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Metal Packaging Europe expands membership with ALLTUB, TUBEX and Eastman
Metal Packaging Europe (MPE) has expanded its membership with the addition of ALLTUB and TUBEX as new corporate members, while Eastman has joined as an associate member, further strengthening the association's expertise across the metal packaging value chain. ALLTUB and TUBEX bring extensive experience in aluminium aerosol cans, tubes and related packaging solutions, while Eastman adds expertise in specialty materials, resins and coatings that support performance and innovation in metal packaging. According to MPE, the new members enhance its representation across the value chain and reinforce its efforts to advance a competitive, innovative and circular future for the European metal packaging industry. The latest additions also reflect MPE's ongoing strategy over the past year to broaden...
LME aluminium stocks hit the lowest level this century amid Middle East supply constraints
Aluminium stocks on the London Metal Exchange (LME) have slumped to their lowest level this century as supply constraints stemming from the conflict in the Middle East continue to force consumers to draw down exchange inventories to secure physical metal. While the market is still forecasting aluminium surpluses in the coming years, the relentless decline in warehouse stocks points to tightening physical availability, underscoring the growing impact of geopolitical disruptions on the global aluminium supply chain. According to LME data, total aluminium inventories stood at 271,275 tonnes on July 24, the lowest level since the exchange's records began in January 1998. The remaining stock is equivalent to less than one day's global aluminium consumption, highlighting how little...
70.24Mt, six regions, one production story: Global alumina output stays steady in H1 2026 even after declines in Africa and Europe
Global metallurgical-grade alumina production remained almost unchanged in the first half of 2026, totalling 70.24 million tonnes, compared with 70.27 million tonnes in H1 2025-a marginal decline of just 0.04 per cent year on year. But that near-flat headline conceals one of the most eventful six-month periods the alumina industry has witnessed in recent years. While China's expanding refining capacity helped cushion the global output, Africa and Asia (excluding China) struggled with tightening bauxite availability and weakening refinery margins. North America remained constrained by operational changes at its only operating refinery, Europe continued to battle elevated energy costs, Oceania adjusted to the permanent loss of refining capacity, and South America stood out as one of the few...
Türkiye's aluminium imports fall 10.4% YTD 2026 as import value rises 11.5%: Which downstream products lead imports?
Türkiye's aluminium import trends during January-May 2026 present a mixed picture, with lower import volumes but higher import values. Comparing the latest data with the previous two years provides insights into how the country's import mix has evolved and whether its downstream aluminium trade has maintained its share of total imports. Türkiye's cumulative aluminium imports (January-May) YTD 2026: 799,558.22 tonnes, valued at USD 2.9 billion (down 10.4 per cent in volume from YTD 2025, while import value rose 11.5 per cent) YTD 2025: 892,320.27 tonnes, valued at USD 2.6 billion (up 22.9 per cent in volume from YTD 2024, while import value increased 36.8 per cent) YTD 2024: 726,126.13 tonnes, valued at USD 1.9 billion Of the total aluminium imported by Türkiye during the January-May...
US Fed keeps interest rates 1.75% higher than its target: What it means for the aluminium industry
The US Federal Reserve has kept the interest rates unchanged, keeping the benchmark federal funds rate at 3.50-3.75 per cent for the fourth consecutive meeting. The decision, approved unanimously in a 12-0 vote by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), was widely expected by financial markets and keeps the benchmark rate at its lowest level since November 2022. At first glance, the decision appears to be a routine policy hold. But for the aluminium industry, it offers a clearer picture of the economic environment shaping demand, production costs and metal prices. The Fed's decision signals that inflation remains a concern, particularly as rising energy prices have altered expectations for monetary policy. Earlier this year, markets anticipated one or two rate cuts in 2026, but those...
EU downstream aluminium exports rise 6.8%, while imports fall 8.7% in 2026: Key trade trends at a glance
The European Union's downstream aluminium trade reveals an interesting divergence. Why are exports continuing to strengthen while imports lose momentum? The latest trade data offers insights into shifting demand patterns, evolving trade flows, and the EU's growing role in global downstream aluminium markets. January-April 2026 import graph The EU's cumulative imports of downstream aluminium products during the first four months of the past three years are as follows: YTD 2026: 635,440.94 tonnes, valued at USD 3.26 billion (volume down 8.7 per cent; value up 1.2 per cent) YTD 2025: 695,728.55 tonnes, valued at USD 3.22 billion (volume up 9.9 per cent; value up 19.3 per cent) YTD 2024: 633,106.85 tonnes, valued at USD 2.7 billion January-April 2026 export graph The EU's downstream aluminium...
LME aluminium cash offer price rises 0.68% on July 22 as exchange stocks decline
LME aluminium prices moved higher on July 22 compared with July 21, with gains recorded across the cash, three-month and December 2027 contracts, while exchange inventories continued to decline. The LME aluminium cash bid price increased to USD 3,204 per tonne on July 22 from USD 3,183 per tonne on July 21, up 0.66 per cent. The cash offer price also climbed to USD 3,205 per tonne from USD 3,183.5 per tonne, rising 0.68 per cent. The LME aluminium three-month bid price rose to USD 3,183 per tonne on July 22 from USD 3,170 per tonne on July 21, an increase of 0.41 per cent. The three-month offer price advanced to USD 3,185 per tonne from USD 3,170.5 per tonne, up 0.46 per cent. The December 2027 aluminium bid price increased to USD 3,117 per tonne on July 22 from USD 3,105 per tonne a day...
Alba reaches 48 million LTI-free work hours as it steps up summer safety drive
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) has recorded 48 million safe working hours without a Lost Time Injury (LTI), reaching the milestone on 16 July 2026 as the company intensifies workplace safety measures for the summer season. The achievement reflects Alba's continued efforts to maintain a safe and healthy workplace for both employees and contractors. Coinciding with the milestone, the company has rolled out its annual plant-wide Summer Safety and Health (S&H) Campaign under the theme "Safety by Choice, Excellence by Habit." The programme will run until July 29, 2026 and focuses on keeping the workforce safe during the hottest months of the year through awareness activities and practical guidance. Employees, contractors and workers will receive information from internal and external safety...
Oceania's H1 2026 primary aluminium production rises 2.2% Y-o-Y to 943,000t as Q2 recovery offsets weather-hit Q1
The first quarter of 2026 brought a temporary setback for Oceania's primary aluminium production, but it did not define the first half of the year. Although production declined from the last year Q4, due to upstream supply disruptions and seasonal operational factors, the region regained momentum in Q2, 2026 as output strengthened. Oceania's primary aluminium production rebounded in the second quarter of 2026, rising to 476,000 from 467,000 in the first quarter, representing a 1.9 per cent quarter-on-quarter increase. On a year-on-year basis, Oceania's primary aluminium production reached 943,000 in H1 2026, compared with 923,000 in H1 2025, an increase 2.2 per cent. Higher quarterly output drove first-half growth The stronger first-half performance was underpinned by higher production in...
Is aluminium's carbon footprint becoming packaging's next competitive advantage?
Aluminium has long been the material of choice for flexible packaging because of its barrier performance, strength and recyclability. Today, however, another characteristic is attracting equal attention-its carbon footprint. For decades, discussions around aluminium packaging largely revolved around functionality. Could it keep moisture out? Would it extend shelf life? Could it be recycled at the end of its use? Those questions still matter, but a new one is steadily moving to the forefront: How much carbon is embedded in the aluminium before it even becomes packaging? That question is becoming increasingly relevant as businesses face growing pressure to account for emissions throughout their supply chains. For packaging manufacturers, reducing emissions is no longer only about designing...
AL Circle Analysis: How geopolitics, trade and strategy reshaped the upstream aluminium market
When aluminium prices moved this year, demand was not always the driving force. Sometimes the catalyst was a Guinean bauxite export terminal. At other times, it was a power contract in South Africa, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Taken together, these developments reflected a broader shift in the upstream aluminium industry. Geopolitics, government policy and supply-chain resilience are increasingly shaping raw material flows, investment decisions and long-term market strategy. Strait of Hormuz disruption reshaped trade The Middle East conflict highlighted the vulnerability of the aluminium supply chain to maritime disruptions. Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz caused higher freight costs, rising war-risk insurance premiums and shipping uncertainty disrupted bauxite movements into the...
PNNL's Kate Rader and Aashish Rohatgi win 2026 ASM Howe Medal for aluminium manufacturing research
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) materials scientists Aashish Rohatgi and Kate Rader have been awarded the 2026 ASM International Henry Marion Howe Medal for research that advances scientific understanding of aluminium manufacturing. The award recognises the best paper published in Metallurgical and Materials Transactions and marks the culmination of nearly a decade of work on how ultrasonic processing affects aluminium solidification. The research began in 2017, when Rohatgi set out to answer a challenging question: what happens inside aluminium castings when ultrasound is applied during solidification? While earlier studies had compared materials before and after processing, the underlying mechanisms remained largely unknown. Four years later, Rader joined PNNL as a...
LME aluminium warehouse inventories decline nearly 45%: How sanctions, geopolitics and trade reshaped Russian and Indian stocks
London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium warehouse inventories have almost halved in 2026. Warehouse stocks fell from 440,650 tonnes in January to 246,600 tonnes by June, a decline of nearly 45 per cent. At first glance, that simply looks like metal leaving exchange warehouses. But look closer and the picture becomes far more intriguing. Russian-origin aluminium now accounts for almost 95 per cent of the metal remaining on LME warrant, while Indian inventories have repeatedly entered and exited the exchange. So what exactly is happening? The answer lies in two completely different stories unfolding inside the same warehouse system. One warehouse, two very different inventory trends The decline in total LME inventories tells only part of the story. A closer look at the data shows that Russia...
LME aluminium cash offer price eases 0.55% to $3,153.5/t; opening stock down 0.57%
London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices edged lower on July 15 compared with the previous trading day, while exchange inventories also registered a decline. The LME aluminium cash bid price stood at USD 3,153 per tonne on July 15, down 0.50 per cent from USD 3,169 per tonne on July 14. The cash offer price fell to USD 3,153.5 per tonne from USD 3,171 per tonne, a decline of 0.55 per cent. The LME aluminium three-month bid price eased to USD 3,150 per tonne on July 15 from USD 3,167 per tonne on July 14, marking a 0.54 per cent decrease. The three-month offer price also slipped 0.54 per cent, from USD 3,167.5 per tonne to USD 3,150.5 per tonne. Further along the forward curve, the December 2027 bid price declined to USD 3,085 per tonne from USD 3,103 per tonne, down 0.58 per cent. The...
Toyota urges Japanese automakers to join forces as Chinese EVs gain ground globally
Toyota Vice Chairman Koji Sato is calling for Japanese automakers to work together on common standards for selected vehicle parts as Chinese brands continue to gain ground in key global markets. The proposal would standardise components such as steel, wiring harnesses and plastics across Japan's major carmakers. By reducing the number of component variations, automakers could lower costs, improve efficiency and put more resources into areas that increasingly influence car buyers. The push comes at a difficult time for Japan's auto industry, with Chinese manufacturers steadily taking market share from established Japanese brands in Europe, China, Southeast Asia and Australia. “Unless things change, we will not survive,” Sato said during Toyota’s annual supplier meeting in March, as...
India-UK CETA takes effect: What it means for Indian exports, aluminium market and UK imports
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between India and the United Kingdom came into force today, giving Indian exports zero-duty access to 99 per cent of tariff lines in the UK market. The Agreement on Social Security, also known as the Double Contribution Convention (DCC), also took effect on the same day, supporting the mobility and competitiveness of Indian professionals working in the UK. Speaking to the media in New Delhi, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal described the agreement as one of India's most comprehensive trade pacts, covering a wide range of sectors and reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers. He said CETA marks a new phase in trade and investment relations between India and the UK and reflects their commitment to a deeper strategic partnership. The...
Aluminium coffee capsule market eyes 8.1% CAGR through 2033 - Read how aluminium shapes shelf life, performance and recycling
Global aluminium coffee capsule consumption reached approximately 23–25 billion units in 2025, putting a small, one-gram package at the centre of a rapidly growing coffee market. Rising coffee consumption, particularly in urban areas, is driving demand as consumers increasingly look for coffee that is quick to prepare without compromising on quality. The market numbers reflect this shift. The aluminum coffee capsule with recycle scheme market was valued at USD 2.48 billion in 2025 and is projected to increase to USD 2.68 billion in 2026 and around USD 4.5 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 8.1 per cent during 2026-2033. According to various industry sources, North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America and MEA led the global market in 2025. If we look at regional consumption, Europe...
A measure intended to increase the availability of recycled aluminium in Europe could ultimately reduce it, says Julia Ettinger
Europe’s aluminium scrap market is at the centre of a growing debate over whether rising exports are tightening domestic supply or are a result of weak demand from European smelters. In this interview, Julia Ettinger, Secretary General of Recycling Europe, explains the market factors driving scrap exports and the challenges affecting smelter capacity utilisation. She also discusses the possible impact of a proposed export levy on scrap collection, processing and recycling investment, alongside changing aluminium trade flows towards Asian markets and the outlook for Europe’s recycled aluminium sector through 2030. Julia joined Recycling Europe in 2018 and has served as Secretary General since April 2024, leading the association’s work on key regulatory, policy and legal issues affecting...
