
Canada and China have extended a bilateral trade arrangement that links Chinese market access for Canadian agricultural products with Canada's access for Chinese steel and aluminum. The decision provides greater certainty for exporters on both sides as Ottawa seeks to expand its trade relationships beyond the United States. The extension, announced on November 4, 2026, will keep the existing arrangement in place until the end of 2028. It comes amid renewed efforts by the two countries to strengthen economic ties and address outstanding trade issues. For the aluminum industry, the agreement offers a clearer timeline for market access, while its agricultural provisions provide Canadian producers with greater predictability in one of their key export markets. Canada-China trade agreement...
Aluminium aerosol cans are significantly less likely to be recovered during recycling operations than conventional drinks cans, according to new research by waste intelligence company Greyparrot. An AI-powered analysis of waste streams found that aluminium aerosols recorded a sorting success rate of 68 per cent, compared with 85.3 per cent for drinks cans, highlighting the challenges faced by recycling facilities in recovering non-beverage aluminium packaging. The findings were generated through Greyparrot's Deepnest platform, which analysed 1.2 billion waste items across facilities in the UK, the US and the Netherlands, including 395,424 aerosols. The results were discussed during a recent webinar involving representatives from waste management company Biffa, packaging manufacturer Ball...
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Sohar International Bank is committed to driving sustainable growth and supports key national projects that add value to the Sultanate of Oman's economy. Thus, the bank participated in the opening ceremony of Sanvira Carbon FZC LLC (SCL), a large-scale manufacturing project financed by Sohar International Bank and Sohar Islamic. The factory's inauguration, located at Sohar Port and Freezone, was held under the patronage of H.E. Salim bin Nasser bin Said Al Aufi, Minister of Oil and Gas. Among those present at the inauguration was Abdul Wahid Al Murshidi, Chief Islamic Banking Officer, Sohar International. As part of the event, several business leaders, government officials, and media representatives were also present. Ahmed Al Musalmi, the Chief Executive Officer of Sohar International,...

The shipyard's DNA will be fully expressed in Project YN 20857, also known as Project Setteesettanta, which will have distinctive technological and design aspects. One of the few shipyards in the world that specializes in building lightweight aluminium yachts, Heesen was the first to use the incredibly fuel-efficient Fast Displacement Hull Form, a ground-breaking design by van Oossanen Naval Architects that can save fuel usage by up to 20%. YN 20857, which is 57 metres long and has an interior volume of 920 GT, perfectly complements the shipyard's line of products. Heesen is an expert at utilizing its cutting-edge shipyard in Oss by offering a well-balanced selection of Custom, Smart Custom, and Series yacht designs. The yard is currently building 14 yachts ranging in size from 50 to 80...

Leo Varadkar, the deputy prime minister of Ireland, was told by Rusal chief executive Evgenii Nikitin that a boycott of his company's aluminium would have "significant systemic effects" on the European manufacturing sector. Rusal is one of the leading aluminium producers in the world and is the owner of the Aughinish Alumina refinery on the Shannon estuary that produces 1.9 million tonnes of alumina per year. The Limerick-based alumina refinery accounts for 30 per cent of the total alumina production in Western Europe, which is exported to smelters to be converted into primary aluminium. The Irish alumina refinery is Europe's largest and most technologically advanced, with 450 employees. In August, Nikitin wrote to Varadkar that while the company had not been subject to any new sanctions,...

Vedanta Limited trimmed its aluminium products and aluminium ingot price by INR 1,500 per tonne on Saturday, December 3. That brought the company’s aluminium wire rod price to INR 235,250-242,750 per tonne versus INR 236,750-244,250 per tonne on December 2. With the latest cut, Vedanta’s aluminium billet price came in at INR 236,750 per tonne compared to INR 238,250 per tonne on December 2. Vedanta’s aluminium ingot price hovered around INR 227,750-258,750 per tonne as of December 3 as against INR 229,250-260,250 per tonne on December 2. Vedanta curtailed its aluminium products and aluminium ingot prices on December 3 despite the rally of the three-month futures of aluminium on the London Metal Exchange by US$18 per tonne on December 2 from US$2,430.50 per tonne to US$2,448.50 per tonne....

On November 29, 2022, the German equipment provider to the metal industry, SMS Group, headquartered in Dusseldorf, announced its cooperation with South Korea’s LOTTE Group. With 150 years of experience, SMS Group is recognized as a future-oriented technology and outstanding service in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the metals industry. In August of this year, LOTTE announced that its subsidiaries LOTTE Chemical and LOTTE Aluminium had joined forces to create a manufacturing facility in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, to produce 36,000 tonnes of cathode foil annually. According to a statement by Kentucky state governor Andy Beshear, this substance is a form of ultra-thin aluminium foil that is a core material utilized in EV batteries. South Korea’s leading conglomerate, LOTTE...

The aluminium recycling sector has witnessed enormous initiative this week, with Vivarail seeking a new administrator to run its aluminium train refurbishing business, an operation that has largely benefited the London Railways for many years. Trivium Packaging, a global provider of packaging solutions, has locked a deal with Alupro, a recycler of end-of-life aluminium packaging, to widely propagate UK's Aerosol Recycling Initiative. Trivium assured Alupro of full support on financial grounds. As the world is moving toward sustainability with big brands leading the movement, Manush Labs, an MIT spin-off, joined in agreement over a 'Clean Technology Start-up Challenge' to achieve Net Zero by 2050. A total of 37,815 tonnes of aluminium packaging were collected for recycling between July and...

Equispheres Inc. supports the contented brains that created all inventions that revolutionised the additive manufacturing sector. Recently, it collaborated with Morf3D to identify fresh, high-performance aluminium powders that boost the efficiency and performance of the metal additive manufacturing (AM) industry. At the Make in Odisha 2022 Conclave on Thursday, December 1, according to reports, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik officially broke ground for Vedanta's massive aluminium park by pressing a ceremonial button in front of the company's chairman Anil Agarwal. The aerospace-grade 7050 and 7075, as well as the premium aluminium alloys 2024 and 6061, will be developed by SLM Solutions and Elementum 3D by 2023. SLM announced its most recent acquisition of the NXG XII 600E, coupled...

According to the government's official accounts, the Scottish Government spent £350 million on unsuccessful deals and endeavours during the most recent fiscal year. Recent Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts reveal that a significant amount of money was squandered on failed projects despite the need to fund them. Its main source of concern stems from its contentious deal with Sanjeev Gupta, who acquired the Lochaber aluminium smelter in 2016. A significant potential expense is associated with the 25-year agreement to guarantee payments for energy generation from the hydro network that feeds the aluminium smelter near Fort William. Ministers have set aside £114 million in their accounts, with a potential cost of £32 million annually. The agreement with Gupta, who is currently the...

Rimowa, the high-quality luggage manufacturer, has collaborated with digital fashion company RTFKT to bring its renowned luggage brand to the metaverse via two NFT (non-fungible tokens) drops. Together, they have unveiled a line of 888 limited-edition luggage, which are only available through purchases of NFTs. The Rimowa X RTFKT collaboration's Original Cabin suitcase has the model's unique grooves and is built of premium anodized aluminium, making it incredibly light. As a result of the partnership, 2,222 "WorkerBot" NFTs will be made available. The luggage will be available in physical and digital forms (thus the term "Phygital"). To mint their NFTs, users must reactivate a Rimowa x RTFKT space station. Then there is a "forging" event where owners of NFT may come and use it to purchase...

Hindalco Industries Limited continued to escalate its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices for the third day in a row, Friday, December 2. On Thursday, December 1, the company increased its aluminium ingot price by INR 3,500 per tonne to INR 224,000 per tonne, which further got raised by INR 2,750 per tonne or 1.23 per cent to INR 226,750 per tonne on December 2. Hindalco’s aluminium wire rod price was also elevated by INR 3,500 per tonne on December 1 to INR 235,100 per tonne, and further by INR 2,750 per tonne on December 2 to INR 237,850 per tonne. Hindalco’s aluminium billets price stood at INR 240,850 per tonne as of December 2, also up by INR 2,750 per tonne from the previous day. On December 1, the price was at INR 240,850 per tonne after gaining INR 3,500 per tonne from...

The Aluminum Association has released its preliminary estimates in the monthly Aluminum Situation report, stating that aluminium demand in North America (US and Canada) has recorded a 6.3% year-to-date growth through the third quarter of 2022 ended September 30. Growth in the third quarter has continued to reflect robust demand compared to the first and second quarters. Charles Johnson, president & CEO of the Aluminum Association, commented: “We are glad to see steady demand growth for North American aluminum, which is some of the cleanest aluminum in the world. As we strive for a more energy-efficient future, our metal continues to provide innovative solutions and competitive advantages for businesses and consumers.” The Aluminum Association has mentioned explicitly in the report that...

The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) announced on November 28 that MYTILINEOS had successfully enrolled as a member of its organisation. By issuing membership certificates, the IAI, founded in 1972, unites international bauxite, alumina, and aluminium firms from all the key producing locations under one roof. The renowned Indian aluminium maker, a Vedanta Aluminium subsidiary, marked "World Quality Month" throughout its operations with various awareness-raising programmes for its staff, business associates, and community members. For October 2022, Russia and Eastern Europe produced 344,000 tonnes of primary aluminium, an increase of 3.61 per cent month over month. The output decreased by 5.14 per cent or 18,000 tonnes, from 350,000 tonnes in August to 332,000 tonnes in September....

A sectoral session on the metal, downstream, and auxiliary industries was held on the Make in Odisha Conclave's second day. More than ten top industry leaders addressed a sizable crowd of business titans, policymakers, investors, and many more. The Minister of Industries, Energy and MSME, Pratap Kesari Dev, addressed the session, which invited investors to invest in downstream units in Odisha. Hemant Sharma, the Principal Secretary of Industry, explained why investors should invest in downstream industries in Odisha. Sharma highlighted the government's emphasis on parks, clusters, and hubs. He referred to Vedanta Aluminium Park and Angul Aluminium Park and urged MSMEs to take advantage of the opportunity. Dr Tapan Kumar Chand, the Resident Director of Vedanta and the Former Chairman cum...

The end-user sector has been bustling with activities this week, with Ball Corporation announcing a partnership with O’cean, wherein the former would provide the beverage company with aluminium cans to pack their flagship energy drink. This was made clear by a social media post by Virat Kohli, and it is eminent that big names like the Indian cricketing legend are in full support of sustainability. Cellnex and Israeli battery maker, Phinergy joined hands to accomplish developing the pilot programme to scrutinise and attest to the use of cutting-edge aluminium-air battery technology as a backup power system at its Spanish facility. Switch Mobility delivered JSW Group 71 lightweight aluminium buses based on an order by the Indian company. This step was taken by JSW to adopt a comfortable yet...

According to the Shanghai Metals Market, China's primary aluminium inventories decreased by 18,000 tonnes week-on-week across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants. Therefore, on Thursday, December 1, the inventories totalled 500,000 tonnes, which in comparison with the last Monday of the previous month, November 28, plummeted by 16,000 tonnes. As of now, the inventories in November dropped by 503,000 tonnes, as recorded in the same period last year and 81,000 tonnes on a month-on-month scale. Along the eight major Chinese provinces, the aluminium ingot inventories kept on declining, excluding only Gongyi. The inventory in Wuxi witnessed plunging aluminium inventories due to curtailed imports as some of the shipment was diverted to South China, where traders received...

On Thursday, December 1, aluminium billet inventories in China increased to 69,000 tonnes, up by 6,000 tonnes from a week ago. The hike was witnessed in all the major consumption areas except Changzhou. Since late October, there had been a sporadic accumulation of aluminium billet inventory; nevertheless, the growth was modest, and the overall inventory was still hanging around 70,000 tonnes, which is significantly less than it was at the same time of the previous two years. The figure below provides further information on the current state of aluminium billet inventories in China: A different level of inventory buildup was seen in all the key markets, with a rise of 4,300 tonnes in Foshan, where downstream consumption was subdued. Since demand in Wuxi, Changzhou, and Huzhou was somewhat...

The Romanian window and door maker Casa Noastra, owner of the QFort brand, is planning to broaden its capacity and range of products by building a new EUR 20 million aluminium profile manufacturing unit near the southern city of Craiova, Dolj County. This will enable the company to compete domestically and abroad in countries like Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain, where it conducts business. More than 200 employments will be created by the new facility. Casa Noastrar received EUR 9 million as state funding from REI Grup in 2020 for this project. Beginning in 2020, a funding agreement for state help was secured, and over the last two years, expenditures have been made in the construction of the hall and the acquisition of equipment....

On November 2, 2022, Constellium SE announced that it is leading a new consortium of automakers and suppliers to develop lower carbon, lower cost aluminium extrusion alloys. The £10 million CirConAl (Circular and Constant Aluminium) project, funded by a grant from the UK's Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), intends to optimize the use of post-consumer scrap in a new generation of high-strength alloys that release less than two tonnes of CO2 each tonne of aluminium produced. CirConAl is part of a joint government and industry effort to build an end-to-end supply chain for zero-emissions vehicles in the United Kingdom. The project is anticipated to demonstrate that high-strength alloys with a high recycled content may meet or surpass OEM requirements, such as strength, crushability,...