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.
Alcoa’s San Ciprián smelter streamlines operations, stakeholders unveil strategic roadmap
Alcoa Inespal SL, a subsidiary of Alcoa Corporation, has reportedly entered into a strategic agreement with IGNIS Equity Holdings, SL, the majority shareholder in the IGNIS Group, the Spanish National Government, and the Xunta de Galicia, to continue to support San Ciprián smelter's operations. All the San Ciprián stakeholders have signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining some strategic plans to address the current issues at the smelter. The plans include: To correspond with San Ciprián's workers to establish joint efforts to stabilise operations once the smelter becomes fully operational by October 1, 2025. To streamline renewable energy projects and deploy policies for achieving competitive energy costs To reduce CO2 emissions from operations To support residue storage area (RSA)...
Know why there’s a demotion in investment outlook for Norsk Hydro ASA
RBC Capital Markets, a global investment bank providing banking, finance, and capital markets services, has reduced its ratings for the Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company Norsk Hydro ASA from "outperform" to "sector perform". The revision in investment outlook follows Norsk Hydro's share decline by 3.2 per cent on Tuesday, November 21, indicating a probability of the company's bearish performance amid shifting market conditions. Image Source: Norsk Hydro The anticipated aluminium price fall in the near future due to increased production, backed by alumina supply ease and new capacities commissioning in India and Indonesia, is likely to weigh on Hydro's revenue. According to RBC's projection, aluminium prices, which have risen by over 5 per cent year-to-date, will decline by...
Jan-Oct’24: US aluminium plates, sheets and bars imports record a 22% hike despite the slower recovery in recent times
Until October 2024, the United States imported 1.03 million tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and bars versus 842,000 tonnes a year ago. That reflected an annual hike of 22.37 per cent, driven by back-to-back significant import volumes from April to July 2024, ranging between 106,000 and 120,000 tonnes. From August onwards, imports decreased below 100,000 tonnes, averaging around 93,000 to 96,000 tonnes. According to the United States Geological Survey, imports of aluminium plates, sheets, and bars increased month-on-month, though they remained below the levels observed in the second quarter of 2024. In October 2024, the United States aluminium plates, sheets and bars imports stood at 96,200 tonnes versus 94,100 tonnes in September and 77,600 tonnes in October 2023, marking M-o-M...
China’s December aluminium production grows 4.2%, leading to 2024 output to 1 million tonnes shy of the production cap
China's aluminium production continued to increase in December 2024, backed by newer production capacity and increased operating rate like the last month. According to the data recently published by the National Bureau of Statistics, China's aluminium output in the final month of 2024 rose month-on-month as well as year-on-year by 1.62 per cent and 4.2 per cent, respectively. Image Source: Made-in-China China's aluminium output in December stood the highest in the final quarter of 2024, at 3.77 million tonnes, with daily production averaging 121,612 tonnes. Although the monthly output in December stood higher than 3.71 million tonnes in November , the daily production decreased by 1.66 per cent M-o-M from 123,667 tonnes to 121,612 tonnes. China's total aluminium production in the fourth...
Midal Cables from Bahrain bags ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022) Certification
Midal Cables B.S.C., a manufacturer of aluminium rod and overhead electrical transmission cables and conductors, has received the Performance Standard V3 (2022) Certification from ASI for its environmentally-conscious operations at its Ashkar facility in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Image Source: Midal Cables The facility, with five casting lines, manufactures and exports aluminium wires, rods, and conductors for a wide range of industrial applications. It has an annual production capacity of 260,000 tonnes. The ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022) was launched in May 2022, defining 11 principles and 62 criteria under three sustainability pillars- Environment, Social, and Governance. The objective is to address pressing sustainability issues in the aluminium value chain, such as biodiversity,...
European recycling associations say no to protectionist measures on aluminium and steel scrap exports
The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) and the European Recycling Industries Confederation (EuRIC) reportedly wrote letters to the European Union, cautioning potential threats to the European domestic scrap industry if protectionist measures are taken in response to the appeal by the European Steel Association (Eurofer) and European Aluminium for an effective action to tackle scrap leakage in a bid to attain national sustainability vision and secure industrial competitiveness. Image Source: European Aluminium EuRIC said in a statement that scrap exports by the European traders have kept the domestic recycling market alive, so any restrictions on scrap exports will cause injury to the recycling businesses and the EU’s overall economy. Highlighting the potentially harmful consequences,...
EGA celebrates the launch of MBZ-SAT satellite made with Celestial solar aluminium
Emirates Global Aluminium wears another hat of success on the occasion of the landmark launch of MBZ-SAT, as the region's most advanced satellite contains EGA's Celestial solar aluminium. Launched on Tuesday, January 14, from the Space Launch Complex 4E at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US, MBZ-SAT was developed by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), using EGA's Celestial solar aluminium produced in Jebel Ali smelter. Aluminium has been a critical material used in space technologies since the launch of the first satellite in 1957, owing to its unique properties like lightweight, strength and resistance to corrosion. Aligned with the 'Make it in the Emirates' programme, EGA and MBRSC's collaboration represents a remarkable milestone in the space sector. 'Make it...
Indian aluminium shares grow 2-3% on three major global events, including EU’s 16th sanctions package
On Thursday, January 16, the three musketeers of the Indian aluminium industry - Vedanta Limited, National Aluminium Company (NALCO), and Hindalco Industries Limited saw a 2 to 3 per cent gain in their intraday stock prices. The contributing factor was the increased aluminium prices to $2,606 per tonne on the same day, following the hike of 3.3 per cent in the previous week and marking a steady bullish trend over a more extended period of one year. Image Source: Freepik Additionally, two other global tailwinds buoyed the domestic stock prices: China's projected record-high aluminium production by the end of 2025 and the European Union's proposed 16th package sanctions on Russian aluminium. Emkay Research, a renowned India-based financial firm, expects global aluminium prices to remain...
Vedanta Aluminium reduces 28.5% GHG emissions, one step at a time for Net Zero future
Vedanta Aluminium has achieved yet another significant milestone under sustainability by attaining a 28.5 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions against the FY2012 baseline.This accomplishment, aligned with the company’s Net Zero vision, reinforces the company’s ever-lasting commitment towards environmental protection. As part of its environmental efforts, Vedanta Aluminium is also committed to socio-economic upliftment and thus invested INR 1.1 billion (US$12.7 million) to support underprivileged communities across all the regions it operates in, as outlined in the company’s most recent Sustainable Development Report 2023-24. As India’s largest aluminium producer, Vedanta Aluminium is dedicated to enhancing both the socio-economic and environmental frameworks of these areas, with...
Rio Tinto surprises with steady operations in 2024 after facing fire outbreak & energy crisis; technology and collaboration played a key role
Rio Tinto, a leading global mining group focused on finding, mining and processing the Earth's mineral resources, has wrapped up another year with impressive operation growth, as highlighted by its CY2024 results. From production volume to energy efficiency or safety measures, the company has demonstrated tangible improvements across all areas. Production overview In the full year 2024, Rio Tinto's bauxite production summed up at 58.7 million tonnes, reflecting a 7.5 per cent year-on-year rise from 54.6 million tonnes in 2023, following an annual increase of 2 per cent in the final quarter (Q4) output to 15.4 million tonnes, attributed to the implementation of the Safe Production System, delivering record annual production at Amrun and Gove. The company's aluminium production also grew in...
EGA, the first aluminium company in the world to have recognised as an Industry 4.0 global lighthouse
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) is the first industrial company in the United Arab Emirates and the first aluminium company globally to have been identified as an Industry 4.0 global lighthouse by the World Economic Forum. This recognition is specifically awarded to EGA's Al Taweelah site in Abu Dhabi but testifies to the company's relentless efforts towards transforming the operational efficiency of the aluminium industry by implementing Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. EGA began its digitalisation journey in 2021 to enhance operational efficiency, cost effectiveness, agility and flexibility, and safety and sustainability. Since then, the company generated a financial impact of some $100 million through implementing more than 80 Industry 4.0 use cases, like using artificial...
EU preps 16th sanctions package against Russian aluminium. Which side of the table to witness a void, and who will fill it?
The European Union is contemplating the release of its 16th sanctions package against Russia in February 2025, when the Russia-Ukraine geopolitical conflict will mark a third anniversary. A preliminary draft has been outlined for the forthcoming package, restricting aluminium imports, military equipment, and all those vessels transporting Russian oil. The 16th sanctions package is also likely to impose limitations on international payment systems SWIFT, said the people involved in the bloc committee discussion. All these actions are specifically aimed at undermining Russia's revenue streams and limiting its ability to fund the war. A month ago, ten European Union member states even appealed for stricter sanctions on Russian aluminium , recognising the metal as a critical source of income...
Novelis renews agreement with thyssenkrupp Aerospace to supply aircraft-grade aluminium
On January 14, a report revealed that Novelis renewed its multi-year partnership with thyssenkrupp Aerospace, agreeing to supply specialised aerospace-grade aluminium to the latter. This renewed agreement re-establishes the two companies' age-old collaboration, as Novelis has long been a supplier of premium, aircraft-grade aluminium plates and sheets to thyssenkrupp Aerospace. Under the new agreement signed, Novelis will supply specialised aluminium to thyssenkrupp Aerospace's key markets in Europe and Asia from its facilities in Koblenz, Germany, and Zhenjiang, China. Patrick Marous, CEO of Business Unit Solutions at thyssenkrupp Materials Services and responsible for the Aerospace business field, commented: "We are very pleased that our global Aerospace unit is prolonging our...
Idolising innovation! Ball Corporation and Meadow join hands to reform refillable aluminium packaging solutions
Ball Corporation, the world’s #No1 innovative and sustainable aluminium packaging provider, has partnered with Meadow by making a minor investment in the company to revolutionise aluminium packaging solutions. Meadow is a Sweden-based company specialising in handling data to design, technology to artistry to create innovative solutions for aluminium refill packaging production. Image Source: Meadow The two companies will collaboratively produce fully recyclable aluminium cans as pre-filled cartridges for personal and home care products. While the former will contribute to the project by supplying aluminium cans and can ends, the latter, with its groundbreaking packaging technology, “MEADOW KAPSUL”, will turn them into reusable dispensers and bring the pre-fill packaging solution to the...
December 2024: Aluminium industry at a glance to guide your 2025 planning
The year 2025 has begun, and along with it, a lot of speculations and anticipations for the global aluminium industry's headway as the metal is furthering towards becoming one of the most widely used components in various industrial sectors while at the same time navigating many challenges and also adapting to sustainability initiatives and the circular economy. Especially after a year of tight raw material supply, enthusiastic volume of primary aluminium production, increasing demand, and numerous efforts across the value chain aimed at net-zero emission goals, it is inevitable to have a spirit of inquiry. This article, containing a comprehensive overview of the key events and updates from December 2024, will help you understand the industry's current position. Ghana’s bauxite mining...
Alba and Ma’aden call off strategic merger talks
On Monday, January 13, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) updated that its strategic merger discussion with Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) is no longer in action after being decided mutually. Ma'aden also said the same in its filing to Tadawul, adding that it would keep looking for growth opportunities regionally and globally. The news followed the extension of the potential deadline for the merger to the second quarter of 2025 to get additional time to conduct thorough due diligence and evaluate the financial benefits of the collaboration. Alba and Ma'aden first signed a non-binding agreement in September 2024 to form a partnership, whereby the latter agreed to transfer its subsidiaries, Ma'aden Aluminium Company (MAC) and Ma'aden Bauxite and Alumina Company (MBAC), to Alba in...
Hydro eyes 100% ownership in battery-recycling JV Hydrovolt
On Monday, January 13, Norsk Hydro announced it would purchase the remaining shares in Hydrovolt from the Swedish battery developer and recycler Northvolt AB for NOK 78 million. Following the acquisition, Hydro will gain full ownership in Hydrovolt, a battery-recycling joint venture between Hydro and Northvolt, with the shareholding rising to 100 per cent from 72 per cent. Image Source: Norsk Hydro Hydrovolt was established in 2020 as a 50/50 joint venture between Hydro and Northvolt. Starting with a capacity of processing 12,000 tonnes of battery packs annually, the joint venture company became Europe’s largest electric vehicle battery recycling plant over the years, promoting a circular solution for end-of-life batteries. Hydro’s decision to acquire the remaining shares in Hydrovolt...
Novelis’ preliminary Q3 report looks bearish, impacting Hindalco’s recent stock price
Novelis, the global leader in aluminium rolling and recycling and a wholly owned subsidiary of Hindalco has released a preliminary financial report for the third quarter of FY2024-25, outlining its anticipated fiscal and operational performance for the three-month period. Novelis believes its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) on an adjusted basis to be between $360-370 million, reflecting about a 21 per cent decline from $454 million recorded during the corresponding period of the previous year. EBITDA for the same period is estimated to range between $400 and $407 per tonne, down by 18-19 per cent Y-o-Y from $499 per tonne. Aluminium flat rolled products shipments are likely to remain the same as the previous year, standing at 910,000 tonnes. Despite...
