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.
Inventories of primary aluminium up by 38,000 tonnes over the weekend
Shanghai Metals Market found social inventories of primary aluminium ingots increased 38,000 tonnes over the weekend ended Monday, March 16, across eight major consumption areas, including SHFE warrants. The inventories stood at 1.631 million tonnes in contrast to 1.559 million tonnes on Monday, March 9, and 1.593 million tonnes on Thursday, March 12. SMM survey revealed the eight areas, except for Henan’s Gongyi, saw the stocks gaining over the weekend. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across China in more details: In Wuxi, Shanghai, and Nanhai, the inventories, as of March 16, are standing higher by 53,000 tonnes, 8,000 tonnes, and 18,000 tonnes from last Monday at 639,000 tonnes, 152,000 tonnes, and 417,000 tonnes, respectively. In Hangzhou...
Alumina price in China dips by RMB2/t after week-long restraint; A00 aluminium ingot price rises by RMB90/t
After remaining restrained at RMB 2,575 per tonne last week, the average alumina spot price has recorded a dip today, on March 16, by RMB 2 per tonne to RMB 2,573 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. In the north, the price has decreased by RMB 5 per tonne to RMB 2,585 per tonne, while in the east, central, and south remained unchanged at RMB 2,575 per tonne and RMB 2,520 per tonne, respectively. The Australian alumina FOB price has also recorded a plunge of US$ 2 per tonne to US$ 302 per tonne after a week-long restraint. But despite the drop in alumina price in the Chinese spot market, the price of A00 aluminium ingot has increased by RMB 90 per tonne to stand at RMB 12,740 per tonne, after five consecutive days of decline ranging between RMB 12,830 per tonne and RMB 12,650 per...
Aluminium billet inventories recorded fall on Thursday after three consecutive weeks of rise
According to Shanghai Metals Market report on Thursday, March 12, aluminium billet inventories fell after three consecutive weeks of increase, as the deliveries from warehouses outweighed arrivals. Data showed the stocks of 6063 aluminium billets across five major consumption areas in China shrank 19,500 tonnes from a week ago to stand at 199,300 tonnes, as of March 12. The chart below indicates the current status of aluminium billet inventories across China in more details: In Foshan, Wuxi, and Changzhou, the billet inventories declined by 2,700 tonnes, 5,000 tonnes, and 2,400 tonnes, respectively, from the last week to stand at 94,900 tonnes, 55,000 tonnes, and 19,700 tonnes, as of March 12. In Huzhou and Nanchang, the inventories came in at 22,000 tonnes and 7,700 tonnes after falling...
Rusal’s 2019 revenue declines 5.5% despite the growth in production; Total assets up by 13%
In 2019, the entire aluminium value chain industry saw a challenging environment. The average aluminium price on the London Metal Exchange declined from US$ 2,110 per tonne in 2018 to US$ 1,792 per tonne. As a result, Rusal’s revenue for the year ended December 31 recorded a decrease of 5.5 per cent from US$ 10,280 million in 2018 to US$ 9,711 million in 2019, despite the growth in metal production. Rusal’s total bauxite output in 2019 had grown by about 16 per cent from 13.847 million tonnes in 2018 to 16.047 million tonnes. Alumina production also grew, although lesser in comparison to bauxite, from 7.774 million tonnes in 2018 to 7.858 million tonnes in 2019. The production of aluminium foil and packaging products stood at 98,000 tonnes in 2019, registering a growth of 10.2 per cent...
IOC is looking to set up an aluminium-air batteries factory in India
India’s largest fuel retailer Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), after joining hands with Israel-based start-up Phinergy early last month for developing aluminium-air batteries for electric vehicles, is now looking to set up a factory in India. Both Indian Oil Corporation and Phinergy are in talks with several governments for the project. R Sravan S Rao, executive director and state head of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh at Indian Oil, said: “We are looking to set up a factory in India to manufacture aluminium-air batteries for electric vehicles and stationary applications and facilitate the development of eco-system for aluminium-air technology-based batteries.” However, the exact location for the factory has not been announced officially. Only a report in the Financial Express suggests that...
A00 aluminium ingot price continues to drop for the third consecutive day on further rise in inventories this week
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price today, March 13 has dropped for the third consecutive day. As per the data, the price has plunged by RMB 100 per tonne to stand at RMB 12,650 per tonne. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 12,630 per tonne and RMB 12,670 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 40 per tonne to RMB 0 per tonne. In two of the Chinese cities Chongqing and Linyi, the aluminium ingot price has dropped by RMB 100 per tonne as well to come in at RMB 12,660 per tonne and RMB 12,750 per tonne. In Foshan, Shenyang, and Wuxi, the price has declined by RMB 90 per tonne to RMB 12,640 per tonne, RMB 12,705 per tonne, and RMB 12,630 per tonne, respectively. The price in Hangzhou and Gongyi has plunged by RMB...
China’s automobile sales in February witnessed steep decline to 310,000 units: CAAM data shows
On Thursday, March 12, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed the automobile sales in China declined 83.9 per cent month-on-month to 310,000 units in February. Over the year, the sales stood lower by 79.1 per cent, according to the data. In January, China’s automobile sales stood at 1.93 million units after declining by 27.44 per cent from 2.66 million units in December. Year-on-year, the sales dropped 18.7 per cent, showed CAAM. Of 310,000 units sold in February, passenger vehicles accounted for 224,000 units, down 86.1 per cent month-on-month and 81.7 per cent year-on-year. In the first two months, China’s automobile sales totalled at 2.24 million units, down 42 per cent from the same period last year, according to the association data. Data from CAAM also...
Lotte Aluminium bags ASI Performance Standard Certification for its rolling facility in Ansan
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative announced on Thursday, March 12, that it certified Lotte Aluminium Co. Ltd. with Performance Standard Certification for rolling facility in Ansan, South Korea. The facility’s operations include rolling, sepa-slitting and annealing for the production of aluminium foil, which is primarily used for the packaging of food, cigarettes, pharmaceuticals, for electronics in batteries and automotive parts, and also for construction materials. The ASI Performance Standard Certification defines environmental, social, and governance principles and criteria, aiming to address sustainability issues in the aluminium value chain. It sets out 59 criteria that address biodiversity, Indigenous Peoples rights, and greenhouse gas emissions. Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive...
Major constructional works at Altech’s HPA site in Johor are complete, says report
According to the latest update on Altech Chemicals’ construction activities at its high purity alumina (HPA) site in Johor, the onsite electrical substation is progressing and is now ahead of schedule, while all the major constructional works are complete, including the external detailing of the building. The EPC consortium and its subcontractors have recently started internal finishing and architectural detailing, in addition to the completion of sewerage and drainage works and the finalisation of vehicle access requirements. The electrical substation is expected to be completed in April 2020, approximately four weeks ahead of schedule. Altech will get the handover of the building after the latter is being inspected. For the inspection, the substation will be turned over the local...
Three-month aluminium closed 1.76% lower from the previous day; SHFE dropped for fifth consecutive day
The US dollar declined before recovered some losses on Wednesday, as fears over the coronavirus pushed investors into safe havens, while sterling rebounded after the Bank of England unexpectedly cut interest rates. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index plunged again on Wednesday, narrowly avoiding its first bear market since the financial crisis after the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic as the coronavirus rapidly spreads across the world. Three-month LME aluminium relinquished gains from the previous session as it closed 1.76 per cent lower on the day at US$ 1,672 per tonne. The stock market panic is likely to keep base metals under pressure, with LME aluminium trading between US$ 1,640 per tonne and US$ 1,700 per tonne. As of Wednesday, March 11, LME aluminium cash (bid)...
Alley Kat Brewing Company announces to switch to aluminium cans from bottles
On Tuesday, March 10, Alley Kat Brewing Company announced that it decided to switch to aluminium cans after packaging exclusively in bottles since 1995. According to the report, the company will switch to cans this spring, based on the market demand. Neil Herbst said, “We’ve been watching the market closely for years and the trend from bottles to cans shows no sign of slowing down.” Herbst said the brewery had been looking into cans since 2018. The company cited data from Statistics Canada that indicates the declining trend of the sale of packaged domestic bottled beer in Alberta over the past few years. Data shows 24.5 per cent of beer was sold in bottles, while 75.5 per cent in cans. In 2018, the former figure came down to 15 per cent and further down to 12.6 per cent in 2019. “Cans are...
Novelis hires new Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer
The world-leading aluminium rolling and recycling firm, Novelis Incorporation, has announced today, on March 11, that it has hired Roxana Molina, who would be leading the company’s global metal and non-metal procurement programs as Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer. She will replace former Chief Procurement Office Nick Madden and report to President and CEO Steve Fisher. Molina will join Novelis with more than 30 years of global procurement experience in diverse roles. She worked at Ford Motor Company for 25 years in several purchasing leadership positions in Europe, North America, and South America. Steve Fisher said, "Roxana's impressive global experience managing thousands of suppliers while delivering record cost savings in challenging business environments will make...
Outotec to deliver technology and services to NALCO for refinery expansion
According to a recent report, Outotec has bagged a contract to deliver technology and services to National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) for its alumina refinery expansion in Damanjodi, Odisha. The order is worth EUR 15 million and is booked in Outotec’s 2020 first quarter order intake. As per the contract, Outotec will deliver the engineering of two alumina calciners and hydrate filtration plants and supply key equipment as well as advisory services for installation and commissioning. <iframe width="500" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DoMxSuUnZlE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> With this expansion, Nalco's alumina refinery will expectedly achieve higher production by about 1...
Restraint at A00 aluminium ingot price for a day follows by a plunge of RMB20/t today; Aluminium alloy(A356) drops by RMB50/t
After remaining restrained last day, followed by a significant decline of RMB 240 per tonne, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a plunge yet again of RMB 20 per tonne, as on March 11, according to Shanghai Metals Market. The ingot price, thus, stands at RMB 12,810 per tonne, as of today. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 12,790 per tonne and RMB 12,830, with spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 50 per tonne to RMB 10 per tonne. Among all the major Chinese cities, Tianjin has witnessed a drop of RMB 20 per tonne to RMB 12,820 per tonne, while Chongqing, Shenyang, and Gongyi have seen a dip of RMB 10 per tonne to RMB 12,830 per tonne, RMB 12,865 per tonne, and RMB 12,730 per tonne, respectively. Other cities like Wuxi and Linyi, on the other hand,...
China issues fourth batch of aluminium scrap quotas for 2020 allowing 100 tonnes
China’s environmental authorities on Saturday, March 7, announced the fourth batch of aluminium scrap import quotas for 2020, which would allow 100 more tonnes of high-grade aluminium scrap to China. With this quota, the total aluminium scrap import allowed for this year comes to 284,549 tonnes. The volume of import quotas so far stood 87.5 per cent higher than the actual imports in the fourth quarter of 2019, but 14.2 per cent lower than the actual imports in the first quarter of 2019. After the decline in aluminium scrap import quotas in the fourth quarter of 2019, shortage of supply took place and kept aluminium scrap prices at high levels till the 2020 Chinese New Year holiday. The holidays in the secondary aluminium sector extended due to the Coronavirus outbreak, with production...
China’s unwrought aluminium and aluminium products exports dropped 25.2% YoY in two months’ time
China Customs data showed a drop in China’s exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products in the first two months of the year, primarily attributing to the production shut amid the outbreak of the COVID-19. The exports by China in January and February totalled at 669,000 tonnes after plunging by 25.2 per cent from the same period last year, showed the data. Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, aluminium processors in China mostly delayed their resumption of production by up to 20 days in February, while some small plants remained closed until early March. That caused the slowdown in China’s exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products in February. China’s exports also fell in late January this year, as aluminium processors suspended deliveries about two weeks ahead of the...
Car passenger sales in China fell 78.5% YoY in February; NEVs production tumbled 77.4% over the year
According to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data, the passenger car sales fell last month due to the outbreak of the epidemic Coronavirus. The retail sales of sedans, multi-purpose vehicles (MPVS), and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) totalled at 252,308 units in February, down 85.3 per cent from January and 78.5 per cent from the same period last year. This sharp decline in February could also be attributed to the Lunar New Year holiday, noted the auto industry association. The total sales in the first two months of 2020 stood at 1.97 million units, down 41 per cent from the corresponding period of the year last. Production of new energy vehicles also shrank last month amidst the outbreak of the virus. Only 12,000 NEVs produced in China obtained qualification certificates in...
A00 aluminium ingot price remains restrained after sharp decline last day; Bauxite(4.5≤Al/Si＜5.5)Shanxi price drops
After a sharp decline of RMB 240 per tonne last day, the price of A00 aluminium ingot in China has remained restrained today, on March 10, at RMB 12,830 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 12,810 per tonne and RMB 12,850 per tonne, with spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 40 per tonne to RMB 0 per tonne. But many of the major Chinese cities, except Hangzhou and Linyi, have seen a plunge in A00 aluminium ingot price. In Hangzhou and Linyi, the price has remained unchanged at RMB 12,820 per tonne and RMB 12,920 per tonne, respectively, while Shenyang has seen a drop of RMB 75 per tonne to RMB 12,840 per tonne. In Foshan, Wuxi, and Chongqing, the ingot price has slipped by RMB 10 per tonne to stand respectively at...
