Downstream aluminium is where geopolitics meets the shop floor. Tariffs, shipping disruption, regulation and shifting demand are deciding who rolls the metal, who gets it and what it becomes, whether a beer can, a battery housing or a length of wire. Fifteen recent developments across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania depict how aluminium flat rolled products (FRPs), packaging and electric vehicle (EV) demand are being rerouted, and where traders, exporters and buyers may need to adjust. Aluminium FRP and wire: tariffs and policy redraw the flows The tariff debate has reached the bar counter. In Virginia, Democrat Tom Perriello is campaigning on aluminium tariffs that he says raise brewers’ packaging costs. Across the border, a Windsor, Ontario brewery reports its...
The global aluminium industry is entering a new phase of competition, with access to raw materials, affordable energy and production capacity increasingly shaping the position of major producers. China is preparing a large overseas smelting expansion, Ghana is attracting investment in its bauxite reserves, and India and Vietnam are advancing new aluminium projects. However, the expansion drive comes against a complicated market backdrop. Alumina prices have fallen sharply, energy and logistics costs remain significant, and trade policies are reshaping the economics of production and exports. Together, these developments point to a market in which securing resources is only part of the challenge; converting them into competitive aluminium will matter just as much. Africa’s bauxite...
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The European leader in the manufacture and sale of aluminium rolled products for diverse industries worldwide ALVANCE Aluminium Duffel has enacted a fresh course of action which will see it transporting aluminium rolled products by barge to the port of Antwerp. The sustainable transport initiative will minimize the company’s road transport activity destined for the Port of Antwerp by 72 %, saving no less than 56,000 road kilometres per year. Sustainability remains ALVANCE’s fundamental activity and this project will contribute to their efforts of diminishing the CO2 footprint of their products. Now by diverting to barges the company will save around 62 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, which is the equivalent of 16 Flemish households, making the company’s supply chain even more...
On 26 th March 2022, Titagarh Wagons hailing from the eastern state of India, West Bengal deployed its first aluminium bodied metro train coaches for the Pune Metro rail Project. The Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the chairman of Maharashtra Metro Rail Corp, Manoj Joshi flagged the journey of the aluminium coaches. Titagarh Wagons had received an order back in 2019 to manufacture and supply 102 metro carriages for the Pune Metro project 2019. Under the provision of the contract, the company may provide three trains from its plant in Italy and the remaining thirty-one is supposed to be supplied by the Indian facility. The total contract for the supply of 34 trains is costing almost Rs. 1,100 crore and the work phase is supposed to end by the 2022-2023...
China’s alumina imports were 212,900 tonnes and 201,100 tonnes in January and February 2022, reflecting a downfall of 16.58 per cent and 5.57 per cent month-on-month. On a year-on-year calculation, the country’s aluminium imports in January stood down by 35.67 per cent, while imports in February decreased by 28.18 per cent. Net imports in those two months were 208,700 tonnes and 197,300 tonnes, respectively. Exports in the said months were 4,200 tonnes and 3,800 tonnes. The import window was open for most of the time from January 4 to January 17, and the inflow of imported alumina was within a reasonable range. It is to be noted here that Indonesia emerged as the top supplier in February, far exceeding the imports from Australia. Nanshan’s alumina refinery in Indonesia started exporting...
The Russia-Ukraine crisis and increased number of sanctions on Russia had put the aluminium sector under pressure, calling into question the fate of the industry. As a result of which companies like Norsk Hydro ASA of Norway, Novelis Inc. and Matalco Inc. of Canada are expanding their operations in the United States to create more of the lightweight metal needed by automakers, beverage can producers, and other industries. With Russia providing 6 percent of the aluminium manufactured at smelters in the United States, owing to the interrupted productions and shipments from Russia, aluminium businesses are doubling down on recycling to satisfy increased demand, melting more trash to improve their aluminium output. According to the Aluminum Association trade organisation, aluminium...
LME aluminium opened at US$3,575 per tonne last Friday and closed at US$3,625 per tonne, an increase of US$55 per tonne or 1.54 per cent. If compared with the records of the exact previous day, LME aluminium cash bid price stood at US$3,582 per tonne and LME aluminium official settlement price halted at US$3,583. Both recorded a fall of 2.21 per cent or US$81 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price decreased by US$85 per tonne or 2.21 per cent to rest at US$3,590 per tonne and US$3,590.50 per tonne. On the same day, December 23 bid price stood at US$3,380 per tonne and December23 offer price at US$3,385, both witnessing a downfall of 0.53 per cent. LME aluminium opening stock continued to decrease from 684,250 tonnes to 678,100 tonnes as of 25 th of March. Live warrants...
In February 2022, primary aluminium production in Russia & Eastern Europe registered a decline of 35,000 tonnes or 10.03 per cent month-on-month to stand at 314,000 tonnes, found the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). In January, the output in Russia & Eastern Europe stood at 349,000 tonnes, down by 2,000 tonnes from 351,000 tonnes a month ago. Also, on a year-on-year calculation, production in February 2022 recorded a downfall of 5,000 tonnes from 319,000 tonnes, showed IAI data. In the first two months of 2022, Russia & Eastern Europe’s primary aluminium output totalled 663,000 tonnes, experiencing a decrease of 9,000 tonnes or 1.34 per cent from 672,000 tonnes during the same period last year. In Western & Central Europe, primary aluminium production in February 2022 showed no...
The year 2021 has been economically challenged for most of the countries worldwide, with the Covid pandemic propelling a drastic impact. Venezuela, as a country was no exception to it, however, the nation in 2022 is creating hopes to clean the dark clouds in the economic sector following its 2014 recession. The economy of Venezuela primarily encircles around the petroleum sector that is managed by the state and delineates as the first natural wealth of the country. Furthermore, other salient industries contributing to the economy are construction equipment, iron, steel, aluminium, engine components assembly, food and textile. The recycling of aluminium is stated as the repurposing of used aluminium. Because of it being a metal, it can be melted and used again by the industries that entail...
In general, there are around eight segments of manufacturing that extensively use aluminium like transport and automobiles, building and construction, packaging, consumer durables, machinery and equipment, electrical, electronics and defence. The end-user segment of the global aluminium sector has witnessed an enterprising week, as it has been revealed that Apple Inc., invested $4.7 billion in the form of green bonds which have supported revitalizing the development of new low-carbon manufacturing and recycling technologies. Apple is procuring direct carbon-free aluminium following a major advancement in smelting technology to reduce emissions. Jiangxi Jinko unveiled two separate deals inked with counterparties comprising municipal governments and regional bodies in both Qinghai and...
The downstream sector of the aluminium industry witnessed limited number of events. As a result of the war, the metal industries have been affected the most. The global aluminium downstream sector started the week with the news of Novelis, announcing the launch of Novelis HRC57S®, a new, anodising grade aluminium product comprising more than 90% recycled scrap. Also, according to Mahmoud Haroun, the CEO of Egypt's largest aluminium extrusion business, Delemar, the company expects to treble its investments in the local market over the next five years and increase its exports to 40% in 2022, up from 20% in 2021. Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) announced on 21st March the grant of certification to UACJ in the aspect concerning Performance Standard (provisional) and Chain of Custody...
War is never good for the economy and the earliest of its blows are felt in the industrial or manufacturing sector. This week has been full of turmoil and uncertainty following the Australian ban on bauxite import to Russia, Rusal’s Irish counterpart Aughinish Alumina is facing ownership crisis. While Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) has unleashed their malfunctioned machineries to release toxic sodium hydroxide on site, OxyChem and other U.S. chemical industries are putting in hard work for a purer variant of caustic soda. Their idea is to go carbon free in the upcoming years. Internal conflict puts on hold the construction of a joint venture under Antam-Inalum, Indonesia. The entire situation is not stable and reminds us of the harrowing consequences of war as witnessed in history. The...
The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative has announced the joining of Indonesian state-owned aluminium company Asahan Aluminium (Persero) as a new Production and Transformation member. That brings the total number of ASI members to 217. PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Persero), popularly known as INALUM, is the first state-owned primary aluminium smelting company in Southeast Asia. It has an annual smelting capacity of 250,000 tonnes and till today holds the sole position as the producer of primary aluminium in Indonesia. Going ahead, INALUM plans to develop and increase smelting capacity, with a vision to run profitable, safe, integrated, and environmentally-friendly operations. Mahyaruddin Ende, Senior Vice President Corporate Secretary at INALUM, said: “It is an honour to receive ASI...
The world's primary aluminium segment witnessed a lot of sporadic but evident changes this week. On the market forefront, the benchmark aluminium SHFE price had been trending downward this week, except for a few infrequent rises. The LME aluminium benchmark price on Monday, March 21 had moved up by US$137.50 per tonne to US$3,518 per tonne, which on Tuesday had gone up by US32.50 per tonne to peg at US$3,550.50 per tonne. On the other hand, China’s Hongqiao Group reported 33% higher revenue in CY2021, amidst the uncertain COVID pandemic condition. Apart from this, the British Safety Council awarded Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world's largest aluminium producer outside of China, the coveted International Safety Award - Merit for its constant dedication to keeping its workers safe...
On 25 th March 2022, the Romanian integrated aluminium company, ALRO S.A. publicised its consolidated and separate financial statements for the year ended 31 st December 2021. ALRO Group, one of the largest aluminium producers of Europe registered a turnover of RON 3.5 billion up from RON 2.5 billion in 2020. Alro booked a net profit of RON 26 million in 2021, compared to a net profit of RON 335 million in 2020. The increased turnover for both the Group and ALRO was the result of a favourable trend of the aluminium quotations on the London Metal Exchange (LME) as well as of the constantly higher demand for the high and very high value-added products of the Group, with a focus on aluminium for aerospace industries, general engineering, and consumer products. Marian NĂSTASE, the Chairperson...
Meta, the parent company of Facebook on Thursday, March 24, announced the completion of Havhingsten subsea cable system construction, the world’s first aluminium conductor driven cable system. For this Meta collaborated with Aqua Comms, Bulk Fiber Networks and Alcatel Submarine Networks ("ASN"). The subsea cable will improve communication across Europe and Nordics. The Havhingsten cable system connects Dublin, Ireland, to Blackpool, England, on the United Kingdom's west coast, with a portion extending to the Isle of Man and Seaton Sluice, Northumberland, to Denmark. This new route gives businesses, carriers, and hyperscalers more options for network architecture while also providing the lowest latency between Dublin and the Nordic region. The Havhingsten subsea cable system will also...
Australia’s ban on its alumina and aluminium ore exports to Rusal and Russia’s price hike on natural gas causing possible disruption in aluminium production have lifted the LME prices almost throughout the week. On Monday, March 21, LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price started with a surge of US$137.50 per tonne or 4.07 per cent to INR US$3,517 per tonne and US$3,518 per tonne, which on Tuesday, March 22, grew by US$33 per tonne and US$32.50 per tonne to stand at US$3,550 per tonne and US$3,550.50 per tonne, respectively. On Wednesday, March 23, the prices further increased to US$3,558 per tonne and US$3560 per tonne, and jumped the next day exceeding US$3,600 per tonne. While LME aluminium cash bid price came in at US$3,663 per tonne, LME aluminium...
The Deputy Governor of Ireland, (Tnaiste) Leo Varadkar and Minister of Finance, Paschal Donohoe in their talks about the Aughinish Alumina’s future exhibited the ownership of the refinery is under scrutiny and should be altered to change the course of business. All the European sanctions against its Russian owner could endanger the Co Limerick operations. Controlled by Rusal and its parent EN+, Aughinish is where the bauxite ore imported from other countries is put through an extensive process to extract alumina. From the break of the Ukrainian war one month ago until now Aughinish had somehow managed to avoid EU penalties. But billionaire industrialist Oleg Deripaska sunk under sanctions by the UK (last fortnight) and the US (penalties clubbed from 2018) has now renounced the majority of...
National Aluminium Company Limited has upgraded its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices, in response to the uptrend of the LME aluminium benchmark price. With effect from Friday March 25, NALCO’s aluminium ingot price has come in at INR 317,450-320,950 per tonne, scaling up by INR 12,900 per tonne from INR 304,550- 308,050 per tonne on March 22. NALCO’s aluminium wire rod price also saw a hike of INR 12,900 per tonne on March 25 to amount at INR 319,950-324,300 per tonne. On March 22, the price had surged by INR 23,500 per tonne to stand at INR 307,050–311,400 per tonne. The latest raise has brought the company’s aluminium billets price to INR 320,900-323,550 per tonne versus INR 308,000- 310,650 per tonne on March 22. NALCO links its aluminium ingot and aluminium products...
British designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby have taken inspiration from the orthographic projection of a cone to create a series of lamps now displayed at London’s Galerie Kreo. The lamps named ‘Signals’ for their certain shape are made of aluminium and glass and are available in floor, wall and pendant variants. Galerie Kreo, established in 1999, Paris, is a mansion turned museum showcasing masterpieces of famous contemporary designers and architects from around the world. It also displays various creations from the past, carefully curated for the undivided attention of art lovers and enthusiasts. The gallery serves as a research centre for iconic French and Italian lightings from the 50’s till 80’s. They have recently opened their London branch that provides the UK with a similar...
