Aluminium’s trade map is no longer drawn by smelters alone. Scrap flows, power contracts, industrial policy and specialist grades now shape who secures metal, at what cost and under whose rules. Ten recent developments across Europe, the US, Australia, Japan and Mexico show how recycling, energy and regulation are becoming the new levers of aluminium competitiveness. They also show where traders, exporters and policymakers may need to adjust. Scrap tug-of-war: the US pull, Europe’s leak and the recycling base at stake The pull starts with price. The US UBC scrap benchmark averaged USD 2,322.89 a tonne in July, USD 2,491.22 in August and USD 2,602.51 in September. That is a 12 per cent climb, and it came after a July that opened at USD 2,464.98 and fell to USD 2,270.76 within two days....
Aluminium prices recorded another gain on October 30, extending their late-month recovery as improving Chinese industrial indicators provided a supportive backdrop for the non-ferrous metals market. The latest movement comes amid a mixed demand environment, with stronger manufacturing activity and higher primary aluminium production in China contrasting with a broader slowdown in downstream purchasing. The benchmark aluminium quote reached USD 3,076.8, supported by a positive trading session. However, the recovery remains incomplete, with prices yet to return to the higher levels recorded earlier in the autumn. Aluminium rebounds from its late-October decline The daily price chart indicates a prolonged decline through June, followed by relatively stable trading and intermittent recoveries...
Grow with
AL Circle
The previous trading day, LME aluminium opened at $2,319 per tonne, hit a high of $2,327 per tonne and a low of $2,293 per tonne, and closed at $2,298.5 per tonne, down $16 per tonne, a decrease of 0.69 per cent. After witnessing a fall for the past few days, the LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price moved up by US$4.5 per tonne or 0.19 per cent and US$5 per tonne or 0.22 per cent. The prices as of Tuesday, July 23 settled at US$2,263 per tonne and US$2,264 per tonne. W-o-W the LME aluminium benchmark price had declined by US$99 per tonne or 4.18 per cent from US$2,363 per tonne. As per the LME price graph, both 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price inched down by US$1 per tonne or 0.04 per cent and US$0.5 per tonne or 0.02 per cent to settle at...
The Neath Port Talbot materials recycling facility (MRF) in South Wales, UK, was designed and installed by Ken Mills Engineering (KME). The plant features metal separation equipment designed and built by Bunting-Redditch, including a Permanent Overband Magnet and an Eddy Current Separator. The container recycling MRF in Neath Port Talbot processes dry-mixed recyclables, including aluminium cans, film, and plastic. Its design allows for easy future modifications, enabling the council to incorporate additional separation technologies, such as optical sorting. “The Bunting metal separators are just one stage in a successful recycling process. The ability to successfully recover the steel and aluminium is dependent on the feed. The excellent plant design means that there is liberated feed to...
On Tuesday, July 23, Norsk Hydro ASA, a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, headquartered in Oslo, posted its second quarter results for 2024, revealing a 7 per cent sequential increase in revenue to NOK 50,944 million versus NOK 47,545 million in Q1. However, on a year-on-year basis, the company's revenue decreased by 5 per cent from NOK 53,630 million. Hydro's total revenue in H1 2024 was NOK 98,490 million, down by 3.6 per cent from NOK 102,164 million in H1 2023. Hydro's Adjusted EBITDA also saw a year-on-year decline in Q2 2024, standing at NOK 5,839 million, down by 18 per cent from NOK 7,098 million. Sequentially, it rose 8 per cent from NOK 5,411 million. The year-on-year decline in Q2 adjusted EBITDA also led to a reduced EBITDA for H1 to NOK 11,250 million versus...
According to the latest data revealed by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), global primary aluminium production saw a year-on-year bullish trend through the first half of 2024 despite occasional slowdowns in certain months. In three of the first six months of 2024, world primary aluminium production witnessed a boost, exceeding 6 million tonnes each month, which drove the growth of the total H1 output, offsetting the impact of intermittent declines. According to IAI, world primary aluminium production in H1 amounted to 35.838 million tonnes, 3.89 per cent ahead of the previous year’s output of 34.495 million tonnes. In June 2024, the world’s production stood at 5.94 million tonnes, down M-o-M by 3.19 per cent from 6.136 million tonnes but up Y-o-Y by 3.18 per cent from 5.757...
Shaanxi Nonferrous Yulin New Materials Group recently reported that their production and operations have been stable and robust this year. From January to June, the company saw a 22.70 per cent increase in operating income and a 17.30 per cent rise in total profit compared to the same period last year. Scientific and technological innovation has emerged as a defining feature of Yulin New Materials Group. The company is making significant strides in the development of cutting-edge, high-performance aluminium-based materials, a testament to its commitment to staying at the forefront of the industry. Notably, their advancements in "aluminium electrolytic anode carbon slag decarbonisation and sodium removal technology for preparing aluminium fluoride and lithium phosphate" have reached an...
Consumer Convenience Technologies (CCT), the company behind the aluminium EEASY Lid, the first major innovation in jar lids in nearly 80 years, has announced a new peer-reviewed white paper. This paper examines the removal torque and hermetic seal performance of the EEASY Lid compared to traditional jar lids. The White Paper The white paper, "New Aluminum Lug Closure Reduces Removal Torque while Ensuring Hermetic Seals in Glass Jars," highlights CCT’s EEASY Lid as a significant innovation for the food packaging industry. The study compared the EEASY Lid with traditional steel lug jar lids, the industry standard, assessing both sealing performance and the torque required to remove the lids. Jars filled with tomato sauce and sealed with both types of lids were evaluated. The Cornell...
On Monday, July 22, the three-month LME aluminium contract opened at US$2,345 per tonne, reached a high of US$2,364.50 per tonne, a low of US$2,296 per tonne, and closed at US$2,314.50 per tonne, down US$35.50 per tonne or 1.51 per cent. The above downward graph of the LME aluminium benchmark price establishes a relentless decline in the price since the beginning of July. The previous day, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price nosedived by US$53 per tonne over the weekend to reach US$2,258.50 per tonne and US$2,259 per tonne, respectively. The prices stood at their lowest in almost four months amid growing concerns about demand, particularly lacklustre conditions in China, the top consumer of aluminium. The 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price...
The inaugural Sustainability in Packaging MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) summit, gathering packaging industry leaders from across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region in Dubai, was held in late May. Crown Holdings, whose Sandrine Duquerroy-Delesalle, director of sustainability & external affairs at Crown Bevcan EMEA, took part in one of the panels, provides an overview of sustainable packaging in MENA, with key takeaways from the event. Discussions centred on advancements in the region and the importance of aligning sustainability goals with growth opportunities. Duquerroy-Delesalle participated in a panel titled “Circular Economy – Global Players’ View of Consumer Shifts Towards Sustainable Consumption”. This panel focused on the circular economy, igniting...
Apple is a brand that resonates with innovation, sustainability, loyalty and creativity, so it is no wonder customers relate to it intimately. A recent leak has unveiled detailed configurations for Apple's upcoming 2025 iPhone lineup, including the iPhone 17 series and the iPhone SE 4. Constructed with an aluminium alloy frame, the iPhone SE 4 is expected to be priced between $499 (approximately RM2337) and $549 (about RM2572). Reports suggest that the iPhone SE 4 will be released between March and May 2025. It will feature a 6.06-inch LTPS screen with a 60Hz refresh rate and will be powered by Apple's latest A18 processor. The iPhone 17 series has seen significant upgrades. The iPhone 17 will feature a 6.27-inch screen with LTPO technology, an A19 processor, a dual rear camera, and an...
According to customs data released by the States Customs Service of Ukraine, aluminium and aluminium product exports from Ukraine during the first six months of 2024 were valued at $54.175 million, up by 12.8 per cent year over year. In June alone, the export value was $10.383 million. In the full-year 2023, Ukraine’s aluminium and aluminium product exports grew by 0.7 per cent Y-o-Y to $97.616 million, whereas the exports in 2022 plunged by 42.7 per cent to $96.972 million. Imports of Ukraine’s aluminium and aluminium products rose 7.7 per cent last year to $366.463 million versus $340.398 million in 2022 when imports dropped Y-o-Y. The increase in Ukraine’s aluminium export value could be due to several factors, such as competitive product pricing compared to other countries, higher...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China’s aluminium extrusion export volume, including HS codes 76041010, 76041090, 76042100, 76042910, and 76042990, amounted to 97,500 tonnes in June 2024, reflecting an increase of 6.47 per cent month-on-month and 9.14 per cent year-on-year. From January to June 2024, China’s aluminium extrusion export totalled 520,100 tonnes, up 11.61 per cent year-on-year. This increase is attributed to stronger overseas aluminium prices compared to domestic metals. Additionally, as the implementation of US sanctions on Chinese aluminium-extruded products is nearing, scheduled for Q4 2024, many companies are stocking up in advance, pushing up aluminium extrusion export orders in Liaoning and Hunan provinces. Among the top Chinese aluminium extrusion...
Coca-Cola's new campaign, launched in July, captures the essence of unity and celebration at the Olympic and Paralympic Games with the theme "It's magic when the world comes together." As the world prepares for Paris 2024, the campaign highlights the unifying power of sport to bridge differences and promote cross-cultural connections. Themed aluminium cans Launched shortly after Coca-Cola was honoured as Creative Brand of the Year at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the campaign features a unique design on aluminium cans. These cans showcase half of a hug, and when two cans are placed side by side, they complete the embrace, a design that truly stands out. "Our differences are what make us unique, but when we come together, that's when the 'Real Magic' happens....
The Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter, owned by Rio Tinto and the Sumitomo Group, has decided to reduce its power consumption by 185 megawatts, which is about 4 per cent of the country's energy usage. According to a report, the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter's decision is based on historically low hydro lake levels affecting Meridian Energy's power generation. Last week, Meridian Energy appealed to the smelter to cut power usage of 100 megawatts. Meridian Energy's wholesale general manager, Chris Ewers, said the company issued the power usage cut notice to the Tiwai Point Smelter to help manage South Island hydro storage levels after recent low rainfall. Meridian Energy has the right to ask the Tiwai smelter to reduce its power usage as part of a 20-year energy supply contract signed in May ....
Tadweer Group has rolled out 25 Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) at key locations throughout Abu Dhabi, such as Umm Al Emarat Park and Zayed International Airport, with further installations on the way. This initiative is a collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), ADNEC Group, the Department of Municipalities and Transport, and Khadamat Facilities Management as part of UAE University. About the partnership This partnership aims to maximise the value of waste by employing advanced solutions like waste masters and anaerobic digesters, along with other innovative technologies. Tadweer Group is showcasing its dedication to research and development by introducing technologies such as Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) to promote a circular economy and support...
On Sunday, IT & Industries and Commerce Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu announced that the USA-based global leader in aluminium packaging has expressed interest in setting up an INR 700 crore production unit in Telangana. Telangana is a state in India situated in the southern-central part of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. Ball Beverage Packaging, the USA-based global leader in aluminium packaging, has expressed interest in setting up a production unit in Telangana, which could create 500 jobs. Representatives from the company, which supplies aluminium cans to the beer, soft drinks, and perfume industries, met with the minister to discuss their expansion plans. Sridhar Babu stated that he would discuss the matter with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Excise Minister...
The previous trading day, LME aluminium opened at US$2,381.5 per tonne, with a high of US$2,385.5 per tonne, a low of US$2,350 per tonne, and closed at US$2,350 per tonne, down US$35.5 per tonne, a decrease of 1.49 per cent. On Friday, July 19, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price slumped by US$22.5 per tonne or 0.96 per cent and US$23 per tonne or 0.98 per cent to settle at US$2,311.50 per tonne and US$2,312 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price dwindled by US$29 per tonne to clock at US$2,367 per tonne and US$2,368 per tonne. As per the LME data, December 25 bid price and December 25 offer price dropped by US$27 per tonne or 1.05 per cent to dock at US$2,528 per tonne and US$2,533 per tonne. On the same day, LME aluminium opening...
Vedanta Limited, the Indian multinational mining and metal giant, has achieved a significant financial feat. The company successfully raised over USD 1 billion (INR 8,500 crore) through a Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP), as revealed in a recent stock exchange filing. The QIP, which involved 19.31 crore equity shares, was priced at INR 440 per share, a 4.61 per cent discount to the floor price of INR 461.26 per equity share. This successful issue concluded on July 19. The QIP, which saw the participation of major players in the investment industry, including the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Goldman Sachs AMC, Nippon Mutual Fund, SBI Mutual Fund, UTI Mutual Fund, ICICI Mutual Fund, Aditya Birla Mutual Fund, and Mirae Mutual Fund, is a testament to the confidence these...
The Planning Institute of Jamaica's 2023 Economic and Social Survey reveals that the local bauxite sector almost doubled its output last year, significantly contributing to an 86.8 per cent growth in the mining and quarrying industry compared to 2022. This recent edition of the survey, tabled in Parliament on July 17, 2024, provides a comprehensive analysis of Jamaica's economic and social performance for the previous year. The findings highlight mining as the industry with the highest growth rate in 2023. In 2022, the mining sector experienced a substantial decline, with a -35 per cent reduction in its real value added (RVA). However, last year, mining accounted for 1.8 per cent of Jamaica's total gross RVA, up from 1.0 per cent in 2022. RVA measures an industry's contribution to a...
