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TAKRAF secures major bauxite handling order from Hindalco
TAKRAF India has secured a contract from Hindalco Industries to design and supply a complete bauxite handling system, extending the strong working relationship between the two companies. Image sources: TAKRAF Hindalco, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, is based in Rayagada, Odisha, and is India’s largest producer of copper and aluminium. It is also recognised as the world’s biggest aluminium company by revenue, with a growing presence in copper and speciality alumina. Building on past projects This contract follows earlier projects executed by TAKRAF for Hindalco. In 2021, the company delivered India’s longest overland conveyor system for the Utkal Alumina Refinery in Odisha. That project featured two conveyors measuring 14.5 km and 3.6 km, designed to move 4.5 million tonnes...
Why aluminium is being pulled from Malaysia’s LME warehouses: demand or costs?
Mercuria and Vitol are withdrawing large volumes of aluminium from London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses in Malaysia, underscoring tightening supply dynamics and the country’s growing reliance on domestic stocks to sustain industrial demand. Mercuria, the Swiss giant, has already taken out nearly 100,000 tonnes from Malaysian storage, while Vitol is preparing withdrawals from Port Klang, according to sources. The timing has surprised market participants since spot aluminium prices are currently higher than forward prices — a structure that usually discourages drawing down inventories. Shrinking imports and stable exports Malaysia’s trade data underscores the rationale. Aluminium exports stood at 2.28 million tonnes in 2023, slipped slightly to 2.25 million tonnes in 2024, and reached...
Why aluminium alloy prices are higher in 2025 vs 2024?
Aluminium alloy LME prices began 2025 on stronger ground, marking a shift upward from the levels seen a year earlier. The LME offer price opened in January at around USD 2250 per tonne but quickly slipped to approx. USD 2100 per tonne. For much of the first quarter, values held between USD 2100 and USD 2500 per tonne. From March 17, momentum turned higher, reaching USD 2547 per tonne and closing the month at USD 2577 per tonne. This was tied to developments in US trade policy. In February, Washington lifted aluminium tariffs under Section 232 from 10 to 25 per cent, effective March 12, 2025, while scrapping exemptions. Buyers rushed to secure supplies before the higher duties came into effect, boosting inventories and advancing shipments. Some attempted to claim exemptions for “melted and...
Henkel’s Fa goes green with recycled plastic and aluminium in new rebrand
Henkel has unveiled a major rebrand of its personal care line Fa, introducing shower gels packaged in 100 per cent recycled plastic and deodorants made with 50 per cent recycled aluminium. The move is aimed at cutting the brand’s carbon footprint and supporting its wider sustainability goals. The relaunched portfolio includes Fa’s 250ml and 400ml shower gels, now presented in transparent bottles fully made from recycled plastic. Meanwhile, selected deodorant variants incorporate half recycled aluminium in their packaging. Alongside packaging changes, Fa emphasises that all shower gel formulas contain more than 93 per cent naturally derived ingredients, offering long-lasting freshness. The new design also integrates the brand’s signature water wave motif, reinforcing its association with...
Novelis names Greg Schlicht president of North America operations
Novelis Inc. has named Greg Schlicht as its new Executive Vice President and President for Novelis North America. The appointment, effective immediately, puts Schlicht in charge of the company’s full range of operations across the US and Canada, including its network of rolling mills and recycling facilities. Image source: Novelis/PR Newswire Schlicht is no stranger to the organisation, having spent 16 years in leadership roles across several divisions. Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer and Vice President of Commercial for Novelis North America, where he oversaw regional sales. Earlier, he spent four years managing the company’s global beverage packaging accounts, a cornerstone of Novelis’ business. His career within the company has also spanned strategy,...
Rare earth magnet shortage hits India: China’s export curbs threaten auto output
India’s automobile sector is on alert as supplies of rare earth magnets from China remain suspended, two weeks after Beijing promised to ease export restrictions. Despite high-level talks between the two countries, automakers and component suppliers say little has changed on the ground, and concerns are mounting that production could be disrupted during the upcoming festive season, when demand typically spikes. Why Beijing tightened the screws? The trouble dates back to April 2025, when China’s Ministry of Commerce issued Announcement No. 18. The directive imposed new licensing rules and export controls on seven key rare earth elements, including dysprosium, terbium, and samarium. These materials are indispensable for electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, defence hardware, aerospace...
South32 profit soars 75% on alumina price surge, but misses estimates
Australia’s South32 has reported a 75 per cent rise in annual profit, lifted by strong alumina operations and higher prices across its portfolio, though the result fell short of analyst forecasts. For the year ended June 30, underlying earnings came in at USD 666 million, up from USD380 million a year earlier but just a bit less from USD697.7 million that was expected by Visible Alpha. Shares slipped 2.1 per cent to AUD 2.85 in early trade, even as the broader index was little changed. Alumina was the standout performer, benefitting from a near 45 per cent surge in prices. That alone boosted divisional operating earnings by USD 714 million to USD 1.08 billion. The aluminium unit also enjoyed stronger prices, supported by supply tightness and higher costs across the sector. Copper and...
Aluminium sheet market reshaped in 2025: China on top, Italy rising, US losing ground
The global aluminium plates, sheets, and strips trade has undergone a reshuffle in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. While China still towers above everyone else in export value, but several traditional exporters have slipped, and a new entrant, Italy has made its way into the top ranks. The reshuffling reflects a mix of policy changes in Beijing, energy and raw material costs in Europe and the US, shifting demand patterns, and rising competition from newer players. China holds the crown China remains the world’s largest supplier. Exports in H1 2025 were valued at USD 5 billion, up slightly from USD 4.9 billion a year earlier. Yet the volume tells another story: shipments slipped from 1.6 million tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes. That decline is tied directly to...
Asia’s aluminium market holds strong as LME stocks plunge in Malaysia
Aluminium prices in Asia are holding firm near USD 2,615 a tonne, supported by a rush of withdrawals from London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses that has tightened supply across the region. Almost 100,000 tonnes were requested for removal from Malaysian depots in just two days, traders said, cutting into inventories that had recently touched a 14-month high. Image for representational purpose The sudden drawdown has reduced immediately available stocks and left buyers competing for fewer tonnes of deliverable metal. Analysts view the move as a strategic push by trading houses to lock in physical supply at a time of persistent uncertainty. Market attention has zeroed in on Malaysia, now the focal point of the latest stock shifts. The country’s warehouses play a pivotal role in the Asian...
GST 2.0 simplifies IGST and Cess, keeps luxury goods under heavy tax
India’s indirect tax system is on the verge of a major shift with the introduction of GST 2.0 from September 22, 2025. At the centre of this overhaul are two pillars—Integrated GST (IGST) and Cess—that decide how imported goods, inter-state supplies, and luxury products are taxed. IGST has long been used as a balancing tool to treat imports and domestic goods equally, while Cess worked as an extra duty on luxury and demerit products. Under the upcoming system, these two will be folded into a more straightforward slab arrangement. The intent is to simplify compliance while keeping the overall tax pressure on premium products largely the same. GST, which replaced a tangle of older indirect levies, comes in three parts. CGST goes to the Centre on sales within a state. SGST is the state’s...
Vedanta commits ₹12,500 crore for green metals push to support India’s EV growth
Vedanta Limited will invest over INR 12,500 crore to scale up its metal manufacturing business, with a clear focus on the electric vehicle (EV) sector. The investment covers new production facilities, technology upgrades, and downstream processing units to boost supplies of aluminium, copper, and lithium used in EV batteries and components. The company said the move should cut India’s dependence on imports and strengthen supply chains, while also supporting the government’s Make in India programme. Push on sustainability Alongside higher output, Vedanta wants to bring in greener practices. It plans to use more renewable power and energy-efficient processes across operations. A company spokesperson said, “With India’s electric mobility sector poised for exponential growth, our investment...
UAIL’s bauxite operations stir debate in Rayagada over growth and ecology
Odisha’s mineral-rich Rayagada district is once again at the centre of debate over how far industrial growth can go without damaging local lives and fragile ecosystems. The operations of Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL), a key player in the state’s bauxite industry, have drawn fresh scrutiny after villagers reported rising dust, noise, and water contamination linked to the company’s facilities. Image used for representational purpose A rejoinder affidavit submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on August 11, 2025 pointed to persistent dust, noise, and water contamination in and around Lachhuguda village, situated close to UAIL’s long-distance conveyor belt and red mud pond. A joint inspection led by the Rayagada District Magistrate acknowledged the presence of dust...
From waste to wealth: how AI robots can recover $6.5B a year and transform recycling’s future
In America’s ongoing battle with climate change and mounting waste, the recycling line is becoming the stage for an unexpected revolution. Despite decades of effort to sort plastics, papers, and metals, the country’s recycling system remains deeply inefficient. Each year, about USD 6.5 billion worth of recyclable materials is lost to landfills, as a result of outdated processes, contamination, and an overstretched workforce. Image for representational purpose The solution may not be more people on the sorting line but a new kind of worker: robots powered by artificial intelligence. With high-speed cameras, sensors, and nimble robotic arms, these machines are beginning to transform how recyclables are recovered, cleaned, and put back into circulation. Why the system is under strain? Inside...
India leads aluminium scrap imports with $1.96B as China drops 76% and US rises to $980M
Global aluminium scrap trade is undergoing a major reshuffle, with shifting demand patterns, tariff pressures, and regional recycling dynamics driving sharp changes in import rankings . Latest UN Comtrade data for the first half of 2025 shows India rising to the top as the largest importer, while China’s share has fallen dramatically. Image used for representational purpose The US has surged into second place on the back of tariff-driven demand, Germany has held steady despite industry headwinds, and Thailand has entered the top five, displacing South Korea. India leads the market India imported aluminium scrap worth USD 1,961 million in the first six months of 2025. That compares with USD 1,589 million during the same period in 2024. The increase of more than 23 per cent lifted India’s...
Campbell expects 18% profit drop in 2026 as tariffs push costs up 4%
Campbell Soup Co . said Wednesday that new tariffs will weigh heavily on its results for fiscal 2026, with profits expected to fall short of Wall Street forecasts. Image for representational purpose The New Jersey-based company estimates tariffs will add about 4 per cent to its cost of goods sold next year. Executives said they expect to offset roughly 60 per cent of that hit through price hikes and internal savings, but the remainder will squeeze margins. The added strain comes at a time when packaged food makers are already grappling with slowing demand, as consumers pull back on discretionary spending. Chief Executive Mick Beekhuizen noted that shoppers are becoming more selective and are opting for more at-home meals, adding pressure to the company’s profitability. Also read:...
Alunorte seeks USD 69M in arbitration against New Fortress Energy over gas delays
A major customer of billionaire Wes Edens’ New Fortress Energy Inc . has taken the company to arbitration, alleging delays in natural gas deliveries and seeking nearly 376 million reais in damages. Image for representatioanl purpose The dispute was disclosed in a regulatory filing on Friday. According to the company, Alunorte Alumina do Norte do Brasil SA — one of the world’s largest alumina producers — initiated arbitration in the first quarter. Alunorte is demanding 375.7 million reais (USD 68.9 million as of 30 June) over what it says were delays in gas supplies at the Barcarena import terminal. New Fortress Energy, which has been under pressure from mounting debt and cash flow constraints tied to project delays, said it intends to contest the claims. In its filing, the company stated...
India’s renewable energy boom faces weather risks, study warns
India’s ambitious shift towards clean energy could face unexpected challenges from the weather. A new study led by UK meteorologists reveals that combined solar and wind generation can plunge during certain weather events, creating so-called “renewable energy droughts” lasting up to nine days. These droughts, the research shows, are most likely during the winter months between November and February. The study examined historical weather data between 1979 and 2022 to assess how India’s solar and wind grids might behave under different meteorological conditions. Periods when combined solar and wind output fell below a set threshold were classified as renewable energy droughts. Hannah Bloomfield, Academic Track Fellow at Newcastle University and one of the study’s authors, says such work is...
Miche X2 RD Carbon-Aluminium chainrings launched for Dura-Ace and Ultegra
The Italian cycling brand, Miche has unveiled its new X2 RD chainrings, built on a simple idea: don’t waste a single watt of rider effort. The chainrings combine CNC-machined AL 7075-T6 aluminium with a 3K carbon structural layer, a mix that delivers a rare balance of lightness, stiffness, and responsiveness. Image for respresentational purpose This fusion creates a chainring that is exceptionally rigid yet lightweight and highly responsive, enabling every pedal stroke to be transformed directly into speed. The design also guarantees full compatibility with cranksets both with and without power meters, ensuring that cyclists can achieve peak performance in any setup. Two versions of the system Compatibility was a key part of the design. The X2 RD works seamlessly with cranksets with or...
