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.
Hindalco increases its aluminium prices by 1% with effect from June 18 after two consecutive declines last week
Hindalco Industries Limited has increased its aluminium products prices with effect from Thursday, June 18, after two consecutive declines last week. With the latest hike, the company’s aluminium ingot price is now standing at INR 139,500 per tonne, an increase of INR 2,250 per tonne or 1.63 per cent from INR 137,250 per tonne on Saturday, June 13. The prices of Hindalco’s wire rods and billets have also been grown by INR 1,750 per tonne or 1 per cent from INR 148,350 per tonne and INR 144,350 per tonne on June 13. As of today, June 18, Hindalco's wire rods and billets prices are hovering at INR 150,100 per tonne and INR 146,100 per tonne, respectively. The Indian aluminium producers generally link prices of its products to the three-month futures of aluminium on the London Metal...
LME aluminium price grew for the second consecutive day to $1577.50/t; SHFE price plunged by $16/t
The US dollar continued to move higher on Wednesday, June 17, as investors safe haven demand increased amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic with a surge in cases in some US states. Three-month LME aluminium ended higher for the third consecutive day, as it bounced back after dipping to a session low of US$ 1,591 per tonne, finishing the day 0.22 per cent higher at US$ 1,607.5 per tonne. Open interest shrank 15,022 lots to 838,000 lots as shorts covered their positions. On Wednesday, June 17, both LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price stood at US$ 1577.50 per tonne after growing by US$ 4 per tonne. 3-months bid price and 3-months offer price also rose but marginally by US$ 0.5 per tonne to come in at US$ 1600 per tonne. Dec 21 bid price and Dec 21 offer...
Alba’s Spent Pot Lining Treatment Plant construction is progressing as per schedule: CEO Ali Al Baqali
In early June 2020, Alba’s executives, along with the Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali, visited the company’s Spent Pot Lining (SPL) Treatment Plant construction site. Upon the visit, the CEO reported that the construction is progressing as per schedule. In line with Bahrain’s National Waste Management Strategy, this project will provide a value-creating and sustainable solution to treat SPL, ensuring zero-waste. Bahrain’s National Waste Management Strategy is led by His Highness Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Personal Representative of His Majesty King of Bahrain, and President of the Supreme Council for Environment. Ali Al Baqali, said: “Being one of the blue-chip assets of the Kingdom of Bahrain, our aim is to lead the fields in sustainability – in line with the Kingdom of...
Belgium-based startup creating a new metal 3D printing technology using aluminium
Belgium-based startup ValCun is reportedly creating a technology to make metal 3D printing more affordable and convenient than before. The company reports that it is using fresh and recycled aluminium, even cans, as input for its products. As mentioned in the available reports, ValCun refers to the technology as “molten metal deposition.” The technology uses aluminium wire feedstock, which looks like a spooled metal wire that is melted. The process of the technology is described to be as follows: the metal is first melted, then the workpiece is heated using plasma, and then finally, the material is deposited. This procedure leads to less heat and energy expended compared to heating an entire chamber. Jonas Galle, the inventor of the technology and founder of ValCun, said this process of...
China expands aluminium scrap import quotas by 5840 tonnes in the eighth batch for 2020
Shanghai Metals Market reveals that China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment has issued the eighth batch of copper and aluminium scrap quotas for 2020 on Tuesday, June 16. The authorities confirmed that the eighth batch of metal scrap quotas would allow additional 5,840 tonnes of high-grade aluminium scrap to enter China. This marks a significant rise of 4,360 tonnes from 1480 tonnes allowed in the seventh batch . While in the sixth batch, the ministry had granted 1,030 tonnes of additional imports to China. Thus, with the latest expansion, the cumulative quotas for this year have reached 483,999 tonnes, according to Shanghai Metals Market. China is expanding its aluminium scrap import quotas anticipating the usage of secondary aluminium to replace the primary metal. At China Aluminium...
A00 aluminium ingot price grows for the third consecutive day to cross RMB14000/t; Input costs remain muted
The A00 aluminium ingot price in China has recorded a hike for the third straight day on Wednesday, June 17, found Shanghai Metals Market. Following the growth of RMB 150 per tonne on June 16, the A00 aluminium ingot price today has climbed by RMB 110 per tonne to stand at RMB 14,080 per tonne. With this, the price of aluminium ingot has crossed the 14K level since early February of this year. The average prices today are expected to range between RMB 14,060 per tonne and RMB 14,100 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a premium price of RMB 180-220 per tonne. Foshan, among all the major Chinese markets, has seen the highest growth today in A00 aluminium ingot price by RMB 140 per tonne to peg at RMB 14,160 per tonne. Wuxi and Chongqing have witnessed an increase of RMB 120 per...
US aluminium plates, sheets and bars exports in Q1 2020 down by 8.41% year-on-year
According to the latest data released by the US Geological Survey, the United States in March 2020 exported 69,900 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and bars, bringing the total export amount in the first quarter of the year to 207,000 tonnes. Year-on-year, the United States’ aluminium semis exports in March 2020 was down by 7.78 per cent from 75,800 tonnes. Also, the total exports in Q1 2020 recorded a downtrend compared to 226,000 tonnes of the total exports of aluminium plates, sheet and bars by the US in Q1 2019. In February 2020, the US aluminium semis exports were 68,600 tonnes, meaning the exports in March dropped by 1.86 per cent month-on-month. The exports in February remained flat compared to 68,200 tonnes of exports in January 2020. The exports in January, however, registered...
Viridor once again bags Ealing Council’s dry mixed recycling five-year contract
The United Kingdom-based waste management company Viridor has once again bagged the contract, worth £10 million, to process Ealing Council’s dry mixed recycling, with effect from June 6. As per the contract, Viridor is accountable for processing around 24,000 tonnes of dry recycling annually collected in Ealing for the next five years. Recycling would include aluminium cans, glass, paper, card, and plastics, and the processing would be done at Viridor’s Crayford Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). Earlier, Viridor won the same contract in 2016 and processed Ealing’s recycled material for the past four years, following Ealing Council’s decision to move to a comingled recycling collection service. Crayford Materials Recycling Facility currently receives 300,000 tonnes of comingled dry...
Parkers Beverage Company intends to expand its aluminium canned water business in Singapore
Parkers Beverage Company, based in New Zealand, is now eyeing Singapore’s convenience stores to roll out its aluminium canned water, after first entering the country via e-commerce late last year. Currently, Parkers’ still and sparkling canned water is available only on online platform RedMart in Singapore at SGD27 (US$19) for 24 cans. Receiving positive responses with 30,000 units sold, the company is now planning to expand its sales channels by collaborating with convenience stores in Singapore. Doug Speedy, managing director of Parkers Beverage Company, said: “We feel the best channel will be small retails and convenience shops like 7-Eleven, where people patronage these stores everyday and can buy a small snack with a drink. If they buy a can, they know they can easily recycle in the...
US bauxite and alumina imports shrink by over 22% in Q1 2020; Jamaica & Brazil continue to be the top two exporters
According to the data shown by the US Geological Survey on bauxite and alumina imports in the first quarter of 2020, the United States imported 775,000 tonnes of crude and dried bauxite, down by 22.5 per cent from 1 million tonnes of imports in the fourth quarter of 2019. However, when compared to the data year ago, the United States’ bauxite imports in Q1 2020 stood higher by 3.61 per cent. In Q1 2019, the United States had imported 748,000 tonnes of crude and dried bauxite. Jamaica continued to be the leading supplier of bauxite to the US in the first quarter of 2020, but lesser than the previous quarter. While in the fourth quarter of 2019, Jamaica exported 702,000 tonnes of crude and dried bauxite, in the first quarter of 2020, it exported 554,000 tonnes, down by 21.08 per cent....
LME aluminium price slipped by $4/t on higher opening stock; SHFE price declined to US$1947/t
The US dollar declined on Monday amid mounting fears of a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. The Federal Reserve announced it would buy individual corporate bonds in the secondary market, and this sparked a risk-on move, sending US stocks higher and safe-haven assets like the US dollar lower. Against a basket of currencies, the dollar eased but still held close to a more than one-week high hit in the previous session. Three-month LME aluminium regained losses from early session last night, as it rallied from a session low of US$ 1,564.5 per tonne and closed 0.73% higher on the day at US$ 1,587.5 per tonne. Open interest added 1,243 lots to 869,000 lots as longs loaded up their positions. On Monday, June 15, both LME aluminium cash (bid) price and LME official settlement price...
China Aluminium Processing Summit 2020: Domestic aluminium demand to remain robust till mid-June
Shanghai Metals Market chief aluminium analyst Frank Liu estimates strong domestic demand for aluminium to likely sustain till mid-June in China. Speaking at the China International Aluminium Processing Industry Summit in Yantai on June 11, Liu pointed out that although the global demand for aluminium has weakened as expected amid the Coronavirus crisis, there has been no significant impact on the domestic consumption. In China, demand from the construction industry rose since mid-March and demand from the pharmaceutical sector increased after the Chinese New Year holiday, resulting in the ramp-up in aluminium consumption. Demand from the home appliance sector, on the other hand, surged after the Labour Day holiday, becoming a key driving force for the Chinese aluminium market, said Liu....
COVID-19 Operational Update: Hydro’s bauxite production during April-May records a sweeping rise of 94%
Hydro has revealed a volumetric update for its business areas for April and May, ahead of the complete second-quarter financial results. The company shows it manufactured 1,760 tonnes of bauxite during April-May compared to 910 tonnes during the corresponding period last year. This means Hydro’s bauxite output in the second-quarter-to-date of 2020 increased by 94 per cent year-on-year, owing to the growing production at the Paragominas bauxite mine. Hydro’s alumina production rose as well by 82 per cent during the said period of 2020. In April and May 2019, Hydro’s alumina output was 543 tonnes, which in the year next increased to 989 tonnes, primarily as a result of higher production at Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil. Primary aluminium production rose marginally by 5 per cent from...
China’s primary aluminium production in May stands highest since December: NBS
According to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s primary aluminium production in May stood at 2.98 million tonnes, which was marginally up by 0.4 per cent from 2.967 million tonnes in April and the highest since December 2019. The launch of new smelting capacity and the incentive of higher prices kept supply levels high, resulting in a boost in production. However, year-on-year, China’s aluminium output last month was down by 0.1 per cent, said the bureau. With the latest production data, China’s aluminium output in the first five months of 2020 came in at 14.81 million tonnes, up 2.1 per cent from the corresponding period last year. China’s aluminium production is still on the upswing even as analysts estimate the country to have imported the most primary...
A00 aluminium ingot price grows by RMB20/t on further plunge in inventories, input costs remain muted
The A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a rise of RMB 20 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,820 per tonne on Monday, June 15, following a decline from RMB 13,860 per tonne to RMB 13,800 per tonne on June 12, found Shanghai Metals Market. The hike in A00 aluminium ingot price today could be attributed to the further plunge in primary aluminium inventories by 20,000 tonnes over the weekend ending June 15. The average prices of primary aluminium ingots are expected to range between RMB 13,800 per tonne and RMB 13,840 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a discount and premium price of RMB 30-10 per tonne. However, since the growth in A00 aluminium ingot price has not touched upon all the major markets in China, Tianjin and Linyi have witnessed a downfall of RMB 50 per tonne and RMB 20...
China’s automobile production and sales achieve double digit growth in May, cumulative sales in five months decline: CAAM
According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), the country’s automobile production and sales both achieved double-digit growth in May. As per the data shown by CAAM, around 2.19 million units of automobiles were produced and sold in China last month. The production rose 4 per cent month-on-month and 18.2 per cent year-on-year, much higher than the annual growth of 2.3 per cent in April. The sales increased 5.9 per cent over the month and 14.5 per cent over the year, compared to the year-on-year rise of 4.4 per cent in the previous month, the first growth in 22 months. However, despite the year-on-year growth recorded in May, China’s total car production in the first five months of 2020 stood down by 24.1 per cent from the same period last year totalling 7.79...
Recycled aluminium use in place of primary metal to gain back its pace: Rack Hu at 15th China Aluminium Processing Summit
At China Aluminium Processing Industry Summit 2020, Racket Hu, Vice President of SMM, said the usage of recycled aluminium in place of primary metal would continue in the long term, given the advantages of recycling in terms of cost and environment-friendliness. Speaking at the summit in Yantai, Hu noted that China’s demand for aluminium scrap would recover in the next decade. His prediction came just when Chinese aluminium users found their alternative in primary metal due to shortages of scrap and sharply lower primary aluminium prices on the back of the lockdown restrictions imposed by several countries outside China in late March. According to SMM data, China's secondary aluminium casting plants increased their usage of primary aluminium to a ratio of 20 per cent from earlier 2 per...
China Aluminium Processing Summit 2020: Aluminium consumption in automobile to grow at 8.9% CAGR
Aluminium consumption in China’s automotive industry is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9 per cent to 10.7 million tonnes by 2030. The news came after Tao Zhimin, auto sheet project manager at Nanshan Aluminium, said this at the China Aluminium Processing Industry Summit 2020. Speaking at the 15th China International Summit in Yantai, Shandong province on Friday, June 12, Tao pointed out that China’s automotive industry in 2018 had consumed 3.8 million tonnes of aluminium, of which 72 per cent was for passenger vehicles. By 2030, electric vehicles, including passenger vehicles, buses and e-bikes, are estimated to account for 34 per cent of China’s aluminium consumption in automobiles, said Tao. Tao also predicted that aluminium consumption per unit is...
