AlCircle News Edited By "Aranya Mondal"
Aranya Mondal is a content writer with two years of professional experience in business writing, technical writing, web content, editing, and research. She handles content creation and editing for online and offline channels to support brand growth and global engagement.
From packaging to automobiles: aluminium sheets, foils and cans to reach 2.5M tonnes by 2033
At the start of September 2025, primary aluminium is trading on the London Metal Exchange at a fairly narrow range of USD 2,591.75 per tonne to USD 2,606 per tonne. While primary aluminium prices influence global trade dynamics, the downstream market of sheets, foils, and cans demonstrates the metal’s broader economic significance across packaging, construction, transport, and consumer industries. Aluminium sheets is considered as one of the most common rolled forms of the metal. Light, durable and resistant to corrosion, they are cut into body panels for cars, roofing and cladding for buildings, and even kitchen appliances. Foil takes on a different role. Thin and ductile, it wraps food, protects medicines and, more recently, lines lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. Cans,...
Hydro adds foundry alloys to Hydro CIRCAL recycled aluminium range
Hydro launched its recycled aluminium product, Hydro CIRCAL, which is available in both extrusion ingot and foundry alloy formats. The product maintains a minimum of 75 per cent post-consumer scrap (PCS) content. With the addition of foundry alloys, automotive companies can now use Hydro CIRCAL for parts such as wheels, battery boxes, and structural and engine components. Hydro Aluminium Metal Executive Vice President Hanne Simensen said, “Hydro CIRCAL has set the benchmark for recycled aluminium since its launch in 2019. By expanding Hydro CIRCAL to the foundry alloy product portfolio, we are opening new doors for our automotive customers to decarbonize parts of their cars with high-quality recycled aluminium containing at least 75 percent post-consumer scrap. We are excited to create...
From Guinea setbacks to US smelter ambitions: EGA’s transformative H1 2025
Amid shifting trade rules, supply chain hiccups, and unpredictable premiums, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) held its ground in the first half of 2025. The company not only pushed its growth plans forward but also boosted recycling and smelting capacity, while moving ahead with plans to build the first new US aluminium smelter in over 40 years. Image source: EGA EGA, saw its revenue rise to AED 15.08 billion (USD 4.11 billion) in the first half of the year, up nearly 8 per cent from AED 13.98 billion (USD 3.81 billion) in the same period of 2024. Yet higher revenues masked weaker profitability. Underlying EBITDA slipped to AED 3.82 billion (USD 1.04 billion), down from AED 4.20 billion (USD 1.14 billion) a year earlier. Net profit also declined, dropping to AED 1.63 billion (USD 445...
From Guinea to China: bauxite demand fuels $126B global market outlook
The bauxite market is expanding steadily, with analysts predicting the market will be worth nearly USD 126 billion by 2033. This sharp climb from USD 84.5 billion in 2025 is equal to a compound annual growth rate of 5.11 per cent. Aluminium demand lies at the heart of this surge. Yet, the outlook is not all smooth. Supply bottlenecks, tougher environmental rules and geopolitical rivalries are there. Aluminium’s expanding reach Most of the world’s bauxite, about 85 per cent, ends up as alumina, which is then refined into aluminium. The metal has become hard to replace. In cars, the story is striking. Back in 1980, an average vehicle carried only about 120 pounds of aluminium. By 2030, that figure is expected to hit 252 kilograms. For a broader view of the global bauxite market click: A...
China falls, Turkey rises: aluminium bars and rods exports reshape global trade
The global trade in aluminium bars and rods profiles during the first half of 2025 painted a picture of divergence, with some exporters expanding their reach while others struggled under regulatory and market pressures. China, still the largest player, endured the steepest fall. Its export volume slipped 21.09 per cent, dropping from 520,144.8 tonnes in H1 2024 to 410,485 tonnes in H1 2025. The financial blow was even harder, as net trade value fell by 27.4 per cent — from USD 1.8 billion to USD1.328 billion. Germany too found itself weighed down by weaker flows. Exports through May 2025 came to 107,240.4 tonnes, from 134,596.5 tonnes shipped in May 2024, a contraction of 20.29 per cent. The country’s export revenues followed the same path, tumbling 15.6 per cent from USD 932 million in...
From smelters to supply chains: How RUSAL is powering aluminium with AI
Artificial intelligence has dominated global headlines in recent years, usually in connection with IT firms, chatbots, or image-generation platforms. That gave an impression that only digital startups can use AI. In reality, another story is unfolding. Industries once considered slow to change are also undergoing a transformation. Heavy industry, long viewed as conservative, is now adopting digital solutions to cut costs, raise efficiency, and improve quality. Building a digital ecosystem A prominent example is RUSAL, one of the world’s largest aluminium producers. Breaking away from the stereotype of “sluggish” heavy industry, the company has built a complete digital ecosystem in only two years. Today, advanced systems are present across almost every stage of the chain, from raw...
Imports surge, premiums fall: Brazil’s aluminium industry faces new rivals
Brazil’s aluminium industry is under pressure from overseas suppliers after recent tariff changes. India’s largest producer Vedanta has been sending more metal into Brazil, increasing shipments to local buyers. Traders also reported that Russia’s top producer, Rusal has also entered the market with small trial sales. Traders also noted that Rusal, Russia’s top producer, has entered the market with small trial sales. A trader said, “I have been hearing a lot of rumours about Rusal’s approach. I heard that it had already made some sales and the cargo was about to arrive, and they would do a test [of the material].” Alumar, one of Brazil’s largest smelters, confirmed the shift, “The Brazilian market has attracted the attention of various producers, which increases competition,” a...
Guinea edges toward 199M tonnes of bauxite exports amid refining gap
Guinea is tightening its grip on the global bauxite trade, shipping record volumes even as its own alumina refining sector lags far behind. According to sources, Guinea mined about 123 million tonnes of bauxite in 2023, up from 103 million tonnes the year before. Exports grew even faster, jumping to 127 million tonnes—a year-on-year rise of nearly 25 per cent. The momentum carried into 2024. Output rose to roughly 141 million tonnes, while exports reached 145 million tonnes, cementing the West African nation’s place as the world’s largest exporter. The surge has continued this year. In just the first half of 2025, Guinea shipped 99.8 million tonnes, almost as much as its entire 2022 total. For a broader view of the global bauxite market click: A Comprehensive Analysis of Bauxite Residue -...
Canpack reports 10% Q2 2025 sales growth and unveils 1B-can plant in Colombia
Canpack Group, a global producer of aluminium beverage cans and packaging solutions, released its financial results for the second quarter and first half of 2025, ended June 30, along with a trading update. For the three months ended June 30, 2025, beverage can body volumes remained flat compared with the same period in 2024. For the six months ended June 30, 2025, volumes increased by 1 per cent year-on-year. The growth was mainly driven by higher can body volumes in the US and India, partly offset by lower volumes in Europe and Brazil. For more information on aluminium packaging read: ALuminium in Packaging: Consumer Trends and Market Dynamics Financial results Net Sales rose by 10 per cent in Q2 2025 versus the same quarter in 2024, and by 9 per cent for the first half of 2025 compared...
Aluminium, Copper markets squeezed as energy transition outpaces supply
Aluminium prices held steady this week, even as demand from clean energy projects and electric vehicles pushed higher. Normally, stronger demand and technological advances would draw out more supply but this time, the opposite is happening. China, which accounts for more than half of world output, is still holding its annual cap near 45 million tonnes to meet climate goals. In the first half of 2025, production came in at 21.8 million tonnes, close to that ceiling. High power costs and tougher regulations abroad have also slowed smelting expansion. Raw materials are adding to the squeeze. Alumina prices have hit record highs this year, doubling the cost of production. Russia’s Rusal has already trimmed as much as 500,000 tonnes in response. Also read: Global Aluminium Industry Outlook...
LME aluminium cash price slips to $2,614/t; opening stocks edge down to 481,150t
On August 28, aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange softened slightly compared to the previous day. The LME aluminium cash bid price stood at USD 2,614 per tonne against USD 2,616 per tonne on August 27, marking a decline of 0.08 per cent, while the cash offer fell 0.11 per cent to USD 2,615 per tonne from USD 2,618 per tonne. The three-month bid slipped to USD 2,609.5 per tonne from USD 2,616 per tonne, down 0.25 per cent, and the three-month offer price moved to USD 2,610 per tonne from USD 2,616.5 per tonne, also lower by 0.25 per cent. Also read: Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2025 For longer-dated contracts, the December 2026 bid price eased 0.26 per cent to USD 2,655 per tonne from USD 2,662 per tonne, while the offer price dropped to USD 2,660 per tonne from USD 2,667...
Indonesia’s alumina surge puts heat on Australia’s South32
Indonesia’s decision to ban bauxite exports in 2023 has changed the map of alumina supply. Within a year, the country flipped from being a raw ore shipper to a net exporter of alumina in 2024, a shift that is now unsettling traditional producers in Australia and Brazil. Analysts believe Indonesia could add double-digit million tonnes of capacity by 2027. If that happens, the alumina market could tip from tight supply into surplus within two years. From ore to alumina Until the ban, most of Indonesia’s bauxite was sent to China. Today, that ore is feeding a string of new refineries at home. The result: more cargoes of alumina leaving Indonesian ports and fewer raw bauxite shipments abroad. The country’s location gives it another advantage. It sits close to China, the world’s biggest...
Guinea’s bauxite boom: exports up 36% despite political uncertainty
Guinea exported 99.8 million tonnes of bauxite in the first half of 2025, a sharp 36 per cent rise from 73.4 million tonnes in the same period of 2024. That figure is almost equal to the country’s entire output in 2022. The rise is a result of strong run, with exports up 19.6 per cent in 2023 to 127 million tonnes, followed by another 14 per cent increase in 2024 to 145 million tonnes. What makes the latest surge stand out is the backdrop, Guinea is in the middle of political turbulence, a tightening grip on mining rights by the junta, and rising unease among investors. Export boom and China’s role The export boom has several drivers, but China is at the center. Roughly 60 per cent of Guinea’s ore goes to Chinese buyers, and Beijing’s aluminium production was up about 4 per cent in the...
Germany leads global aluminium foil exports in 2025 while China falls out of top 5
As per UN Comtrade data, Aluminium foil (whether or not printed or backed with paper, paperboard. plastics or similar backing materials) of a thickness (excluding any backing) not exceeding 0.2mm saw a notable reshuffle between 2024 and 2025. From January to May 2025, Germany led the market with a trade value of USD 770 million and an export of 117.14 thousand tonnes, followed by Italy at USD 362 million and 61.69 thousand tonnes, the USA at USD 308 million and 56.09 thousand tonnes, Turkiye at USD 265 million and 61.29 thousand tonnes, and Japan at USD 245 million and 27.64 thousand tonnes. In contrast, during January to May 2024, China dominated the market with USD 1,476 million and an export of 479.44 thousand tonnes, while Germany stood second at USD 621 million and 117.17 thousand...
India-UK FTA sparks aluminium growth but CBAM threatens to reverse it
India’s free trade agreement with the UK is expected to be a big win for aluminium exporters, as it will remove the import duties. But there is also a catch. From January 2027, the UK will bring in its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) — a tax linked to carbon emissions. Industry executives warn this could claw back much of the benefit, leaving Indian producers struggling to keep prices competitive in the British market. Role of FTA The FTA eliminates import duties on aluminium products, which previously ranged from 2 per cent to 10 per cent in the UK market. Industry players expect this change will improve India’s competitiveness. Vedanta Aluminium Chief Executive Officer Rajiv Kumar said, “With the FTA now in place, the aluminium industry aims to treble its export to the UK by...
LME aluminium offer price climbs to $2,611.5/t; opening stocks edge down to 478,075t
London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices rose between August 22 and August 26, supported by firm demand, while stocks showed a marginal decline. Trading was closed on August 25 due to the UK Summer Bank Holiday. The LME aluminium cash bid price climbed from USD 2,588.5 per tonne on August 22 to USD 2,611 per tonne on August 26, an increase of 0.87 per cent, while the cash offer price rose from USD 2,589 per tonne to USD 2,611.5 per tonne, up 0.87 per cent . The 3-month bid price advanced 0.79 per cent to USD 2,607 per tonne, compared with USD 2,586.5 per tonne earlier, and the 3-month offer price gained 0.83 per cent to USD 2,609 per tonne from USD 2,587.5 per tonne. The December 26 bid price moved up to USD 2,655 per tonne from USD 2,637 per tonne, a rise of 0.68 per cent while the...
Is Tesla’s robotaxi dream slipping away—or just getting started?
Tesla’s vision for an autonomous, robotaxi-powered future is as controversial as it is ambitious. For some, it signals the next big leap in mobility; for others, it’s a risky bet dragging down Tesla’s numbers and its stock. The ripple effect even touches suppliers like aluminium manufacturers. The robotaxi idea isn’t new. It first appeared in Tesla’s “Master Plan Part Deux” back in 2016. By 2019, Elon Musk was boldly predicting a million robotaxis on the road by 2020, but that target went unmet Between 2020 and 2024, Tesla rolled out its Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta. It got attention, but true autonomy remained elusive. Then came a big splash in October 2024: the Cybercab, a vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals, pitched as Tesla’s purpose-built robotaxi. The production is expected...
US aluminium faces shutdowns and tariff pressures as Canada expands exports
US aluminium exports keep shrinking. In the first half of 2025, volumes plunged to 562.17 thousand tonnes down from over 804.67 thousand tonnes a year earlier, same period. It continues the downward trend from 679.20 thousand tonnes in H1 2023 and 593.52 thousand tonnes in H1 2022, as reported in the Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 by the US Geological Survey. In H1 2024, the main destinations for US aluminum exports were Malaysia, Mexico, Canada, India , and Thailand. By H1 2025, the top markets shifted to Japan—leading with 66,000 tonnes of unwrought aluminum alloy—followed by India, South Korea, Mexico, and Vietnam. This sharp fall underscores a worsening crisis in the US aluminium industry, driven by a combination of factors such as smelter and refinery shutdowns, rising energy...
