Saudi Arabia’s aluminium consumption could climb to as much as 1.8 million tonnes a year by 2030, as the Kingdom ramps up infrastructure and industrial development ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Ahmad Al-Alshaikh, executive vice president of Maaden’s Aluminum Business Unit, said demand is expected to reach at least 1.6 million tonnes annually by 2030, up from around 1 million tonnes currently. Consumption could potentially double over the next five to seven years, he said. Speaking on the sidelines of the Fastmarkets International Aluminium Conference in Budapest, Al-Alshaikh said construction of 15 new stadiums for the football tournament is helping to support aluminium demand, Reuters reported. Major exhibitions and preparations for the World Cup are also expected to contribute to...
The story of the aluminium industry is starting a chapter wherein scrap availability, recycling technology, trade policy, carbon costs and demand growth are becoming increasingly interconnected. From the US and Canada to Europe, India, New Zealand and China, recent developments show that the global aluminium supply chain is being reshaped on several fronts at once. These developments point to a changing aluminium business model: access to metal alone may no longer be enough. Quality of recycled feedstock, domestic processing capacity, carbon intensity, trade exposure and the ability to meet increasingly specific customer requirements could become equally important competitive factors. Join the fourth edition of the webinar “Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours” by Jorge...
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Australia-based East Coast Canning + Printing is set to launch its latest game-changing creation, the ‘BulletProof’, hailed as the world’s most durable digitally printed can. This outcome results from three years of relentless innovation and precision testing. This proprietary breakthrough redefines what digital Printing can achieve. Packed in sustainable and recyclable aluminium cans, this game-changing innovation is designed to withstand the toughest conditions without compromising visual brilliance, BulletProof offers unmatched durability, expanded creative freedom for brand designers, and rock-solid integrity for labels and logos - sip after sip. “Digitally printed aluminium cans present an incredible opportunity for sustainable packaging across almost every beverage category, from...
Due to a sweeping debt restructuring at Ardagh Group, billionaire Paul Coulson, who has worked at the global packaging giant for over 35 years, will have to relinquish his control over the company. Creditors will take over the charge by paying Coulson USD 250 million in return as part of the proposed deal. Image source: logonoid.com With the USD 250 million, Coulson is asked to exit his powers over the Group's glass operations and stakes in AMP. It has surfaced that the firm is undertaking debt restructuring due to heavy debt worth USD 12.5 billion, where bonds will refinance roughly USD 2.5 billion by August 2026, besides undertaking recapitalisation efforts. Currently, AMP's 76 per cent is owned by the Ardagh Group, which reportedly had greater financial performance in the recent...
Impact Minerals has unveiled the latest progress report of its transformative pre-feasibility study (PFS) for its Lake Hope High Purity Alumina (HPA) project in Western Australia, positioning itself as a potential global cost leader in the burgeoning battery and tech-grade alumina sector. Managing Director Dr Mike Jones detailed the findings and outlined a bold strategy for vertical integration, downstream processing, and by-product monetisation that could significantly amplify project economics through a recently released media release by the company. Image for representational purposes only The PFS, conducted on the Lake Hope project located approximately 500 kilometres east of Perth, has revealed a compelling investment case. At the core of the results lies a net present value (NPV) of...
On June 9, 2025, Ju Anran, Senior Manager of SMM's Aluminum Division, and Liu Xinyi, Analyst of SMM's Aluminum Division, led a delegation on a field trip to visit Indonesia Chemical Alumina (ICA), a bauxite mine and chemical-grade alumina refinery owned by PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam) in Indonesia. PT Aneka Tambang Tbk, established in 1968 and headquartered in Jakarta, is wholly owned by the state-owned holding company PT Mineral Industri Indonesia (Persero). The company's main businesses include the mining and sales of mineral resources such as nickel, gold, and bauxite. In 2024, Antam achieved a bauxite production of 1.1 million wmt and a chemical-grade alumina production of 180,000 mt, providing a solid resource guarantee for Indonesia's domestic industry chain. To promote deep...
On June 22, 2025, the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament passed a resolution in favour of closing the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision rests with the Supreme National Security Council of Iran. The market is concerned about whether the closure of the Strait of Hormuz would impact the alumina and bauxite markets. Image for representational purposes only According to SMM, the Middle East region, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Oman, Qatar, Turkey, and Bahrain, has a combined electrolytic aluminium capacity of 6.92 million tonnes per year. Alumina capacity stands at only 4.95 million tonnes per year, distributed across Turkey, Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. From the perspective of the Middle East alone, there is a deficit in alumina,...
It has been reported that over 80,000 used PET bottles and aluminium cans have been gathered through the initiative of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) and the Samoa and Tokelau Association of Recyclers (S.T.A.R.)’s initiative, launched this month. It is a pilot project in Central Apia for about three months, where it encourages the consumers to return all the used beverage cans and bottles, for which they would be getting a return of 5 sene. It is assumed by the S.T.A.R. and CCEP that it would help to recycle the scrap from the Tafaigata Landfill. While S.T.A.R. is assigned the task of collecting the used cans, the CCEP mainly focuses on exporting the collected cans for recycling purposes. Image source: Pooraka Bottle & Can The main motivation behind this initiative is to spread...
In the first quarter of 2025, Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased their holdings in Ball Corporation by 51.3 per cent, owning 1,474 post-purchase shares after purchasing an additional 500 shares in the same timeframe. As per the recent filing with the US Securities and Exchange (SEC), the organisation holds shares worth USD 77,000 in Ball Corporation. Based on reports shared by multiple research analysts, Truist Financial, back in April 2022, cut their target price of Ball's shares from USD 65 to USD 58, setting a "buy" rating. On the same note, on April 7, UBS Group lowered its target share price from USD 55 to USD 54, marking it as a "neutral" rating. Additionally, on April 15, Mizuho lowered its share price target from USD 63 to USD 58, setting it as an "outperform" rating. On the...
Over the past few years, Russia has ramped up its aluminium exports to China and other Asian economies. According to the latest trade data by the Chinese Statistical Service, China imported USD 612.1 million worth of Russian aluminium in April 2025 alone, which accounts for close to double the figure recorded in April 2024. This surge has pushed Russia’s share into Chinese aluminium imports to 39.5 per cent, up significantly from 22.7 per cent a year earlier. Between January and April 2025, China purchased a total of USD 2.05 billion worth of aluminium from Russia, marking a 1.5× increase compared to the same period in 2024. Image for representational purposes only This spike is not just in monetary terms but also in physical volumes. In April 2025, China’s imports of primary aluminium...
Sohar Aluminium on Sunday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Athar Healthcare Endowment Foundation to enhance cooperation in supporting priority health initiatives and projects in the Sultanate of Oman. This partnership aligns with joint efforts to promote the sustainability of healthcare services and contribute to the development of the health sector. The agreement was signed by Ahmed Mohammed Al Kharousi, Director General of Human Resources and Corporate Affairs at Sohar Aluminium, and Ali Hassan Al Lawati, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Athar Foundation. The MoU aims to establish a structured mechanism for directing donations and contributions within the framework of corporate social responsibility, supporting the establishment of sustainable healthcare...
With a view to reducing the gap between industrial practice and academics, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) and the Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC) successfully hosted a two-day aluminium metallurgy workshop at VNIT and JNARDC campuses. The workshop was held on June 21-22 and witnessed the presence of industry professionals, researchers, and academia, reflecting an endeavour of collective unity in improving India's manufacturing capability. The workshop, 'Aluminium – Metallurgy and Advanced Techniques in Casting and Heat Treatment (AL-MATCH)', was a fusion of experience and in-depth scientific know-how. Over 75 delegates from manufacturers, foundries, and extrusion houses gathered at the two campuses in Nagpur. Though similar...
Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the United States, expressed confidence that the two countries could successfully reach a trade agreement within the 30-day deadline set during last week's G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. This was announced right after a disappointing outcome at the G7 summit, where Canada had signalled to take stricter action against the US. Hillman stated it is "too soon to tell" whether all US tariffs on Canadian goods will be lifted and declined to clarify whether the federal government would accept the continuation of any tariffs. She emphasised that Canada is advocating for "open trade and stability" to support Canadian workers and businesses. "We can't do anything to force the US side to come to a deal, but we do think we have a good path forward if we're...
While bauxite imports to the United States show a steady course, alumina tells a different story. In the first quarter of 2025, US alumina imports reached 439,000 tonnes, marking a significant uptick both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter. The data revealed a 24.7 per cent rise from the previous quarter (352,000 tonnes) and an even sharper 53.5 per cent leap compared to Q1 2024 (286,000 tonnes), signaling a marked shift in sourcing dynamics. The upward trajectory, which began in Q2 2024 with 325,000 tonnes, gained momentum through Q3 (378,000 tonnes), momentarily slowed in Q4 (352,000 tonnes), and rebounded strongly in Q1 2025. This pattern, when juxtaposed with falling domestic production, paints a clear picture: the US is becoming increasingly dependent on imported alumina. Brazil and...
Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL), a subsidiary of Coal India, is set to bring two new coal mines into production during the ongoing financial year, which is expected to boost its capacity by 10-12 million tonnes annually, according to a top official. Image credit: clarke-energy.com This expansion effort aligns with CCL’s production targets of surpassing 110 million tonnes this fiscal and reaching 150 million tonnes by 2030. “We have planned to open two new mines this year,” said Nilendu Kumar Singh, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of CCL, speaking to reporters. Production at the Kotre Basantpur block, a coking coal mine with a peak rated capacity of 5 million tonnes, is scheduled to commence by October 2025. Meanwhile, the Chandragupta open-cast project, a non-coking coal mine with a...
In the wake of the Trump administration's tariff hike to 50 per cent on aluminium excluding the scrap, alongside the UK coming into a discussion for relief, a rising concern has levitated in Europe. A silent "scrap battle" arises from Europe, which is deemed to have lost a vast amount of aluminium scrap and is said to be going into the US domains. The demand surge for European aluminium scrap after the doubling of the US tariff on primary aluminium is creating a threat to the in-house recycling facilities. This has been a concern since European aluminium scrap is referred to as "strategic raw material" enriched with energy and value. Hence, an excessive outflow of scrap can affect the continent's sustainability goals. Other threats include climate goals, energy security, and the...
When President Trump invoked Section 232 ‘national security’ tariffs on imported auto parts (effective May 3, 2025), it was a uniform 25 per cent duty on key systems from transmissions to lithium-ion batteries. Panic spread far and wide! And then, to temper the immediate cost shock for US automakers, the Department of Commerce rolled out an ‘Offset Credit’ mechanism. But, answers to what exactly the mechanism is, how to leverage it, and how beneficial the mechanism can be for US automakers and global businesses are found scattered across the board. Image for referential purposes only In 2024, the United States of America solidified its position as the world’s leading market for automotive products, importing a record USD 474.3 billion worth of vehicles, engines and parts while exporting...
Futures Market: On Friday, the most-traded SHFE aluminium 2508 contract opened at RMB 20,425 per tonne, with a high of RMB 20,465 per tonne, a low of RMB 20,400 per tonne, and closed at RMB 20,425 per tonne. Trading volume was 56,000 lots and open interest was 248,000 lots. On Friday, LME aluminium opened at USD 2,525 per tonne, with a high of USD 2,564 per tonne, a low of USD 2,513 per tonne, and closed at USD 2,561.5 per tonne. Trading volume was 13,000 lots, and open interest was 3,000 lots. Macro: (1) Fed Governor Waller: Interest rate cuts could potentially occur as early as the July meeting. Fed's Barkin: Current data does not show an urgent need for interest rate cuts. Fed's Daly: Economic fundamentals are moving in a direction that may require interest rate cuts. (Neutral ★) (2)...
On June 6, 2025, Ju Anran, Senior Manager of SMM's Aluminum Category, and Liu Xinyi, Analyst of SMM's Aluminum Category, led a delegation to the Jakarta office of Huafon Group, where they held discussions with the group's management team. PT Hua Chin Aluminum Indonesia is a joint venture registered in the Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. It was jointly funded by Huafon Group Co., Ltd. (established in May 1991, headquartered in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, specialising in new chemical materials, with products covering adipic acid and downstream polymers such as polyurethane, spandex, microfibers, etc., employing over 18,000 people, and generating revenue exceeding $10 billion in 2022) and Tsingshan Holding Group (holding a 35 per cent stake) in a 65:35 ratio, with a...
Dismissing recent reports suggesting otherwise, Waaree Energies CEO and whole-time director Amit Paithankar has reaffirmed that the company’s integrated solar manufacturing facility in Odisha is progressing as planned, with no change in location. This statement comes in the wake of a regulatory filing on June 19, which indicated that Waaree’s board had approved a change in the location of its originally proposed project—initially slated for Dhenkanal, Odisha. The filing also noted that the company had begun exploring alternative sites with abundant renewable energy resources, listing Gujarat and Tamil Nadu as potential options. This development sparked speculation that Waaree was exiting Odisha . Further fueling doubts, the company’s revised manufacturing roadmap made no mention of...
