Since ALUMINIUM 2024, Hydro has entered several long-term renewable power agreements, invested in new production and recycling capacity in Europe, entered new partnerships with brands like Mercedes-Benz and CHANEL Fragrance and Beauty as well as customer agreements covering close to 360,000 tonnes of low-carbon aluminium for Europe’s electricity infrastructure. The aluminium products from Hydro are critical to energy infrastructure, mobility, and building and construction as they contribute to future proofing customers. Value chain transparency, documentation, low-carbon and recycled content, and the way Hydro works with customers to deliver circular solutions demonstrates how aluminium is part of the solution. The commitments come as aluminium is increasingly recognised as a critical raw...
Rio Tinto is connecting its Kitimat aluminum production with a new British Columbia-based supply chain through a long-term agreement with RevoCast Aluminum Billets Ltd., under which aluminum from BC Works will be combined with recycled aluminum to produce billet for North American manufacturers. Announced on September 28, the agreement gives Rio Tinto exclusive marketing rights for aluminum billet produced at RevoCast’s newly commissioned Langley casting facility. The operation combines primary aluminum from BC Works with recycled aluminum processed by RevoCast. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: “ Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook ” The deal, however, will not change...
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On February 21, 2022, Alcoa announced that its subsidiary Alcoa of Australia Limited (AoA) had terminated a collaborative development project with FYI Resources Ltd for high-purity alumina (HPA). The global leader in the aluminium sector with a vision to reinvent the industry for a sustainable future, Alcoa announced in 2021 that AoA had executed a binding term sheet with Western Australia-based FYI Resources for development activities to produce HPA, which is used to manufacture materials such as synthetic sapphires used in LED lighting and other various applications. Renato Bacchi, the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, said, "While our work with FYI has demonstrated the merit of the process to produce high-purity alumina, Alcoa has decided not to pursue a...
The German multinational manufacturer of luxury vehicles, BMW Group, continues its efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in the supply chain systematically. A particular focus is on CO2-intensive materials like aluminium, steel and plastics. The BMW Group, therefore, intends to source aluminium with significantly reduced CO2 emissions from Rio Tinto’s hydro-powered operations in Canada starting in 2024 and has inked a memorandum of understanding to this effect. This approach can save around 70 per cent of CO2 emissions compared to conventionally manufactured aluminium. The planned supply volumes will be used exclusively in vehicle production at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg in the US state of South Carolina, in body components like the bonnet, for instance. Joachim Post, a member of the Board of...
China's Yunnan province has ordered the aluminium smelters in the region to implement another round of production restrictions to stabilise the electricity supply. The protracted drought and low reservoir levels have caused problems for the province's hydroelectric grid. However, On February 19, 2023, Alcircle.com reported the possibility of power rationing in the Yunnan region, which might impede the production of the aluminium smelters. The energy-intensive aluminium producers in Yunnan and neighbouring provinces had been already functioning their smelters with reduced capacity, while a few are trailing down China's national output since September. According to our regional sources, some 740,000 tonnes of yearly production capacity would be affected by the most recent cuts, adding to...
Lightweight, strong, durable, and infinitely recyclable, aluminium is the sustainable material of choice. In addition to contributing billions of dollars to the global economy, aluminium supports countless supply chains worldwide. Yet, due to its energy-intensive production and refinement procedures, claimed to contribute significantly to global carbon emissions, aluminium is under heightened scrutiny, much like all other manufactured products. Aluminium producers worldwide are adopting environmentally friendly production methods in response to being placed under the spotlight on climate change. In order to accelerate their decarbonization efforts, they are shifting to renewable energy, investing in green technologies, and even studying carbon capture and storage solutions. However,...
The days when premium car purchasers just considered speed, flair, and luxury are long gone. The origin, sustainability, and emissions profile of the materials used to build today's automobiles are topics of growing public concern. "Green is the new black" has become the industry catchphrase for luxury vehicles. Premium car consumers are becoming increasingly pickier about the materials used in their cars, from the leather used for the upholstery to the metals used for the engine parts. This fundamental transition in the automotive market has resulted in a new, innovative partnership between Rio Tinto and the BMW Group , two industry leaders, to develop more responsible, sustainable, traceable, and secure supply chains. Rio Tinto intends to supply responsibly sourced aluminium to the BMW...
On Tuesday, February 21, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative announced that Mineração Rio do Norte (MRN) has received ASI Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard V1 (2017) Certification for the planning, mining, transport, processing, and river transportation of bauxite, as well as power generation, at the MRN site in Porto Trombetas, Brazil. In January 2022, the facility received ASI Performance Standard V2 (2017) Certification. With an annual production of approximately 12 million tonnes, the firm is the largest Brazilian producer and exporter of bauxite. For Guido Germani, CEO of MRN, certification means that the firm will continue to monitor market and societal shifts in addition to the fundamentals of sustainable growth in the Amazon Rainforest. "We are in continuous search for the best...
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., an American manufacturer of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components, reportedly launched a new series of low impedance automotive grade miniature aluminium electrolytic capacitors last week. The new Vishay BC Components 172 RLX capacitors are AEC-Q200-qualified capacitors that deliver higher performance in smaller sizes. The product has high ripple currents up to 4.9 A, high temperature operation to +105°C, and a long useful life of 10,000 hours in 14 case sizes ranging from 10 mm by 12 mm to 18 mm by 40 mm. Thus, compared to the previous edition of the product that used to offer a ripple current of 1100 mA at a CV rating of 1000 F / 10 V in the 10 mm by 16 mm case size, the 172 RLX series delivers 1700 mA in smaller size casing. This offers...
On Tuesday, February, the average alumina spot price in China inched up by RMB 1 per tonne after remaining restrained since February 16. The price as of today settled at RMB 2,947 per tonne. On a W-o-W calculation, a drop of RMB 4 per tonne was seen from RMB 2,951 per tonne recorded on February 16. The average alumina spot price has shown changes in some provinces, with the highest in Lianyungang, where the price has gained RMB 75 per tonne to peg at RMB 3,000 per tonne, followed by a growth of RMB 50 per tonne to halt at RMB 3,100 per tonne. On the same day, Shandong's price increased by RMB 5 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,925 per tonne. As per the SMM data, the A00 aluminium ingot price in China has dropped by RMB 70 per tonne to reside at RMB 18,620 per tonne, with the spot contract...
Three-month LME aluminium opened at US$2,395 per tonne on Monday and closed at US$2,462 per tonne, an increase of US$72 per tonne or 3.01 per cent. On Monday, February 20, LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price skyrocketed by US$55.50 per tonne and US$57 per tonne, respectively, to stand at US$2,390 per tonne and US$2,392 per tonne. That marked an increase after three consecutive days of fall from US$2,391 per tonne on February 14 to US$2,335 per tonne on February 17. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price surged by US$56 per tonne or 2.36 per cent to clock at US$2,428 per tonne and US$2,430 per tonne. December 24 bid price and December 24 offer price totalled US$2,598 per tonne and US$2,603 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock continued to decline...
As the country's metals sector has boomed, Iran has reported significant increases in aluminium production. On February 20, 2023, IMIDRO, Iran’s state metals and mining company, stated aluminium production in four leading smelters in the country had reached over 528,000 tonnes in the first ten months of the financial year to January 20. IMIDRO confirmed that the figure increased by 17% compared to the previous period. In the ten months leading up to January, the South Aluminum Corporation (SALCO), which produced more than 226,000 tonnes of ingots, produced more than 43% of all the aluminium produced in Iran. Just four years after it was established in the southern province of Fars, SALCO has surpassed all other aluminium smelters in Iran regarding output size. The findings come as Iran...
On February 14, 2023, a top executive of the Norwegian aluminium giant stated during a discussion with international media that Hydro wouldn't increase production merely due to a decline in power costs. The company will ramp up when it feels comfortable and see that demand is more robust than expected. In August 2022, when European gas prices reached an all-time high of €345 per MWh, Norsk Hydro and several other primary aluminium producers in Europe announced significant output reductions for the remainder of 2022. This was in response to the significant decline in domestic demand. Hydro Karmoy and Hydro Husnes in Norway temporarily lowered their combined capacity by 110,000 to 130,000 tonnes. Also, the company declared that due to excessive energy costs, it would halt primary aluminium...
Inductotherm Heating & Welding announced they had been awarded the Silver - Ecovadis Sustainability Rating. This new accolade follows hot on the heels of Inductotherm Heating & Welding’s triple BSI - ISO accreditation awarded in June 2022, which included ISO9001 for Quality, ISO45001 for Occupational Health & Safety and ISO14001 for the Environment. Inductotherm Heating & Welding are developing and improving their environmental and sustainability practices to ensure they are sensitive and responsible to the local and wider environment and implementing a wide range of changes in all areas of the business, from adopting renewable energy to changing to eco-friendly supplies and engaging with suppliers as an on-going commitment by the company. In addition to their commitment to social and...
Introduction We are living in an interesting time, facing a multitude of variables. On the one hand, the world is coming out of the pandemic and trying to regain the level of economic activities of the pre-pandemic time, only with more zeal and vigour. On the other hand, ignorance cannot be an excuse; forget about bliss when it comes to the effect of greenhouse emissions on the climate and its impact. The governing bodies, activists as well as customers are being increasingly informed and asking about the carbon footprint of any product or service before reaching them and after being served. For example, before buying cloth, today’s knowledgeable customers are increasingly mindful of whether the material is recycled and recyclable after usage. Before going to a hotel, some customers, if...
Shanghai Metals Market survey found China’s average operating rate across leading aluminium processing enterprises rose 1.7 percentage points last week to 61.5 per cent. Aluminium plate, sheet, strip, foil and construction extrusion sectors recorded operational growth with the gradual arrival of the peak season. In contrast, primary and secondary aluminium alloy and industrial aluminium extrusion sectors recorded muted operating rates due to the sluggish automobile market. The average operating rate of large secondary aluminium alloy companies failed to recover the pre-CNY levels despite growing by 3.1 percentage points to 47.5 per cent. Slow demand recovery from various industrial sectors resulted in constrained operations. In addition, raw material shortages also plagued secondary...
With a focus on the aluminium beverage can production chain, Ambev has planned various initiatives for the benefit of around 30 thousand partners, street sellers, and recyclable collectors targeted at the Carnival blocks. The initiative started together by the National Association of Collectors and Collectors of Recyclable Materials (ANCAT) project in collaboration with beverage maker Ambev, will combine enjoyment with employment as street parties are typically the most lucrative for these professionals. Waste pickers in Brazil are the real leaders in collecting recyclable solid trash, including aluminium, cardboard, glass, plastic, and other materials. Some 1,100 individual and cooperative collectors will participate in the "Bloco dos Catadores" in So Paulo and Recife, taking advantage...
“Aluminum recycling is essential for sustainability,” says Andrew Stein, CEO of TST. “It saves over 95 per cent of the energy to recycle aluminium versus creating new primary aluminium. However, the process of melting aluminium scrap creates dross and salt cake that is difficult to recycle without having waste end up in a landfill. [Hydrova’s] technology solves that problem by utilizing 100 per cent of this co-product into valuable products.” Julian Davis, Co-Founder and CEO of Hydrova Without recycling, it would be virtually impossible for the industry to achieve sustainability targets. However, processes for recycling aluminium generate dross and salt cake waste streams, which have long been a headache for secondary aluminium producers. Hydrova sees a unique opportunity in these...
AMAG Austria Metal AG, the biggest company in the Austrian Aluminium Industry sector, has achieved a record annual result for 2022, exceeding the previous year’s mark. The company’s 2022 revenue superseded the former year’s EUR 1,259.4 million by registering a growth of 37.1 per cent. In 2022, AMAG reportedly earned revenue of EUR 1,726.7 million despite restrained shipments at 442,000 tonnes compared to 442,300 tonnes in 2021. The company’s net income after taxes also increased by 69.1 per cent Y-o-Y from EUR 64.6 million to EUR 109.3 million in 2022, a record figure until now. The revenue and net income growth could be attributed to higher global aluminium benchmark prices, premium levels, and consistent price adjustments due to higher energy and raw material costs. Personnel and plant...
The sustainable development strategy of the RUSAL United Company aims at making, by decoupling our business growth from the environmental footprint, sustainability affordable across the entire aluminium value chain and creating a new class of assets in the non-ferrous metal sector. This means building by 2035 such a business model that is future-fit and addresses the needs of low carbon and circular economy, is based on an agile, fair, safe and inclusive supply chain, and is built on the most advanced technologies. Irina Bakhtina, Chief Sustainability Officer at Rusal Therefore, a sustainable supply chain is at the heart of the Company's ESG transformation. Understanding our suppliers and the degree of their ESG maturity is the key element to start with. RUSAL is sourcing raw materials,...
