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.
Why buy AlCircle’s Report on "Industry 4.0 in Aluminium"?
After the success of the E-Magazine “Aluminium Industry 4.0: Drivers & Change Makers” last year, AlCircle has come up with a report on the same topic, but with more information and awareness on Industry 4.0. The report titled "Industry 4.0 in Aluminium" is an attempt to highlight how the implementation of Industry 4.0 and ‘smart manufacturing’ is revolutionising the aluminium manufacturing and processing. Industry 4.0 is used interchangeably with the fourth industrial revolution and represents a new stage in the organization and control of the industrial value chain. It represents the current systems and technologies for automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data exchange used in the manufacturing and industrial sector. In short, the concept of Industry 4.0 is about...
Average alumina spot price extends decline by RMB33/t; Prices of A00 aluminium ingot, aluminium alloys remain restrained
The average alumina spot price has extended decline by RMB 33 per tonne to stand as low as RMB 2,498 per tonne, as of Tuesday, March 24, found Shanghai Metals Market. In the east and central, the price has inched down by RMB 40 per tonne to hover at RMB 2,500 per tonne and RMB 2,510 per tonne, respectively. In the north, the price has decreased by RMB 30 per tonne to RMB 2,500 per tonne, but that in the south has remained restrained at RMB 2,520 per tonne. The imported alumina price has fallen today by RMB 70 per tonne to RMB 2,510 per tonne after remaining restrained throughout the month until March 23 at RMB 2,580 per tonne. The average imported alumina prices today are expected to range between RMB 2,480 per tonne and RMB 2,540 per tonne. <iframe width="500" height="300"...
Three-month LME aluminium ended the day lower at $1,560/t; SHFE aluminium records a hike to $1603/t
The US dollar dropped against a basket of currencies overnight after the US Federal Reserve the Federal Reserved announced aggressive asset purchases to support markets. Three-month LME aluminium rebounded to an intraday high of US$ 1,580 per tonne after plumbing its lowest since June 2016 at US$ 1,538.5 per tonne in late Asian trading hours. It later eased to end the day lower at US$ 1,560 per tonne, with the build-up of short positions primarily accounting for the loss. LME aluminium is expected to move between US$ 1,540 per tonne and US$ 1,600 per tonne today. As of Monday, March 23, LME aluminium cash (bid) price inched down from US$ 1580 per tonne to US$ 1536 per tonne. LME official settlement price dipped to the same amount from US$ 1580.5 per tonne. 3-months bid price and 3-months...
China Hongqiao Group earns greater profit in 2019 despite lower production and revenue
On Friday, March 20, the world’s biggest aluminium producer China Hongqiao Group announced that despite a significant drop in production, it could see a rise in net profit of 12.7 per cent in 2019. According to the group, lower production costs were a significant reason for the increase in its net profit. In contrast to RMB 5.407 billion in 2018, the net profit in 2019 came in at RMB 6.095 billion, said China Hongqiao Group during a Hong Kong stock exchange filing while warning that coronavirus could have a profound impact on global supply chains. The group’s revenue in 2019 declined by 6.7 per cent to come in at RMB 84.18 billion, along with the drop in its aluminium alloy production to 5.644 million tonnes. The company attributed the higher profit to lower purchase prices for raw...
Vedanta’s Jamkhani coal block expected to help company reduce aluminium production cost
Coal production from Jamkhani coal block is expected to take Vedanta an inch closer to its goal to reduce aluminium production cost to US$ 1,500 per tonne. Vedanta Limited had acquired the Jamkhani coal block with 220 million tonnes deposits at competitive auctions in Odisha. An increase in domestic coal production will boost power supplies, a critical input in aluminium smelting accounting for around 40 per cent of the metal production cost, and will also help Vedanta reduce imports, resulting in cost savings. <iframe width="500" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WBvFA8cngMo" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan, chief executive officer (CEO) of Vedanta Limited...
Hammerer Aluminium bags ASI Performance Standard Certification for its re-melting and casting plant in Ranshofen
Hammerer Aluminium Industries' re-melting and casting facility in Ranshofen, Austria, has been awarded ASI Performance Standard Certification. The news arrived after Aluminium Stewardship Initiative announced that it certified Hammerer Aluminium with its performance certification. The plant produces extrusion billets and rolling ingots from recycled aluminium scrap, which are then destined for various downstream uses in the automotive, electronics, transportation, and building and construction sectors. The ASI Performance Standard defines environmental, social and governance principles and criteria, aiming to address sustainability issues in the aluminium value chain. Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer at ASI, said: “Our congratulations go to Hammerer Aluminium Industries on their ASI...
COVID-19 wrecks aluminium prices and input costs in China: Primary ingot price declines by RMB570/t and alumina price by RMB32/t
A00 aluminium ingot price has again recorded a sharp decline of RMB 570 per tonne to stand to the further lowest at RMB 11,220 per tonne on Monday, March 23, according to Shanghai Metals Market data. On Thursday, March 19, the price had recorded a decrease of RMB 790 per tonne to RMB 11,730 per tonne. Today, the average prices are expected to range between RMB 11,200 per tonne and RMB 11,240 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 100 per tonne to RMB 60 per tonne. Shenyang has seen the highest decline of RMB 610 per tonne, followed by Hangzhou RMB 590 per tonne, Foshan RMB 580 per tonne, Wuxi and Linyi RMB 570 per tonne, and RMB Gongyi RMB 560 per tonne. In Tianjin and Chongqing, the A00 aluminium ingot price has reduced by RMB 540 per tonne and RMB 520 per...
LME aluminium price almost stands flat at US$1580.5/t; SHFE declines to US$1598/t
The US dollar returned towards a three-year peak against a basket of currencies on Friday, after a pull-back earlier in the day. The greenback enjoyed its strongest week since the financial crisis last week as a global scramble for funding sent other currencies reeling. Three-month LME aluminium reversed earlier gains to touch a new low in three years and a half at US$ 1,575 per tonne, shortly before it ended the day sharply lower at US$ 1,577 per tonne. It is likely to move between US$ 1,540 per tonne and US$ 1,620 per tonne today. As of Friday, March 20, LME aluminium cash (bid) price continued to stand at US$ 1580 per tonne, while LME official settlement price dipped by US$ 0.50 per tonne come in at 1580.5 per tonne. 3-months bid price slipped from US$ 1606 per tonne to US$ 1603 per...
Stadler completes beverage package sorting and recycling plant for Dansk Retursystem
Stadler has reportedly completed the commissioning of a new beverage packaging sorting plant, designed and built for Dansk Retursystem in Taastrup, Denmark. Full handover is scheduled in April after the final one-month trial period. The plant will process polyethylene terephthalate bottles and aluminium cans collected from all over the country, and produce bales of PET bottles and aluminium cans for recycling. With a capacity of 110 cubic metres per hour, it is expected to process almost 55 per cent of the country’s recycled cans and PET bottles. Dansk Retursystem is a non-profit company that collects bottles and cans from reverse vending machines installed at 3,000 stores across Denmark or from the pantstation deposit return banks located in 12 cities. After collecting, the organisation...
Vedanta Lanjigarh conducting CSR health initiatives and sensitization programmes for COVID-19
While the entire nation is preparing for battling the lethal COVID-19, the news comes that even Vedanta’s Lanjigarh alumina refinery is conducting awareness and sensitization programmes in the community on account of the virus outbreak. The team has already reached out to more than 14 villages for raising awareness on the disease. Mr. Rakesh Mohan, Chief Operating Officer of Vedanta’s Lanjigarh unit, has reportedly urged the team to offer dedicated service on raising awareness. He said, “In these dire circumstances, Vedanta is taking a proactive step to raise awareness on preventive measures against Corona Virus. Our aim is to ensure that the communities are aware of the outbreak and take optimal measures to prevent contracting it. I urge the community to stand strong at these times and...
Nick Madden and Jessica Sanderson from Novelis elected to ASI Committee
On Thursday, March 19, Novelis Inc., the world leader in aluminium rolling and recycling, announced that two of its leaders were elected by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative. Nick Madden is elected to the Board of Directors of ASI and Jessica Sanderson to the Standards Committee. Madden, being an expert in aluminium metal markets with 42 years of experience in the industry, is joining the board as part of its Production and Transformation membership class. Madden has served Novelis as a Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer for many years. But now, recently stepped down and undertaking strategic projects for the company’s CEO. Sanderson, on the other hand, serves Novelis as Director of Sustainability and will now support the ASI for its focus on standards development and...
Alumina price in China stands lower at RMB2564/t; Prices of aluminium ingot and aluminium alloy register growth
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the average spot alumina price has further recorded a decline of RMB 2 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,564 per tonne, as of Friday, March 20. In the north, the price has dwindled by RMB 5 per tonne to RMB 2,570 per tonne. In the east, central, and south, however, the price has remained restrained, respectively, at RMB 2,565 per tonne, RMB 2,575 per tonne, and RMB 2,520 per tonne. The Australian alumina FOB price has declined by US$ 10 per tonne to US$ 293 per tonne, after remaining restrained at US$ 303 per tonne for the past two days. The A00 aluminium ingot price, on the other hand, has recorded a hike today after three consecutive declines ranging from RMB 12,740 per tonne to RMB 11,730 per tonne. The A00 aluminium ingot price today, on March 20, has...
Metal packaging company Technocap partners with Oricon to debut in India
One of the global giants in the metal packaging industry, Technocap, is reportedly forming a partnership company with an Indian group Oricon, in an attempt to debut in the Indian market. According to the report, the new joint venture named Technocap Oriental will be based in Mumbai. 75 per cent of the company’s share capital will be controlled by the Technocap Group, while the remaining 25 per cent by Oricon. This joint venture is part of the group’s international growth strategy through a consolidated M&A policy. “This joint venture marks our full entry into the Indian and Far Eastern markets and represents a key stage in our international growth strategy, achieved through business diversification and expansion towards high growth markets,” commented Michelangelo Morlicchio chief...
54,000 tonnes gain in primary aluminium inventories in China pushes down the ingot price to the lowest
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the social inventories of primary aluminium ingots have gained 54,000 tonnes over the week ended March 19, across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants. The inventories are thus, now 1.647 million tonnes, in contrast to 105,000 tonnes on last Thursday, showed the SMM data. The continuous stack of primary aluminium inventories indicates muted demand for the metal among the downstream consumers, as end-use product productions are at halt across China. The chart below indicates the current status of Chinese primary aluminium inventories in more details: Wuxi this week has seen the highest growth in social primary aluminium inventories of about 34,000 tonnes, followed by Nanhai 18,000 tonnes and Shanghai and Hangzhou 7,000 tonnes....
Coronavirus brings in collapse at Chinese aluminium prices: Alumina price declines by RMB2/t, while A00 aluminium ingot price by RMB790/t
After remaining restrained for a day, the average alumina spot price in China is back with a drop of RMB 2 per tonne to RMB 2,566 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. In the east, the price has declined by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 2,565 per tonne; while in the other parts of China, the price chose to remain unchanged, respectively, at RMB 2,575 per tonne and RMB 2,520 per tonne. The Australian alumina FOB price also continues to remain restrained at US$ 303 per tonne, as of Thursday, March 19. The A00 aluminium ingot price, on the other hand, has seen a plunge like never before. According to SMM data, the price has crashed down by RMB 790 per tonne to come to the lowest at RMB 11,730 per tonne, attributing to the muted demand and transaction amongst downstream consumers amid COVID-19....
LME aluminium price stood further down at US$1602.5/t as US dollar surpassed 100 mark; SHFE slashed to US$1693/t
The US dollar extended its gains against a broad range of currencies on Wednesday, surpassing the 100 mark for the first time since 2017, as companies and investors worried by the coronavirus outbreak rushed to the world’s most liquid currency. Three-month LME aluminium rebounded in European and North American trading hours, rising from a new 41-month low of US$ 1,613 per tonne to end at US$ 1,638.5 per tonne. It is likely to move between US$ 1,600 per tonne and US$ 1,650 per tonne today. As of Wednesday, March 18, LME official settlement price stood at US$ 1602.5 per tonne, after inching down for the third consecutive day. But Dec 21 bid price inched up to US$ 1820 per tonne from US$ 1748 per tonne on the previous day and Dec 21 offer price to US$ 1825 per tonne from US$ 1753 per tonne....
Toyota and BMW preparing for production suspension due to COVID-19; Secondary aluminium demand on further hard-hit
The fright for the secondary aluminium to be hard hit is amounting as automotive giants like Toyota and BMW have decided to suspend their European production sites until further notice, in an attempt to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. As the secondary aluminium alloys DIN226 is widely used in Europe for the manufacture of diesel-engine cars, production cutbacks will weaken demand for the material, according to some market participants. Toyota will close the plants in the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, France, Turkey, Poland over this week, as announced by the Japanese automaker itself in a statement on Wednesday, March 18. Toyota said it took the decision based on the government restrictions of people's movements designed to stop the spread of the virus, supply chain...
Primary aluminium production in China records 2.4% growth even amidst Coronavirus outbreak: NBS
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, aluminium production in China during January-February 2020 increased 2.4 per cent year-on-year to come in at 5.85 million tonnes. The bureau has revealed no separate production figure for January and February due to the extended holiday for Coronavirus outbreak followed after a week-long Lunar New Year holiday. Reuters calculations found that the combined average production during January and February stood at 97,500 tonnes a day, down from 98,000 tonnes a day in December, the third-highest daily rate on record. “The point is that metal has continued to come out at about the same rate and probably even rose a little in February … but demand has collapsed,” said Paul Adkins, managing director of consultancy AZ China. Unlike factories that...
