
I. Total volume: Monthly pattern shifts from net import to net export According to the latest data from the General Administration of Customs of China, from January to August 2026, China's cumulative alumina imports reached 2.994 million tonnes, up more than fivefold year-on-year; cumulative exports totalled 2.339 million tonnes, up about 33 per cent year-on-year; cumulative net imports stood at 654,000 tonnes, narrowing from 729,000 tonnes in January–July. Although the net import pattern persists, the scale of net imports has continued to shrink, further easing the impact of imports on the domestic market. On a monthly basis, China imported 349,500 tonnes of alumina and exported 425,000 tonnes in August, resulting in net exports of 75,500 tonnes — the first shift from net imports to net...
Aluminium cans are maintaining a clear lead in global beverage container recycling, with the latest 2026 data depicting a jump in aluminium can recycling rate from 74.8 per cent to 76 per cent. The figures place aluminium well ahead of PET bottles and glass bottles, highlighting the role of beverage cans in the global circular economy. Aluminium cans with clear recycling edge The 2026 Global Beverage Container Recycling Dataset, released by the Global Beverage Can Circularity Alliance (GBCCA), shows a significant gap between aluminium cans and other major beverage packaging formats. Globally, 77 per cent of aluminium cans are collected for recycling and 76 per cent are recycled. By comparison, PET bottles record collection and recycling rates of 69 per cent and 54 per cent, respectively,...
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The global aluminium market is a dynamic and expansive industry that plays a pivotal role in various sectors of the economy, including aerospace, automotive, construction, and packaging. China has emerged as a dominant player in this market due to its significant production capacity and strategic investments in the aluminium sector. China is home to several leading aluminium profile manufacturers, significantly contributing to the global market. Here are some top manufacturers and their unique offerings: Zhongwang Group: Established in 1993, Zhongwang Aluminium is a pioneering force and prominent player in the global industry. Its corporate headquarters are situated in Liaoyang City, Liaoning, China. Renowned as Asia's largest aluminium extrusion manufacturer and the second-largest...

The 2023 Guangxi Top 100 Private Enterprises Press Conference was held in Nanning on September 5th. Guangxi Ping Aluminum Group ranked 15th in the "2023 Guangxi Top 100 Private Enterprises" and 11th in the "2023 Guangxi Top 100 Private Enterprises in Manufacturing Industry". Leaders such as Wang Xinfu, member of the Standing Committee of the Autonomous Region Party Committee and Minister of the United Front Work Department, Huang Weijing, Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Autonomous Region People's Congress, Sui Guohua, Vice Chairman of the Autonomous Region and Chairman of the Federation of Industry and Commerce, and Qian Xueming, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC of the Autonomous Region were in attendance. Liang Qingmei, President of Ping Aluminum Group, was also invited. At...

On September 7, the Shanghai Metals Market witnessed escalating aluminium prices all over China, with the SMM A00 aluminium ingot price heightening by RMB 160 per tonne to officially close at RMB 19,470 per tonne. The average prices have circled between RMB 19,450 per tonne and RMB 19,490 per tonne. China’s eight major provinces have all experienced an increase in aluminium prices today, with the highest spike of RMB 180 per tonne marked in Wuxi, where the price clocked at RMB 19,500 per tonne. In regions like Gongyi, Foshan, Hangzhou, and Linyi, the aluminium ingot prices have soared by RMB 160 per tonne, settling at RMB 19,380 per tonne, RMB 19,250 per tonne, and the last two at RMB 19,470 per tonne. In Shenyang, the aluminium price has levitated by RMB 150 per tonne to officially stop...

LME aluminium opened at US$2,193 per tonne on Wednesday, with its high and low at US$2,219.5 per tonne and US$2,186 per tonne, respectively, before closing at US$2,193 per tonne. On Wednesday, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price hiked by US$21.5 per tonne or 1 per cent to close at US$2,157.50 per tonne and US$2,158 per tonne. As per the London Metal Exchange (LME) graph , 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price grew by US$17 per tonne or 0.77 per cent and US$17.5 per tonne or 0.79 per cent to clock at US$2,205 per tonne and US$2,206 per tonne. December 24 bid price and December 24 offer price gained US$17 per tonne or 0.72 per cent to halt at US$2,350 per tonne and US$2,355 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock closed at 502400 tonnes. Live...

GenHydro, a company based in Lancaster, has announced a new partnership with RPG Energy Group from Indianapolis, Indiana. The aim of this collaboration is to deploy on-site commercial-scale renewable energy power plants. These plants will offer zero emissions, reliable, on-demand energy independence and distributed hydrogen production. The goal is to help accelerate decarbonisation goals for multiple industries around the world. This partnership will leverage GenHydro’s innovative technology, which converts waste aluminium into high-value, renewable products using steam. By combining this technology with RPG’s solutions and background in the renewables and construction industry, the two companies hope to accelerate the development of the most advanced renewable energy and hydrogen...

The International Aluminium Institute (IAI), the only body representing the global primary aluminium industry, has announced a collaboration to promote technical development with the International Committee for Study of Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium (ICSOBA). The partnership with ICSOBA aligns with IAI’s commitment to share best practices and demonstrate aluminium’s role in a sustainable world. Speaking on the partnership, Miles Prosser, IAI Secretary General, said, “We are thrilled to partner with ICSOBA. The IAI is committed to working collaboratively with the industry to develop solutions and forge powerful relationships to make a real difference. I’m confident that the fantastic work already being done by ICSOBA and other industry partners will inspire our industry to think about...

The Government of India is taking a significant step towards using Rare Earth Elements (REE) by establishing a cutting-edge pilot plant. This facility will process 100 kg of red mud, a hazardous waste generated from the alumina refining process, and extract REE from it. It's worth noting that red mud poses significant environmental and health hazards. The plant is scheduled to become operational by December 2024. This initiative involves collaboration with renowned institutions such as the Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Design and Development Centre (JNARDDC) in Nagpur, the CSIR Institute of Metal and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) in Bhubaneswar, the CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR-NML) in Jamshedpur, and the National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO). Together, they will...

Egyptian Netherlands Aluminium (ENA), a manufacturer of aluminium profiles, doors, windows and partitions, has been successfully registered as a seller by AL CircleBiz, one of the world's first global aluminium B2B marketplace . The organisation is notable for linking buyers and sellers through searches against advertised products and business leads, with over 6000 product listings and 700 business leads. ENA is known for making aluminium windows, doors, and partitions, and their professional crew installs them. They distinguish themselves from their competition by manufacturing aluminium windows from raw materials to precise specifications. ENA aluminium profiles are constructed of lightweight aluminium for long-term endurance. With an anodised finish, ENA designs provide excellent...

A stunning story of victory is unfolding just beyond the gates of Clemson University's Memorial Stadium. In 2008, student-led sustainability organisations launched a small-scale initiative, including installing and collecting a limited number of blue bins on campus. In less than a decade, around 30,000 pounds of aluminium cans, plastic bottles and glass collected each football season grew to over 215,000 pounds in 2014, earning the University its first of four Gameday Recycling Challenge awards (2014, 2016, 2018, and 2021), earning national recognition for its efforts. Solid Waste, Recycling and Composting Manager Dave VanDeventer said, "Our biggest year was 2018 with over 460,000 pounds of recyclable materials. At the time, there was more focus on the collection, and we weren't educating...

The German economy experienced a lacklustre performance in the second quarter of 2023, falling short of expectations for a slight expansion. Factors such as diminished purchasing power, elevated interest rates, and subdued factory order levels exerted downward pressure on the largest economy in the Eurozone. According to data from the Federal Statistics Office, there was no discernible quarter-on-quarter shift in GDP when adjusted for seasonal variations. The industrialized country, Germany's aluminium production experienced a significant decline once more during Q2 2023, with the output of primary aluminium smelters dropping by nearly 50 per cent. The production of aluminium semi-finished products is reported to face significant setbacks, often reaching double-digit percentages. Rob van...

Mytilineos Energy & Metals announced the signing of a deal with Imerys, a French firm, to acquire 100 per cent of the shares of Imerys Bauxites Greece Single Member Societe Anonyme for € 10 million euros. The deal pertains to all bauxite mining operations in the Fokida region, which will henceforth fall under the purview of Mytilineos' metallurgical division. Mytilineos Chairman and CEO Evangelos Mytilineos said, "The agreement with Imerys, the world's leading supplier of mineral-based speciality solutions, for the acquisition of Imerys Bauxites, marks a new major chapter for Mytilineos' M Metals." This deal significantly reinforces M Metals since the bauxite production capacity of the mining operation currently accessible to Mytilineos via Delphi-Distomo, whose annual output totals...

ElementUS Minerals, a pioneering company specialising in the extraction and refinement of strategic minerals from bauxite residue waste, has received an invitation to submit a Part II Application for a loan guarantee under the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Programme. This development marks a significant step forward in their mission to provide a sustainable source of critical materials for the green transition. The Part I application, which sought approximately $400 million in funding, included a detailed analysis of ElementUS Minerals' innovative process, business plan, and its commitment to maintaining a low carbon footprint. The Loan Programmes Office (LPO) at the DOE has extended this invitation to proceed with a Part II application, indicating...

The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire is on a journey to introduce 100% recyclable 16-ounce aluminium cans, replacing similar-sized plastic bottles on the campus. This change will be visible from the beginning of autumn during the fall semester. UW-Eau Claire’s Blugold Dining locations will incorporate these aluminium cans to take a step toward sustainability. Currently, aluminium cans are the most recycled items globally because their collection, sorting and remelting processes are the simplest. Once collected, the aluminium cans may have up to 90% recycling rate in comparison with glass and PET which have 67% and 66% recycling rates, respectively. Moreover, recycling aluminium requires 90% less energy than primary aluminium production. IAI has calculated that almost 70% of the...

Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) announced that TRIMET Aluminium has received ASI Performance Standard V2 (2017) Certifications for its facilities in Hamburg and Voerde. The facilities are known for the manufacture of molten aluminium and sows. The firm employs both primary and recycled aluminium to make molten aluminium and aluminium wire, as well as rolling ingots, extrusion billets, and casting alloys. The Hamburg factory has a capacity of 135,000 tonnes per year, while the Voerde facility has a capacity of 95,000 tonnes per year. "With the certification of our production sites in Hamburg and Voerde, we have reached an important milestone in our sustainability strategy. Because with Essen, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and now Hamburg and Voerde, all of our primary production sites...

In a significant step towards sustainability, MBS Architectural, known for its commitment to excellence in the construction industry, has transitioned to Capral's LocAl® Green Lower Carbon Aluminium for its Apollo Concealed Clip Aluminium Batten System. This strategic shift empowers architects, designers, builders, and developers with a cleaner and greener alternative for their projects, aligning with the growing demand for eco-friendly building materials. Moreover, this action will cut down the carbon emissions linked to their range by over 500 tonnes annually. The Apollo Concealed Clip Aluminium Batten System is a modular and highly customizable solution adaptable to various project-specific needs. Designed for both wall and ceiling applications, it offers architects and designers...

Bingelela Alloy recently inaugurated a new aluminium hub in Richards Bay that will streamline molten aluminium from the nearby Hillside smelter. The launch was attended by deputy minister of trade, industry, and competition Nomalungelo Gina and Umhlathuze mayor Xolani Ngwezi. They recognized the hub's potential to boost the local and national economy while creating job opportunities. Deputy minister Gina acknowledged South Africa's engagement with the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. The mechanism aims to cut emissions by 55% by 2030 by targeting emissions-intensive sectors. She emphasized the challenges that come with the stringent EU measures and highlighted the need for international support to promote local green initiatives. A South African Aluminium Roadmap report...

The Shanghai Metals Market survey found that in August 2023, the comprehensive PMI index of the domestic aluminium industry registered a fall of 1.5 percentage points M-o-M to 51.6 per cent, in line with the downtrend of production, demand, inventory and other indices. But despite the downfall, the PMI index hovered above 50 per cent for the third month in a row. The primary reason for the PMI index drop in August was the slower recovery of demand from different sectors than expected. The domestic aluminium producers scheduled their production reasonably, and most companies procured raw materials only on demand. PMI of aluminium products, including primary aluminium and secondary aluminium alloy also stayed above 50 per cent as the upcoming peak season brought slightly higher orders. Only...

In August, Chinalco Henan Luoyang Aluminium Foil Co. submitted a patent application titled "A measuring device and method for assessing parallelism in a rolling mill roll system." The invention patent was granted authorisation after a thorough examination by China's State Intellectual Property Office. This patent invention introduces a novel method for ensuring the parallelism of guide rollers in a rolling mill archway. The approach employs two flat rulers securely affixed to both the transmission and operation sides of the archway as reference points. During the measurement process, the horizontal measuring rod is positioned at the shortest point where it touches the flat ruler, and the discrepancy between the data on the transmission side and the operation side is noted. Based on this...