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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In a setback to Odisha's industrial aspirations, Waaree Energies, India's largest solar module manufacturer, has decided to shelve its plans for an integrated solar manufacturing facility in the state. The ambitious project, initially slated for Dhenkanal district, was to encompass the full solar value chain, including the production of ingots, wafers, cells, and modules under one roof. Image source: Waaree Energies In a regulatory filing on Thursday, June 19, Waaree stated that its original project location, outlined in the prospectus dated October 23, 2024, would be changed as approved by the board. Now, it is awaiting the approval of shareholders. "The company is experiencing delays in the execution of the project at the location specified in the Prospectus," said Waaree in a...
Daniyar Amangeldiev, First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, met with Irina Kazovskaya, Chairwoman of the Russian Aluminium Association, to explore avenues for cooperation during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, according to Trend, citing the Kyrgyz Cabinet. Image credit: eaeunion.org The meeting also included top officials from RUSAL, one of the world’s largest aluminium producers. Discussions centred on innovative aluminium projects currently underway in Russia and abroad. These initiatives involve cutting-edge aluminium applications used extensively in infrastructure development, including bridges, roads and metal structures. Alongside the presentation of these projects, both sides exchanged views on the broader prospects for the aluminium...
According to the General Administration of Customs of China, in May 2025, China imported 17.514 million tonnes of bauxite, down 15.32 per cent MoM and up 29.43 per cent Y-o-Y. From January to May 2025, China's cumulative bauxite imports reached 85.2872 million tonnes, up 25.84 per cent Y-o-Y. Image source: https://ligaasuransi.com/ Regarding the mainstream import sources of bauxite: In May, China imported 13.2234 million tonnes of bauxite from Guinea, down 20.97 per cent M-o-M and up 40.65 per cent Y-o-Y. The impact of Guinea's rainy season gradually became evident, with port departures in May reaching approximately 16 million tonnes, a 3.67 per cent decrease from April. In terms of weekly average port departures, the average for the five weeks in May was 3.5977 million tonnes, compared...
Sonoco Products Company, a global leader in sustainable, value-added packaging, including steel and aluminium, has announced the appointment of Paul Joachimczyk as Chief Financial Officer, effective June 30, 2025. Joachimczyk brings extensive financial leadership experience, having most recently served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Corporate Secretary at American Woodmark Corporation, one of the largest cabinet manufacturers in the United States. Before that, he held the role of Vice President of Finance at TopBuild Corp., a construction services and distribution company headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida. His earlier career includes finance leadership roles at Stanley Black & Decker, as well as General Electric’s Healthcare and Capital Markets divisions. “We...
In May 2025, China exported 207,800 tonnes of alumina, up 104.6 per cent Y-o-Y; imported 67,500 tonnes of alumina, down 26.3 per cent Y-o-Y; and had a net import of -140,300 tonnes of alumina in May. From January to May 2025, China's cumulative imports of alumina reached 167,000 tonnes, down 85.4 per cent Y-o-Y; cumulative exports of alumina amounted to 1.1723 million tonnes, up 79.4 per cent Y-o-Y; and cumulative net imports of alumina stood at -1.0053 million tonnes. (Based on 8-digit HS code: 28182000) In May 2025, the portion of China's alumina exports to Russia accounted for 88.28 per cent of the total export volume, with Russia remaining the primary destination for China's alumina exports. From January to May 2025, China exported a cumulative 780,000 tonnes of alumina to Russia,...
The Indian government has taken a bold step by implementing five-year anti-dumping duties on aluminium foil from Russia, China and Taiwan. The duties are imposed under the finding of unfair trade practices that are poised to hurt the domestic industries, following the Indian aluminium extrusion industry’s demand to implement safeguard measures to protect the underutilised domestic units from potential overdumping by Free Trade Agreement countries. With the anti-dumping duties for the next five years, where is the Indian aluminium foil industry heading? Image source: iasgyan.in Back in March 2024, India launched a probe into aluminium foil imports from China to safeguard the interest of the domestic industries. This was initiated in response to the complaint filed by key domestic players...
According to data from the General Administration of Customs, domestic primary aluminium exports in May 2025 were approximately 32,000 tonnes, up 136.9 per cent M-o-M and up 376.4 per cent Y-o-Y. The cumulative total primary aluminium exports from January to May 2025 were approximately 67,000 tonnes, showing a Y-o-Y increase of around 215.6 per cent. Image for representational purposes only According to data from the same above-mentioned source, domestic primary aluminium imports in May 2025 were approximately 223,200 tonnes, down 10.9 per cent M-o-M and up 41.4 per cent Y-o-Y. From January to May, the cumulative total of domestic primary aluminium imports was approximately 1.0575 million tonnes, down 3.7 per cent Y-o-Y. Note: This article has been issued by SMM and has been published by...
Following a disappointing outcome at the G7 summit, Canada has signaled to adopt a tougher stance against the United States, as a renewed trade standoff threatens to unravel years of economic integration under the USMCA. Initially, the G7 platform had reignited a hope for the cooperative spirit that led to the 2020 USMCA trade pact, often dubbed “NAFTA 2.0”, but eventually concluded without any resolution on escalating tariff tensions. As a result, Canada is preparing to implement further retaliatory measures against the US, responding to Washington’s planned 50 per cent tariff hike on Canadian goods scheduled to take effect on July 9, 2025. At the heart of the dispute lies the inability of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump to reconcile differences on...
In the red-dust heartland of Lanjigarh, India, where bauxite is transformed into smelter-grade alumina, Vedanta Aluminium is quietly scripting a different kind of transformation, and this time, not in the refinery, but in how industry reimagines waste. At the Lanjigarh plant, a spirited scrap art sculpture competition recently unfolded. Image source: Youtube (Krishna Tech & Electri) Hosted by Vedanta Lanjigarh, a critical cog in Vedanta Aluminium’s downstream value chain, a competition invited employees and business partners to team up and repurpose industrial scrap into striking works of art. Not a mere display of aesthetic flair, each sculpture, curated and created under the leadership of departmental heads, became a living testament to the plant’s ethos that sustainability isn’t a...
Whittley Marine Group, a leading Australian trailer boat manufacturer and retailer, has broadened its lineup with the launch of the new Whittley AL Series, a range of aluminium boats that are now available at all five Whittley Boating Centre locations nationwide. The AL Series features six compact aluminium boat, motor, and trailer (BMT) packages, each under 5.5 metres in length. Designed to offer budget-friendly, ready-to-launch options for Australian boating enthusiasts, the series includes a variety of popular styles such as bow riders, side consoles, centre consoles, runabouts, and open tiller steer models. Whittley Marine Group’s General Manager, Brock Cohen, stated that the introduction of aluminium models supports the company’s strategic vision of delivering a comprehensive trailer...
Uno Minda, a leading automotive components and systems manufacturing company, is setting up an aluminium die-casting plant in Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra, after the board approved an INR 210 crore (USD 25.15 million) investment. The firm added 2.23 per cent post-approval to set up the greenfield manufacturing facility. This expansion aims to meet the rapidly growing demand for casting components pivoted in electric EVs (two- and four-wheelers). Image source: craftsmanautomation.com With the hastened movement towards electric vehicles, the demand for lightweight and high-performing vehicle platforms is where aluminium die casting is becoming critical. Advanced die-casting capabilities are required within the EV's aluminium-based structure and thermal capabilities, especially for the EV...
Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, has announced the expansion of wire rod production capacity at its subsidiary, Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), as part of its broader growth strategy to scale overall aluminium production to 1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). This move comes amid surging domestic demand driven by the rapid development of India’s digital infrastructure and industrial growth. With India accelerating its 5G rollout, rural broadband expansion, smart city projects, and cloud infrastructure, aluminium is gaining prominence as the material of choice. Its high conductivity, corrosion resistance, lightweight and strength make it ideal for modern infrastructure needs. BALCO’s BIS-certified aluminium wire rods are playing a pivotal role in supporting this...
Hindalco industries' wholly owned subsidiary, A.V. Minerals (Netherlands) N.V., has acquired 100 per cent equity in Aditya Holdings LLC, a newly incorporated entity, through a capital subscription worth USD 100. The acquisition, completed on June 19, 2025, was formalised through the execution of an operating agreement between the two entities, with Aditya Holdings LLC now operating as a step-down wholly owned subsidiary of Hindalco. Image for representational purposes only Aditya Holdings LLC, incorporated just weeks earlier on June 3, 2025, is positioned within the metals sector and is set to engage in manufacturing, processing and trading of metal products, alloys, and by-products — spanning aluminium, copper, and both metallurgical and non-metallurgical alumina. According to Hindalco’s...
On Thursday, the aluminium extrusion industry called on the government to implement protective measures to support underutilised domestic units from potential overdumping by FTA countries. The industry is struggling to remain viable due to free trade agreements with several Far East countries, which permit duty-free imports and threaten the survival of nearly 500 Indian manufacturers. The Aluminium Extrusion Manufacturers Association of India (ALEMAI) also urged its members and the broader industry to adopt quality standards and ensure compliance, stressing the need to counter the rising influx of low-cost, substandard imports. "The total installed production capacity in India is 3.5 million tonnes per annum. However, the aluminium extrusion industry can utilise only around 2 million...
China’s wrought and unwrought aluminium imports in May 2025 displayed a reverse pattern compared to April. In May, imports rose year-on-year but declined month-on-month, while April had shown the opposite — higher imports than the previous month but lower than the same period in 2024. According to the General Administration of Customs, China’s wrought and unwrought aluminium imports in May 2025 were 350,000 tonnes, up by 14.7 per cent in May and down by 5.4 per cent from 370,000 tonnes. In contrast, the import volume in April , standing at 350,000 tonnes, was up by 2.94 per cent M-o-M from 340,000 tonnes but down by 7.89 per cent from 380,000 tonnes. In the first five months of 2025, China’s wrought and unwrought aluminium imports totalled 1.67 million tonnes, down by 12.08 per cent from...
Anil Agarwal, the Chairman of Indian mining conglomerate Vedanta Limited, has divulged the intention to position itself as a global leader in the transition metals, energy, technology and critical minerals, dubbed "Vedanta 2.0" for the next growth phase. The firm has also announced its FY25 recorded revenue and EBITDA, future growth plans and demerger progress. Image source: linkedin.com While addressing the stakeholders about the group's annual report, Mr Agarwal highlighted its position at a pivotal inflexion point, backed by a record financial performance, robust cost leadership and the near-completion of its value-unlocking demerger exercise. He further emphasised the importance of the group's organisational realignment, greater focus on vertical integration and its expanding role in...
One year since its BRL 1.3 billion (USD 234 million) investment to phase out fuel oil and switch entirely to natural gas, Hydro’s Alunorte refinery in Pará, Brazil, has managed to cut a staggering 700 thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. The figure is not only a testament to the scale of the project but also a signal to the rest of the global alumina industry that real decarbonisation milestones are achievable — if backed by strategic foresight, capital intensity, and infrastructure reform. Image for representational purposes only The fuel switch at Alunorte involved converting six steam-generation units and seven calciners to operate fully on natural gas. To make this feasible in a relatively underdeveloped energy corridor, Hydro partnered with New Fortress Energy, which...
Today, SHFE aluminium prices moved higher in the morning session due to low aluminium ingot inventory and continued destocking. However, against the backdrop of the off-season, actual demand remained weak, and the futures market pulled back. In today's spot market, due to weekend stockpiling demand, trading activity slightly improved, but downstream purchase willingness remained low. In east China, the market offered goods at a premium of RMB 5 per tonne over the SMM average price in the morning. Due to the lack of incremental demand during the off-season, market quotes and transactions were mostly concentrated at parity with the SMM price. Today, SMM A00 aluminium was reported at RMB 20,720 per tonne, down RMB 50 per tonne from the previous trading day, with a premium of RMB 180 per...
