by becoming the first solar panel recycling company in North America to earn the R2v3/RIOS Responsible Recycling Standard certification. This recognition, specifically for Appendix G, affirms Comstock's innovative zero-waste recycling process, which expertly converts every component of solar panels into valuable, new commercial applications. With this milestone, Comstock is setting the standard for sustainable recycling in the solar energy sector, driving a cleaner, greener future for renewable energy. The timing of the certification is especially strategic, aligning with the growing adoption of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks for solar panels in multiple jurisdictions. Currently,...
Ball Corporation, the world’s leading aluminium packaging manufacturer for beverage, personal care and household products, has announced the first quarter 2025 results, reporting a year-on-year decline in net earnings attributable to the corporation. According to the data revealed, net earnings in Q1 2025 were USD 179 million, compared to USD 3.69 billion a year ago. Image source: Ball Corporation Notably, net earnings decreased over the year despite increased sales from USD 2.87 billion in Q1 2024 to USD 3.1 billion in Q1 2025. However, the company’s comparable net earnings were relatively stable on a Y-o-Y basis, amounting to USD 216 million in Q1 2025 versus USD 217 million in Q1 2024. Ball’s chairman and chief executive officer, Daniel W. Fisher, acknowledges this decline is due to...
On Tuesday, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal firmly asserted that India will impose retaliatory tariffs if the European Union proceeds with its plan to implement a carbon tax on Indian products. He highlighted the diminishing importance of climate change discussions and categorised the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) as “extremely irrational regulations.” Image for representational purposes only “If they will put in a carbon tax, and now there is a big if for obvious reasons. If they do put it in, we will retaliate. They will put it on products which really will hurt their own economy, and the retaliation will further hurt their economy,” Goyal conveyed during an event in New Delhi. “I think it will be very silly, particularly to put a tax on friendly...
Rio Tinto, in collaboration with Indium Corporation, has reportedly extracted the first batch of primary gallium in its Vaudreuil alumina refinery in Quebec, the only refinery in Canada, as part of the move to produce commercial quantities of critical and strategic minerals present in the bauxite. Image source: Asian Scientist Magazine Gallium is a key input in semiconductors and high-performance electronics used in radar systems, smartphones, electric vehicles, and computing devices. With global production limited to approximately 600 metric tonnes annually, all sourced outside of North America, this project represents a strategic leap forward in reducing supply chain vulnerabilities for critical technologies. Also, this initiative comes at a pivotal moment, following China’s export ban...
Digger Specialties Inc. (DSI), a prominent name in North America's aluminium railing manufacturing sector, has strengthened its market presence through a new strategic alliance with American Lumber. The company, known for manufacturing aluminium and vinyl railing, fencing, gates, and aluminium architectural columns, aims to mark its presence in the Northeast market (Northeastern markets in North America encompass both the US and Canada). DSI offers the industry's most comprehensive range of aluminium railing solutions through its Westbury® product line, designed to combine safety, style, and an uninterrupted view. Whether it's the vertical cable infill of VertiCable or the sleek horizontal lines of Bella Cavo, these innovative cable railing options cater to the growing demand for modern,...
On May 5, 2025, Ford Motor Company suspended its annual guidance for stakeholders due to the rising uncertainty created by Trump's tariffs. As per the authorities, the current tariffs would levy the company with a loss of nearly USD 1.5 billion in adjusted earnings before interest and tax. Is it the beginning of the automobile industry's decline or rise? Image source: Yallamotor.com After the closure of the US stock trading sessions, the company's share was deemed to fall about 2.3 per cent in the after-hours trading session. In addition to this, the imposed tariff by Trump is determined to increase the overall cost for the year by more than USD 2.5 billion. The majority of the cost would be incurred while importing the automobiles from countries like China and Mexico. As of now, the...
With an ESG vision of serving the market with low-cost bauxite and delivering long-term benefits to stakeholders, Queensland-based Metro Mining has set its sights higher for its 2025 bauxite shipment target. The confidence to aim higher stems naturally from the company’s strong performance in 2024. Although it narrowly missed its annual shipment target by a few percentage points, the final figure still marked a record-breaking achievement. Financial performance analysis ’24 Despite a prolonged wet season that delayed the start of operations and adverse weather in December that forced the cancellation of the final vessel in the shipping schedule, Metro successfully delivered a record 5.7 million WMT from the Bauxite Hills Mine in 2024. The company continued to benefit from a tight global...
According to the International Aluminium Institute, the world alumina production concluded the first quarter of 2025 with an annual increase of 5.61 per cent, totalling 75.42 million tonnes versus 71.41 million tonnes. This output volume encompassed both chemical and metallurgical-grade alumina. While the output of chemical-grade alumina amounted to 2.17 million tonnes, accounting for 2.9 per cent, the production of metallurgical-grade totalled 35.538 million tonnes, contributing 47.18 per cent to the total alumina output volume. Year-on-year, the world’s metallurgical-grade alumina production rose each month through the first quarter of 2025, demonstrating an increase of 5.9 per cent Y-o-Y from 33.552 million tonnes. In January, output rose 8 per cent over the year from 11.379 million...
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials (MPI-SusMat) in Germany have developed a new innovation that helps overcome the dilemma of aluminium's embrittlement , leading to cracking and failure when exposed to hydrogen. The problem In collaboration with partners from China and Japan, the researchers have introduced a groundbreaking alloy design strategy that resolves a long-standing trade-off. Their innovative approach achieves both outstanding strength and enhanced resistance to hydrogen embrittlement (HE), marking a significant step toward safer and more efficient aluminium components for the hydrogen economy. It is known that inspite of aluminium's widely valued nature for low weight and corrosion resistance, the green-metal faces a major hindrance when exposed...
AMAG Austria Metall AG, the biggest company in the Austrian aluminium sector, has announced the results for Q1 2025. The company witnessed growth in both revenue and earnings, with a 10 per cent rise in shipments under the rolling division, while the Metal Division benefited from higher aluminium prices and increased premiums. As anticipated, the challenging conditions in the European automotive sector had a noticeable impact on the Casting Division. AMAG Group's revenues rose by nearly 20 per cent to EUR 401.4 million in Q1 2025, up from EUR 335.8 million in Q1 2024, driven by higher shipment volumes and increased aluminium prices. Total shipments grew by approximately 6 per cent to 110,800 tonnes, compared to 104,200 tonnes in the same period last year. Earnings before interest, taxes,...
Swedish battery manufacturer Novo Energy’s partial owner, Northvolt, has filed for bankruptcy, citing over USD 8 billion in debt, which has in turn led to an unfortunate announcement of a 50 per cent staff layoff by the company. Image source: iStock The company struggled to secure funding to ramp up production at its Skelleftea plant. This development has significantly impacted its joint venture with Volvo Cars, which focuses on aluminium-based battery solutions. Northvolt's financial troubles stemmed from high operational costs and difficulties in scaling production. The company could not stabilise its operations despite substantial investments from stakeholders like Volkswagen and Goldman Sachs. The bankruptcy has raised concerns about the future of aluminium battery technology in...
As geopolitical tensions are on the rise and the subsequent pandemic era disrupts business growth, Tesla is quietly exploring alternative suppliers in India as it diversifies its semiconductor supply chain away from China. Sources report that Tesla has held talks with three major Indian chip ventures – US memory giant Micron’s new Gujarat assembly/testing plant, CG Semi (a Murugappa Group-led OSAT project), and Tata Electronics. Image Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/ Micron’s USD 2.7 billion Gujarat facility is slated for automotive-grade chip assembly and test , CG Semi’s Sanand unit (a JV with Japan’s Renesas and Taiwan’s Stars Microelectronics) will perform outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) for Renesas and others, and Tata Electronics has announced massive investments...
In less than a year, the central government of India has yet again introduced an amendment to the quality control regulations for aluminium and aluminium alloy products, set to take effect on October 1, 2025. Under the new directive, several aluminium products will be subjected to updated quality checks. These include aluminium alloy tubes used for irrigation (such as welded tubes), EC grade aluminium rods made through continuous casting and rolling, and wrought aluminium and aluminium alloy bars, rods, and sections, among others. However, exemptions have been made for imported products used in research and development. Additionally, small enterprises are allowed to import products that do not comply with the new Quality Control Order (QCO) until January 1, 2026, while micro enterprises...
Re:Water, the British spring water brand known for its 100 per cent recycled aluminium bottles, has expanded its product line with a new 330ml bottle. This addition caters to the hospitality industry's growing need for sustainable, premium alternatives to single-use plastics. The new 330ml bottle, available in both still and sparkling variants, complements Re:Water's existing 500ml offering. A larger 750ml bottle is also slated for release later this year. Designed for reuse and full recyclability, the sleek aluminium bottle aligns with eco-conscious initiatives across various sectors. A survey involving over 2,000 UK adults and 1,300 professionals in the hotel and travel sectors revealed that 78 per cent of consumers prefer aluminium packaging over single-use plastic or glass....
The Tasmanian government has hailed a strong start to the state’s new container deposit scheme, with one million containers returned in just the first four days. Out of these, 594,253 were collected in the South, 405,765 in the North, and 206,211 across the North West and West Coast. In terms of material, 62 per cent of the returned containers were aluminium, 25 per cent plastic, 12 per cent glass, and 1 per cent liquid paper board. Environment Minister Madeleine Ogilvie announced on Tuesday that the milestone was achieved at a refund point in Bridgewater’s Cove Hill Precinct. Recycle Rewards provides a ten-cent refund for each eligible container, managed by scheme coordinator TasRecycle in collaboration with network operator TOMRA Cleanaway. By the end of Sunday, over 1.2 million...
