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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During our annual conference, we shared an important update: the CIFE headquarters have been moved next to the main headquarters of Foundry Ecocer. This strategic choice will allow us to work in a more direct and synergic way. CIFE, a historic manufacturer of industrial furnaces and systems, is controlled by Foundry Ecocer and represents a fundamental piece that completes our range of solutions for the non-ferrous foundry. Foundry Ecocer boasts one of the most complete range of solutions for the non-ferrous foundry, covering the entire supply chain of aluminum, its alloys, copper alloys, zinc and all non-ferrous metals. The integration of CIFE, a company specialised in the production of industrial furnaces, represents a fundamental strategic step: with this synergy we improve our offer,...
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...
Aluminum Association President & CEO Charles Johnson issued the following statement in response the Trump administration’s decision to increase Section 232 aluminium tariffs from 25 per cent to 50 per cent: “Re-establishing a more level playing field for domestic producers is critical but a Section 232 tariff of 50 per cent threatens to undermine the very industry the administration aims to support. The Aluminum Association, which represents the full industry supply chain and 70 per cent of domestic production, urges the administration to reconsider today's decision given the negative impact it will have on manufacturers. Aluminium and steel are fundamentally different metals with distinct supply chains, market dynamics and strategic challenges. A one-size-fits-all approach to trade...
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...
Analysts from Morgan Stanley stated that US President Trump's decision to double aluminium import tariffs to 50 per cent could drive up aluminium prices and the costs for its users. Analysts noted that using a premium benchmark of 20 cents per pound for consumers purchasing aluminium in the US physical market, raising tariffs to 50 per cent would ‘imply further aluminium price increases in the future to maintain metal inflows’ into the US. Image for referential purposes only On June 2, the Midwest duty-paid aluminium premium in the US reached USD 0.58 per pound, or USD 1,279 per tonne, surging 54 per cent from May 30, when Trump announced his plan to raise aluminium and steel tariffs starting June 4. Goldman Sachs analysts stated that the premium must rise to between USD 0.68 and USD 0.70...
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...
According to SMM statistics, domestic aluminium production in May 2025 (31 days) increased by 2.7 per cent Y-o-Y and 3.4 per cent M-o-M. In May, the operating capacity of domestic aluminium smelters remained stable M-o-M, mainly due to no new projects or maintenance and production cut appearing during the month. Image source: GOLDINVEST The supply of raw materials for aluminium smelting was sufficient, and profits were moderate. In May, the proportion of liquid aluminium in domestic aluminium smelters increased significantly. The industry's proportion of liquid aluminium rose by 1.48 percentage points M-o-M to 75.5 per cent in May, mainly due to reduced casting ingot production and an increased proportion of liquid aluminium in enterprises in multiple northern regions. It is expected that...
Futures Market: Overnight, the most-traded alumina 2509 futures contract opened at RMB 2,906 per tonne, with a high of RMB 2,907 per tonne, a low of RMB 2,880 per tonne, and closed at RMB 2,883 per tonne, down RMB 9 per tonne or 0.31 per cent, with open interest at 300,000 lots. Image for representational purposes only Ore: As of June 9, the SMM Import Bauxite Index was reported at USD 75.12 per tonne, down USD 0.08 per tonne from the previous trading day. The SMM Guinea Bauxite CIF average price was reported at USD 75 per tonne, unchanged from the previous trading day. The SMM Australia Low-Temperature Bauxite CIF average price was reported at USD 70 per tonne, unchanged from the previous trading day. The SMM Australia High-Temperature Bauxite CIF average price was reported at USD 65 per...
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...
Europe, including Russia, recorded a 2.2 per cent year-on-year growth in primary aluminium production during the first four months of 2025, driven by consistent growth in almost every month barring February when the output was 537,000 tonnes this year, compared to 540,000 tonnes in February 2024. Interestingly, the production pattern in 2025 closely mirrored that of the previous year, following a similar trajectory—dipping in February, rebounding in March, and tapering again in April – yet concluded the first four months with a rise from 2.26 million tonnes to 2.31 million tonnes, according to data releaved by the International Aluminium Institute. This increase was particularly due to a stronger growth momentum in production through April 2025 compared to the previous year. For instance,...
In a landmark move, China’s East Hope Group (EHG), one of the world’s leading non-ferrous metals conglomerates, has unveiled plans to invest over USD 12 billion in Kazakhstan’s green aluminium and non-ferrous metals sector. The announcement came following high-level talks on February 17, 2025, between EHG’s General Director Changjun Meng and top Kazakh officials, including First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar and the leadership of Kazakh Invest. Image source: https://www.energyinnovation.net.au/ What the project entails The investment blueprint by East Hope Group outlines the development of a vertically integrated industrial complex that will span multiple regions across Kazakhstan. This megaproject is expected to include a mining and raw material processing plant, a full-fledged...
A Chicago-based startup Sun Metalon is taking on one of the world’s biggest climate challenges with a bold solution of turning industrial waste into a valuable resource. The company says its breakthrough technology can removes gunk and grime from discarded metal slivers, enabling their reuse and helping cut emissions in aluminium and steel production that together account for roughly 7 per cent of global carbon emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. Decarbonising these heavyweights is no small task. It will require a sweeping transformation of industrial systems rooted in more than a century of tradition, along with costly upgrades to massive steel and aluminium mills. But by tapping into overlooked waste streams, this startup hopes to chip away at emissions one dirty...
