German aluminium producer Trimet has proposed a series of measures to address competition concerns over Alcoa’s proposed acquisition of South32’s alumina and bauxite assets . These include the sale of integrated bauxite-mining and alumina-refining assets in Brazil or Western Australia, changes to ownership links in Alumar and MRN, and greater transparency and independent monitoring of alumina price reporting. Trimet has also asked Brazil's competition regulator, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), to block the deal, saying it would reduce the number of independent smelter-grade alumina suppliers in the country from three to two. The company said the combined entity could control approximately 51.8 per cent of Brazil's merchant alumina sales, leaving Glencore with the...
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...
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According to a recent report, Hydro, a Norwegian aluminium producer, has decided to invest around NOK 47 million in the casthouse at its Årdal aluminium plant to improve safety, lower energy consumption and carbon emissions, and accelerate production. The investment is for installing a new preheating chamber, which will be used for preheating cold metal and post-consumer aluminium before being added to the casting process. The benefits of having a dedicated preheating chamber include casting process more efficient, safer, and use surplus heat from the casting furnace as an energy source. “This project involves increased profitability, sustainability and safety. Hydro has an ambition to double the use of post-consumer aluminum. This investment will contribute to this, while reducing the...
The economy of Nicaragua demonstrates a mixed economic system that includes a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic planning and government regulation. However, the country’s economy and the implementation of government programs have shown some improvements, still almost half of the population lives in poverty. The economy of Nicaragua is heavily focused primarily on the agricultural sector. The largest country in the Central American isthmus, Nicaragua imported 8412 tonnes of aluminium cans during 2019-21, although, the import graph demonstrates fluctuating movement due to the domestic demand creation. In 2019, Nicaragua imported 2998 tonnes of aluminium cans, which depicts a reasonable import volume for beverage packaging, whereas, in 2020, the imported...
Rusal, a leading global Russian aluminium producer, announced its operating results for the fourth quarter of 2021 and for the 12 months ending December 31, 2021, revealing bauxite production in Q4 at 3.602 million tonnes, a decrease of 5 per cent from 3.792 million tonnes in Q3 2021. The decrease is largely attributed to seasonal weather factor that affected the operational performance of Timan, where bauxite output plunged by 39.4 per cent Q-o-Q, and North Urals, with bauxite production decreased by 11.3 per cent. In 12 months, Rusal’s bauxite output came in at 15.031 million tonnes, up by 1.3 per cent from 14.838 million tonnes a year ago. Rusal’s bauxite mines in Guinea produced 1.953 million tonnes altogether in Q4 2021, compared to 1.694 million tonnes in Q3 2021. Mines in Russia...
AT Systematization Bhd’s (ATS), the fully owned manufacturing unit of AT Precision Tooling Sdn Bhd (ATP) has set foot into a value contract with Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG (Rieter) towards the production of aluminium profiles for Rieter’s Card and Ringspun sector, which amounts to $10 million. On 9 th February 2022, during the filing in Bursa Malaysia, the stock exchange of Malaysia, based in Kuala Lumpur, ATS stated, “The period for production validity is between Jan 1, 2022, and Dec 30, 2023.” However, the company also added, “The value contract is not expected to have any material impact on the net assets of the group for the financial year ending 31st March 2022.” On 5 th July 2019, ATP had inked a basic purchase agreement with Rieter, for the manufacture and supply of high-quality...
The leading auto component manufacturer Endurance Technologies reported that the company’s profit after tax (PAT) reduced to half, which amounted to INR 94.6 crore in the December quarter (Q3FY22) due to infirm operational performance. The aluminium auto parts & equipment company had posted a PAT of INR 190 crore in the previous financial quarter (Q3FY21). Endurance Technologies consolidated revenue from operations was slashed 7% year-on-year (YoY) at INR 1,889 crore against INR 2,041 crore in the existing year quarter. However, EBITDA shrunk 41% Y-o-Y at INR 210.7 crore, while margins contracted 640 bps at 11.1% during the quarter. The management of Endurance Technologies said, “The market, this year, is subdued with headwinds in the form of weak rural demand and higher cost of...
The LME aluminium benchmark price rose slightly on Wednesday, February 9, following four consecutive days of hike from US$3,043 per tonne to US$3,245 per tonne. On Wednesday, February 9, LME aluminium cash (bid) price inched up by US$2 per tonne, while LME aluminium official settlement price gained US$3 per tonne to come in at US$3,246 per tonne and US$3,248 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price jumped by US$30 per tonne to settle at US$3,224.50 per tonne and US$3,225.50 per tonne. December 23 bid price and December 23 offer price totalled at US$2,880 per tonne and US$2,885 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock further decreased to 761950 tonnes. Live warrants and Cancelled warrants was recorded at 418850 tonnes and 343100 tonnes. LME aluminium 3-month Asian Reference...
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has hiked its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices on Wednesday, February 9, in response to the LME aluminium new price high since 2008. NALCO has increased its aluminium ingot price by INR 14,500 per tonne to INR 275050- 278550 per tonne on February 9. Over a week ago, on February 1, NALCO’s aluminium ingot price had seen a slash of INR 4,500 per tonne to INR 260,550-264,050 per tonne. NALCO’s aluminium wire rod price also experienced a surge of INR 14,500 per tonne on February 9 from INR 263,050-267,400 per tonne on February 1 to INR 277,550- 281,900 per tonne. With effect from February 9, aluminium billets price has come in at INR 278,500- 281,150 per tonne, in compare to INR 264,000-266,650 per tonne until the previous day. NALCO...
The joint venture of Ras-Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA) and Penna Group of Companies, Anrak Aluminium Limited (AAL) following several implicates is hard-pressed in making efforts to commission its 1.5 million tonne alumina refinery set up at Rachapalli, which is around 80 km away from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The company, went into the turbulent situation with a loan of INR 3,461 crore it borrowed from a consortium of banks led by SBI, has eventually manifested to commission the refinery set up at Rachapalli in Makavarapalem Mandal, about 80 km from Visakhapatnam in 2013 with an estimated Capex of around INR 6,000 crore. As per our sources, “The management has already imported 'adequate' quantity of bauxite ore to operate the refinery, which was lying idle following...
Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, announced its plan to build an aluminium recycling facility with 150,000 tonnes per year of capacity, the company’s first and the largest in the UAE. EGA has already started conducting feasibility studies of the facility, which is expected to begin operation as early as 2024. The facility will recycle post-consumer aluminium scrap such as window frames and pre-consumer scrap from extrusion production into low-carbon-high quality aluminium billets. EGA intends to market its recycled aluminium products under the name EternAL. Aluminium scrap for the facility will be sourced primarily from the UAE and the wider region. More than half the aluminium scrap in the Gulf region is now either...
On Tuesday, January 8, Sierra Aluminum, announced that it would expand its extrusion, anodizing, and painting capacity by adding a greenfield plant in Mexicali, Mexico, as well as significant investments in its current California operations. Sierra Aluminum is one of the western United States' largest fully integrated aluminium extruders, serving clients in the building and construction, solar, and recreational vehicle industries. The new 300,000-square-foot complex in Mexicali, which is three hours from Sierra's existing facilities, is expected to begin later this year. In 2023, the facility is projected to be completed. A new extrusion line will be erected in Sierra's California operations. Sierra will be able to assist the expansion objectives of existing clients across the United...
Hindalco Industries Limited has dramatically increased its aluminium products and aluminium ingot prices in line with the LME aluminium price growth to a four-month high. With effect from Wednesday, February 9, Hindalco’s aluminium wire rod price has hiked by INR 12,500 per tonne or 4.53 per cent to stand at INR 288,350 per tonne. Last week on February 5, Hindalco’s aluminium wire rod price stood at INR 275,850 per tonne, seeing a rise of INR 2,000 per tonne. On February 9, Hindalco’s aluminium billet price has witnessed a surge of INR 12,500 per tonne as well, from INR 278,850 per tonne to INR 291,350 per tonne. The company's luminium ingot price is currently standing at INR 277,250 per tonne, also up by INR 12,500 per tonne from INR 264,750 per tonne. Hindalco links its aluminium ingot...
As per the US Geological Survey (USGS), the United States exported 20,800 tonnes of US aluminium plates, sheets and bars in November to Mexico. On a month-on-month scale, there was a hike of 500 per tonne or 2.46%. In October 2021, 20,300 tonnes of US aluminium plates, sheets and bars were exported to Mexico, showing a sharp decline of 1,800 tonnes from 22,100 tonnes in September 2021. On a year-on-year calculation, US aluminium plates, sheets and bars exported to Mexico in November 2021 moved down by 2,300 tonnes or by 9.95% from 23,100 tonnes in November 2020. From January to November, the exported aluminium plates, sheets and bars to Mexico pegged at 245,000 tonnes. For the same period last year, the amount registered at 244,000 tonnes. Based on the data from USGS, the total amount of...
The groups of local campaigners in Limerick, Ireland stated their protest for any expansion of Rusal owned Aughinish alumina’s refinery, as the alliance raised their voice for the objectionable environmental risk to the Shannon estuary and the health of local people. On 7 th February 2022, Pat Geoghegan, the spokesperson of Cappagh Farmers Support Group, commented during the virtual protest meeting, “The expansion being sought by the operation of Russian owners, Rusal, and it would lead to a further build-up of toxic material at the site near Askeaton, Co Limerick.” The expansion of the largest alumina refinery in Europe is contemplated as strategic infrastructure development, so the company endeavoured planning approval from ‘An Bord Pleanála’, Ireland’s national independent planning...
On Tuesday, February 7, Baise, the leading aluminium-producing Chinese city, reported a surge in local COVID-19 cases for the third straight day and ensuing lockdown, which aggravated worries about supply disruption of the metal. The city of Guangxi, with 3.6 million populations, recorded 64 new confirmed cases on Monday, up from 37 on Sunday and 6 on Saturday, reported National Health Commission. The city has reportedly ordered residents to stay indoors and follow national guidelines to contain local transmission. Restrictions due to the rise in covid cases in Baise have already hit alumina production, while many producers are experiencing transport disruptions, said Antaike, a government-backed consultancy. Concerns about production disarray have also lifted aluminium prices on the LME...
On Tuesday, February 8, LME aluminium cash (bid) price had gone up by US$96.5 per tonne or 3.06% to score at US$3,244 per tonne. For the same day, LME aluminium official settlement price also surged by US$97 per tonne or by 3.08% to peg at US$3,245 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price registered at US$3,194.50 per tonne and US$3,195.50 per tonne. December 23 bid price and December 23 offer price totalled at US$2,843 per tonne and US$2,848 per tonne. LME aluminium opening stock came in at 767700 tonnes. Live warrants and Cancelled warrants was recorded at 418950 tonnes and 348750 tonnes. LME aluminium 3-month Asian Reference Price closed at US$3,179.87 per tonne. SHFE aluminium price On Wednesday, February 9, the benchmark aluminium price for SHFE has ascended by US$82 per...
The global mining and metal giant Rio Tinto, who is the majority owner of Tiwai Point aluminium smelter in New Zealand has shown signs of its desire to keep the aluminium smelter functional beyond 2024, but the major power supplier to NZAS, Meridian Energy denies any discussions over a fresh new agreement. Chris Blenkiron, the CEO of New Zealand Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) sought a definitive avenue to pursue operating and contributing to the local and domestic economies beyond 2024, when the smelter had been programmed to shut down, resulting in the dismissal of 1000 jobs. “We are working closely with Ngāi Tahu, Southland and key industry leaders to find the best way to achieve this,” Blenkiron said. “NZAS also has the potential to play a significant role in helping New Zealand’s...
The year 2022 brings along a new beam of hope and inspiration for the metal industry. With this, team AlCircle is excited to announce the launch of its, “Global Aluminium Outlook 2022,” report. The report highlights the overall performance of the aluminium industry and also gives an idea of how the industry is going to perform for the rest of the year. The report's main goal is to go through the major developments of the year in each sector, to see how each vertical influences the growth or counter-growth of the others. According to the report, in 2021, the global aluminium sector rebounded quickly, with demand for primary and recycled metal increasing by 7.6% to 93.5 million tonnes, up from 86.9 million tonnes in 2020. This rebound may be linked to a comeback of demand in all of the...
On 7 th February 2022, Slovakia’s only primary aluminium producer Slovalco aluminium smelter has announced that it has further slashed its production to around 60% in regards to soaring energy prices, emissions allowances and absence of government compensation. Slovalco mentioned that the axe in production completes as declared on 30 th December, and it might drive through 2022 as it criticized the Slovak government for low compensation for energy-intense industries compared to other EU nations. Norsk Hydro majority-owned stated aluminium producer, Slovalco stated, “Central Europe’s only smelter with an annual capacity of 175,000 tonnes of aluminium products, Slovalco shut 44 pots at the weekend after shutting 47 in late 2021 and now has 135 out of 226 pots in operation.” Milan Vesely,...
