AlCircle News Edited By "Debanjali Sengupta"
Debanjali Sengupta is a passionate content writer with 10 years of experience in Business writing, Web Content writing, Blogging, Editing and Research. She is responsible for generating and editing content for AlCircle Newsletter and other online and offline content for enhancing the brand value and its visibility among global users.
NALCO raises concerns over 25% US aluminium tariffs: where will India’s export go next, and how will the market cope with surplus?
Following Donald Trump's firm statement —"No exemptions, no exceptions" on a 25 per cent tariff on imported aluminium and steel on Tuesday, February 11—India’s state-owned National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has come up with valuable insights into the potential impact on global price trends. NALCO emphasised that these tariffs are likely to weigh on global aluminium prices, much like the effects seen in late 2018, 2019, and 2020 after similar trade measures were imposed during Trump’s first term. After Donald Trump introduced an additional 10 per cent tariff on aluminium and 25 per cent on steel in 2018, the average global aluminium price on London Metal Exchange dropped to $1,931.45 per tonne at the end of the same year, which further decreased in the succeeding years to an...
Novelis' Q3 fiscal results hit by volatile aluminium scrap prices, says CEO: net income declines 9% Y-o-Y
Novelis Inc., the international arm of Hindalco Industries Limited and the world leader in aluminium rolling and recycling, has announced its third-quarter results demonstrating a further downfall in financial performance. According to Steve Fisher, president and CEO of Novelis Inc., the increased competition in the scrap aluminium industry, with many more players joining, is creating significant pressure on pricing and eventually impacting their financial results. According to the Q3 report, Novelis' net income stood at $110 million, further down by 14 per cent from $128 million in the previous quarter and 9 per cent lower than $121 million during the corresponding period of the last year. Net income attributable to common shareholders, excluding special items, was $119 million versus...
“We, as Intals, are finalising the renovation of a new facility: GML.The mission of GML is simple yet ambitious: to recover aluminium from materials that are difficult to process using traditional methods,” Alessandro Colla, Purchase and Sales Manager, Intals S.p.A
Intals S.p.A. is a leading European company specialising in aluminium recycling. With origins dating back to 1902 in a small artistic aluminium foundry in central Milan, Intals has established itself as a key player in the European aluminium recovery and recycling industry. In this exclusive interview, Mr. Alessandro Colla, Purchase and Sales Manager at Intals, has shared his insights into the company’s mission and vision, upcoming projects, investment strategies, and the evolving landscape of the European aluminium recycling market. Read on to discover how Intals is reinforcing its position as a leader in the industry. Image source: LinkedIn, Intals AL Circle: How would you describe the transformation in the secondary aluminium industry over less than a decade? Alessandro Colla : In the...
EU warns of counteraction against Donald Trump’s new aluminium and steel tariffs
In response to the new aluminium and steel tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump, just days after postponing tariffs on North American neighbours, the European Commission is committed to taking action to protect the interests of the European Union. Describing Trump's tariff measures as unjustified and meaningless,, the European Commission said, "We will react to protect the interests of European businesses, workers, and consumers from unjustified actions. However, it will await formal notification before deciding on a response." On Sunday, Donald Trump said he would impose 25 per cent tariffs on aluminium and steel imports just like he did during his first term, citing national security concerns. In 2018, he levied a 25 per cent duty on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium,...
Top 20 headlines from January 2025 marking a sharp beginning of the year in the global aluminium industry
At the beginning of 2025, primary aluminium and its essential raw materials witnessed some significant developments in key areas like production, value, projects, and trade policies. Additionally, advancements in technology, sustainability initiatives, and geopolitical factors occurred and reshaped the industry's future. The downstream sector has not shied away from some critical progress driven by rising demand and a strong push towards sustainability. Staying informed about these critical updates is important for gaining valuable insights into the current market, anticipating potential market dynamics, adapting strategies, and making well-informed strategic decisions for business growth. So, here's to the top 20 headlines from across the aluminium value chain in January 2025. Updates...
US President shocks the world with new aluminium and steel tariff plans after a 30-day reprieve to Canada and Mexico
US President Donald Trump intends to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all aluminium and steel imports. While speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump said he would apply tariffs on metals imported from all countries, without sharing the timeline when duties would take effect. Image soure: Britannica He also hinted at the implementation of reciprocal tariffs as early as this week on nations that impose duties on US imports. These moves are the latest in a series of tariff measures Trump has pursued since the inauguration of his second presidential term. Trump’s latest plan to impose tariffs on all aluminium and steel tariffs came as a surprise to many overseas buyers and sellers after the grant of a 30-day reprieve to Canada and Mexico just last week. Moreover, buyers and sellers...
Upstream recap: From Donald Trump’s tariff declaration to tariff reprieve to aluminium price hike, this week sees it all
All eyes have been on the primary aluminium industry ever since Donald Trump directed his administration to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. Where will the United States source its downstream aluminium raw materials, and where will Canada redirect its primary metal? Trump's tariff declaration has led to too many questions while at the same time sparked a level of controversy with the President's most recent decision to reprieve his North American neighbours. Amid all this, there are also some other unignorable highlights from this week's upstream aluminium industry, such as a 26 per cent rise in Jamaican alumina export value, strong prediction for a 2025 aluminium price hike based on foreseen supply deficit in the market, Alcoa's substantial financial gains but bearish outlook...
Daiki Aluminium’s nine-month report shows rising sales but declining profit. Will they reach annual targets?
Daiki Aluminium, a Japanese aluminium manufacturer specialising in producing secondary alloys used in high-pressure die casting, casting, and rolling, has reportedly seen a 5.6 per cent year-on-year rise in net sales during the first nine months of 2024, which ended December 31. But despite the increase in sales, the company's profit attributable to owners of parent stooped down by 39.5 per cent, indicating challenges faced by the company in maintaining positive profit margins. In the first six months of the year, Daiki's net sales were 3.8 per cent higher than the previous year, amounting to ¥ 137,147 million (US$903,793) versus ¥ 132,120 million (US$870,375). Profit attributable to owners of parent was ¥ 1,596 million (US$10,514) until September 30, 2024, compared to ¥2,585 million...
Reducing renewable energy storage costs with batteries is Rio Tinto’s latest area of R&D at Queensland smelter
Rio Tinto, a British-Australian multinational company and the world’s second-largest metals and mining corporation, is experimenting with reducing energy storage costs in a bid to reserve abundant amounts of intermittent renewables to feed smelters with the seamless electricity supply they need. The company believes installing batteries at its Queensland aluminium smelter can play a crucial role in achieving the new goal. Last week, during the smelter visit, Rio’s chief executive for the aluminium business, Jerome Pecresse, firmly expressed his confidence in batteries to provide consistent power to the smelters even when the generation from solar and wind is low. Among various sustainability initiatives so far, the integration of batteries at Rio’s carbon-heavy aluminium smelters in North...
Alumina serves as a backbone to Jamaica’s revenue earnings from exports, with 26% rise in nine months of 2024
Jamaica’s alumina export value increased by 25.9 per cent, totalling US$447.3 million during the first nine months of 2024. This growth has contributed to a 17 per cent rise in Jamaica’s overall export revenue from the mining and quarrying sector to US$500.7 million. In the first quarter of 2024, Jamaica’s alumina export value was US$132.2 million versus US$89.2 million during the corresponding period of the previous year. In the next quarter, Jamaica’s earnings from alumina exports grew further, contributing to a 27 per cent boost in mineral export revenues. But despite the steady rise in Jamaica’s alumina export value, the Caribbean country’s domestic export value through the first nine months of 2024 fell 10.8 per cent to US$1,360.5 million, caused by a sharp contraction in re-exports...
Ma’aden moves closer to acquiring Alcoa’s 25.1% stake in Ma’aden bauxite and aluminium company with GAC’s approval
Here's an update about the share purchase and subscription agreement signed between Alcoa and Ma'aden on September 15, 2024. On February 4, 2025, the General Authority of Competition (GAC) approved Ma'aden to acquire Alcoa's 25.1 per cent ownership in Ma'aden Aluminium Company (MAC) and Ma'aden Bauxite and Alumina Company (MBAC). According to a previously published report, Ma'aden will purchase Alcoa's shares in MAC and MBAC for $1.1 billion and get full ownership and total operational and management control of the bauxite and alumina company as well as the aluminium firm. The approval of GAC marks the fulfilment of one of several customary conditions for this type of transaction. The deal is anticipated to be finalised by the first quarter of 2025. This strategic acquisition of Alcoa's...
“In terms of investment, our focus is on strengthening GHI Smart Furnaces' position as a leader in providing advanced turnkey solutions for the aluminium recycling sector,” José Domingo Berasategui, CEO of GHI Smart Furnaces
We are honored to have a conversation with José Domingo Berasategui, CEO of GHI Smart Furnaces. After serving for over a decade as General Manager, Berasategui now takes on the role of executive leader, strengthening GHI’s commitment to innovation and excellence. In an exclusive discussion with AL Circle, he shares insights into his new role and responsibilities, his vision for the future of GHI Furnaces, and his strategy for advancing digitalisation. Most importantly, he highlights his mission to embed a culture of innovation and sustainability at GHI, driving transformation from within. AL Circle: Congratulations on your appointment as CEO of GHI Smart Furnaces! Please share your vision for the company's future in terms of investment, innovation, and business operations. José Domingo...
Phinix to commercialise the removal of Fe and Mn from aluminium scrap melts
Phinix LLC, a St. Louis-based company specialised in providing product and process development, research and commercialisation, and marketing and manufacturing services for primary, scrap, secondary, and fabricated products, has reportedly launched its two-year project to develop a commercial process of removing iron and manganese from molten aluminium scrap metals, in a bid to enhance the quality and sustainability of recycled aluminium. Led by Phinix founder and CEO Subodh Das and supported by a group of secondary aluminium producers, industrial and academic research institutions, industry consultants, and component suppliers, this $1.8 million project is funded by the Remade Institute in Rochester, New York. It builds upon a 2024 Remade-funded R&D initiative, leveraging patent-pending...
Africa & Asia going strong with alumina production, up 6.5% in 2024; outlook remains bullish with India’s output set to reach 9.7 MT
Africa & Asia (ex-China) ranks as the world's third-largest alumina-producing region after China, Oceania, and South America, accounting for nearly 10 per cent of the world's output annually . In 2024, the region's share of global alumina production increased slightly to exactly 10%, up from 9.65% in the previous year. The contribution has grown in line with the increase in production volume from 13.014 million tonnes in 2023 to 13.859 million tonnes in 2024 , reflecting a Y-o-Y rise of 6.49 per cent, according to the data revealed by the International Aluminium Institute. Throughout 2024, Africa & Asia's (ex-China) alumina production stood between 1.12-1.19 million tonnes. There were only three months when production exceeded 1.2 million tonnes, such as in March, June, and December....
Novacium’s groundbreaking process to transform black aluminium dross into green hydrogen seeks patent
HPQ Silicon Inc., a Quebec-based advanced materials engineering provider, has filed a provisional patent application for its latest innovative process developed by its France-based affiliate, Novacium SAS. The process is designed to transform black aluminium dross, a toxic by-product of aluminium recycling typically sent to landfills, into valuable resources. The waste-to-energy process will use black aluminium dross as a feedstock to produce green hydrogen and transform the remaining material into waste neutralisation and valorisation of the solid by-products. As rightly stated by Dr Oliver Moos, the Managing Director of Casthouse Engineering and Technology AG (CETAG) of Switzerland, this innovation has developed a promising approach to address critical materials like black aluminium...
Here’s the other side of the story: where will Canada redirect its 3.3 million tonnes of aluminium exports with US tariffs in effect?
February 4, 2025 – today is the day the United States' 25 per cent additional import tariffs on Canada, Mexico and 10 per cent on China are coming into effect. Already, the tariffs, even before being implemented, have brought several opinions from industry leaders on possible changes in market dynamics for the United States and the rest of the world. Jorge Eduardo Dyszel, a risk management consultant and expert in base metals and the London Metal Exchange, has weighed in on the situation. He suggests the United States importers will either need to pay the 25 per cent tariff or seek alternative sources for commodities like aluminium. He also warns that a reduced supply of aluminium could lead to higher premiums for US buyers, potentially resulting in a contango curve—an upward-sloping...
Alcoa reports robust financial gains, with revenue up by 13%. Yet stock drops, but why?
Alcoa Corporation has reportedly announced the fourth and full-year results of 2024, demonstrating a strong financial performance led by increased operations and high alumina and aluminium prices. Image source: Alcoa Fiscal performance In the fourth quarter, Alcoa's Q4 revenue was US$3,486 million, up by 20 per cent from US$2,904 million a quarter ago. In the entire year, the revenue amounted to US$11,895 million, experiencing an increase of 12.7 per cent Y-o-Y from US$10,551 million. The company's adjusted net income in the fourth quarter was US$276 million versus US$135 million in Q3. In the full year, it totalled US$296 million, compared to a net loss of US$405 million in 2023. Adjusted income per share was US$1.04 in Q4, and that in the full year 2024 was US$1.35. Alcoa's Adjusted...
What shift in market dynamics can you expect with Donald Trump’s latest tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China?
Donald Trump proposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico and 10 per cent tariffs on China are set to take effect on Tuesday, February 4, following his executive orders on February 1 directing the administration to impose duties on these three trade partners. As per the report, an additional 25 per cent tariff will be applicable to all imports from Canada and Mexico, except energy resources, which will face a 10 per cent duty instead. Image source: Britannica The President's order specifies the tariffs will apply to those products entering the US for consumption or withdrawn from warehouses for consumption on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 4, 2025. Goods already in transit to the United States with scheduled arrival at 12:01 a.m. on February 1 are exempt from...
