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.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council launching MetalMatters campaign to increase metal recycling
East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s waste and recycling team is reportedly launching the MetalMatters campaign on Thursday, September 5. The aim of the campaign, managed by Alupro, is to encourage residents to place the metal packaging items in blue bins so that they can be recycled. The items that are allowed in this scheme include food tins, drink cans, foil trays, foil, empty aerosols, metal screw tops, and biscuit and sweet tins. In the trial period last year, around 40,000 residents in the Goole, Howden, Pocklington and Market Weighton areas had taken part. Their support led to a 22-tonnes increase in metal packaging collected in blue bins in that area in the first six months of the trial period, which was equivalent of almost 1.5 million empty drink cans. The amount of aluminium...
UK’s aluminium plates, sheets and strips exports to extend rise by 7% in 2019; Germany to be the top importer
Global consumption of aluminium rolled products is expected to hit 30 million tonnes by 2020 at a CAGR of 5 per cent. Transportation sector is likely to surpass packaging industry to emerge as the largest application market of aluminium rolling within the said year. Along with the demand, the production and exports are also rising in many countries to meet the increasing global demand. According to the international export-import data, the United Kingdom is one such country which has been ramping-up the exports of aluminium plates, sheets and strips. Let us here analyse its growing trend. {newsStudioGallery} As the graph below shows the United Kingdom in 2016 approximately exported 97,756 tonnes, which in 2017 increased by 41 per cent to 137,475 tonnes. Recording a further rise of 19 per...
Primary aluminium inventories extend decline for second straight week due to greater deliveries
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the social inventories of primary aluminium have extended decline over the week ended on Thursday, September 5. SMM data shows the stocks across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, decreased by 27,000 tonnes for the second straight week to stand at 1.006 million tonnes. On last Thursday, August 29, the inventories had declined by 30,000 tonnes week-on-week to come in at 1.033 million tonnes. This indicates a lower decline today compared to the last Thursday. The chart below shows the current status of primary aluminium inventories in more details: So, as we can see that the inventories this week have dropped in almost all the major cities in China because of greater deliveries. Gongyi, Henan has seen the highest decline in...
US files antitrust lawsuit against Novelis to prevent acquisition of US aluminium firm Aleris
According to a recent report, Hindalco’s United States unit Novelis Corporation has again faced a lawsuit for its $2.6 billion proposed purchase of aluminium parts manufacturer Aleris Corporation. The news came after the Justice Department said this on Wednesday, September 4, citing that this acquisition may create a monopoly in the North American market for rolled aluminium sheet for automotive applications. The deal had also faced antitrust objections in the European Commission earlier this year. If this transaction is allowed to proceed, Novelis would be able to lock up 60 per cent of the United States’ total automotive body sheet capacity and the vast majority of uncommitted capacity. This will further enable Novelis to raise prices, reduce innovation and provide less favourable terms...
Designer Marco Ferrari reveals details of his latest all-aluminium yacht Atlantico
According to a recent report, Yacht designer Marco Ferrari has unveiled the details of his latest 77.5 metre, all-aluminium yacht Atlantico. The design features plentiful outside areas where nestled the beach club featuring bar, folding terraces, and an enclosed seven-metre long swimming pool. The other entertaining and lounging areas are found on both the bridge deck and sundeck, the latter of which also features an infinity pool. Meanwhile, the interior includes a main saloon divided into a sitting room and dining area with sweeping views of the ocean and six cabins on the main deck with a total accommodation capacity of 14 guests. The owner’s private apartment is located on the dedicated owner’s deck, comprising of a master suite, private studio, art gallery, dressing room, and an...
Alumina production at JISCO-Alpart refinery to be temporarily suspended for expansion programme
On September 3, the Ministry of Transport and Mining reportedly confirmed that the alumina production at JISCO-Alpart refinery in St. Elizabeth would be temporarily suspended, as the second phase of modernisation and expansion programme would be starting with the next 30 to 60 days. The temporary shutdown of the refinery operation would be resulting in job cuts of the present employees, said the Ministry. On August 25, the leadership of the People's National Party's (PNP) Region Five had told Comrades at a Regional Executive Council (REC) meeting that they should expect a closure of the bauxite/alumina JISCO Alpart plant in Nain soon. As per the report, the Transport and Mining Ministry has yet not given out the detail of the exact number of workers who would be made jobless. But a...
Average alumina price grows by RMB5/t and A00 aluminium ingot price by RMB10/t
After gliding down through July and remain restrained until the mid of August, the average alumina spot price started spurring significantly and reached RMB 2,533 per tonne, as of Wednesday, September 4, found Shanghai Metals Market. Month-on-month, the alumina price is standing high by RMB 91 per tonne or 4 per cent from the same period last month. However, since the alumina price rise has not touched upon all the major markets in China today, the prices in the east, central, and north have remained unchanged at RMB 2,540 per tonne, RMB 2,530 per tonne and RMB 2,550 per tonne, respectively. Only in the south, the alumina price has increased by RMB 30 per tonne to RMB 2,490 per tonne. Backed on this, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a rise as well by RMB 10 per tonne to RMB...
Equispheres says its aluminium alloy powders suitable for sintering
An Ottawa-based materials science company Equispheres reportedly announced that after extensive testing it found its aluminium alloy powders suitable for sintering following binder jet Additive Manufacturing. The testing was done in collaboration with McGill University, Montreal, Canada, said Equispheres itself. According to the company, binder jet AM technology was unable to produce sinterable aluminium alloy parts, primarily because of the aluminium’s oxide layer that results in rapid oxidation. But now that the powder is developed has thinner oxide layer and smoother surface will make sintering of aluminium alloy parts viable. The specific findings of extensive testing include compaction-free, sub-solidus sintering of the company’s standard AlSi10Mg aluminium alloy powder, good...
Nemak workers protest company’s decision to close down aluminium casting facility in Windsor
Unionized workers of Windsor Nemak plant reportedly staged a protest on Monday, September 2, against the company’s decision to close the Windsor facility. The workers vowed to stay off the job until Nemak reverses its decision. In mid-July 2019, Nemak had announced that it planned to close down its aluminium casting plant at Windsor by mid-2020, as a result of which 270 employees might lose their jobs. These employees are from Unifor Local 200, a local union of the general trade union Unifor. Jerry Dias, Unifor National President, said, “Nemak is out of business until further notice. We will be here until we have a solution.” Parent company Alfa said Nemak was closing its Windsor facility because it was too small and inefficient. Dias, on the other hand, said the closure was part of a...
Saudi Arabia to export 17% lesser amount of aluminium scrap to the world in 2019 and to India 43% lower
After rising incessantly in the last three years, Saudi Arabia’s aluminium scrap export is estimated to reduce in 2019 by about 17 per cent to 142,128 tonnes, compared to 171,488 tonnes in 2018, found the global export-import data. The data also shows that Saudi Arabia’s aluminium scrap export to India is likely to stand lower as well than the previous year by about 43 per cent to 73,800 tonnes. {newsStudioGallery} As the above graph shows, until 2018, Saudi Arabia recorded year-on-year rises in aluminium scrap export. In 2018, the country’s total amount of export came in at 171,488 tonnes after a growth of 10 per cent from 156,499 tonnes in 2017, while its export to India saw a sweeping rise of 95 per cent to 130,048 tonnes. But in 2017, the export amount to India saw an estimated dip of...
Additional 99,000t of aluminium sheet stock required for 7.7 billion aluminium cans: Wood Mackenzie
Wood Mackenzie research shows that replacing 7.7 billion plaster water bottles a year with 7.7 billion aluminium cans would require 99,000 tonnes of additional aluminium sheet stock. This analysis attempted to answer the question of whether at all replace plastic bottles could be replaced with aluminium cans. According to Pieterjan Van Uytvanck, Wood Mackenzie Principal Analyst, PET bottles consumption is increasing. Currently, in Europe, the yearly consumption is at around 140 units per person, while in the US 290 units, as shown in Mackenzie’s report on the European United’s single-use plastic directive. Van Uytvanck said, “Globally, around 57 per cent of these are collected, and political pressure will see that figure rise. One of the most ambitious targets of the EU directive is the...
Lenovo unveils new gaming laptop Y740 in India with anodised aluminium exterior
According to a recent report, Lenovo has unveiled two new gaming laptops in India under its Legion range – the Legion Y540 and Legion Y740. Besides featuring a grey anodised aluminium exterior, the Legion Y740 packs a 15.6-inch Full HD anti-glare display which supports Dolby Vision for HDR gaming. It also boasts Intel’s 9th-gen Core i7 processor bundled with 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD storage. Moreover, it comes with a RGB gaming keyboard. Other notable highlights include Dolby Atmos support, 3x USB 3.1 ports, one HDMI port, a USB Type C port, one RJ45 LAN port, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Legion Y540, on the other hand, features a 15-inch Full HD display with a refresh rate of 144Hz. But same as Y740, Y540 gets powered by Intel’s 9th-gen Core i7 processor coupled with 32GB of RAM...
Rio initiates arbitration process with GFG Group on outstanding payments for Dunkerque smelter
According to the Reuters report, Rio Tinto Plc has started an arbitration process with Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance as the latter has not made final payments for the purchase of the Dunkerque aluminium smelter in France. The news came after Rio Tinto confirmed this on Monday, September 2. In a statement it said, “Rio Tinto confirms it has triggered an arbitration process in relation to the sale of the Dunkerque aluminium smelter, France, to Liberty House.” In December 2018, Rio Tinto completed the sale of its Dunkerque aluminium smelter in northern France to Liberty House, the part of the GFG Alliance, at $500 million. Rio Tinto also said, “The arbitration relates to non-payment of customary post-closure adjustments, including working capital, which was agreed by both parties in the sale...
Weiqiao further cuts its prebaked anode price for September; A00 aluminium ingot price rises by RMB20/t
Shanghai Metals Market reveals that Shandong Weiqiao Group, one of the top aluminium producers in China, has reduced the benchmark purchasing price of prebaked anode for the third month in a row. For September 2019, the company has lowered the benchmark purchasing price by RMB 70 per tonne to RMB 2,925 per tonne in cash. For August, Shandong Weiqiao had reduced the prebaked anode price by RMB 50 per tonne from July and that had brought the price to RMB 2,995 per tonne in cash. But despite the cut in Weiqiao’s prebaked anode benchmark purchasing price, the average buying price in China has not registered any change. It is still continuing to remain restraint at RMB 3,112.50 per tonne, as of September 2, since the drop on August 1, from RMB 3,137.50 per tonne to RMB 3,112.50 per tonne. The...
Aluminium consumption in Brazil expected to hit 1.5 million tonnes by Q1 2020: Abal
Aluminium consumption in Brazil is expected to match the record levels of 2013 by the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020, backed on better sales in the aluminium packaging industry. According to the industry association Abal, apparent consumption will grow by some 7.5 per cent this year compared to 2018 figures and then will hit 1.5 million tonnes during the first quarter of 2020. Abal president Milton Rego said, "We have noticed the market rapidly turning to aluminium and replacing other materials in the packaging segment." According to him, aluminium packaging for medicines, food and beverages would expectedly sustain the industry’s growth in the coming years. However, earlier, the growth estimate was at 10-12 per cent but now revised down to 7.5 per cent, Rego pointed out....
Hindalco to invest INR 2,000 crore for alumina capacity expansion and maintenance work
Hindalco Industries Limited on Friday, August 30, said that it decided to invest INR 2,000 crore this year, majority of which will go into alumina capacity expansion at Utkal Alumina refinery. The rest of the amount will be used towards working capital and maintenance work, said the company further. Hindalco chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla explained, "We remain focused on strengthening our balance sheet through allocation of capex towards growth strategies and generating positive free cash flows. We have a capex of Rs 2,000 crore, most of which will go towards the capacity expansion of Utkal Alumina refinery and the some towards working capital and maintenance work.” While addressing shareholders at the 60th annual general meeting, the company said it aimed to double the share of downstream...
Global producer asks for $110/t aluminium premium from Japanese buyers for Q4 2019
According to the Reuters report, a global aluminium producer has offered Japanese buyers a premium of $110 per tonne for primary metal shipments during October-December quarter. This premium is higher by 2 per cent than that in the current quarter. The news came after five sources directly involved in quarterly pricing said on Friday, August 30. Japan imports a considerable amount of primary aluminium from Asia and the premiums it agrees to pay each quarter over the London Metal Exchange (LME) cash price set the benchmark for the region. For July-September quarter, Japanese buyers had agreed to pay a premium of $108 per tonne, up 3 per cent from the previous quarter. Negotiations on the latest quarterly pricing between Japanese buyers and global producers, including Rio Tinto and South32...
EPA seeks public input on an aluminium smelting site clean-up
According to a recent report, the United States Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public opinion on the clean-up of an old aluminium smelting site in Benton Harbor. “Benton Harbor is becoming a boom town again and the more contributing parties we can get together to clean up toxic land they can make available to the community it’s incredible,” said Benton Harbor resident Mr. Michael Hoyh. As per the report, the EPA proposed settlement of more than half a million dollar for cleanup of the aluminium smelting site., The settlement requires settling parties Louis Padnos Iron & Metal Company, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., and Service Aluminium Corporation to pay $585,570.40 to the Hazardous Substance Superfund for the recovery of the EPA’s past response...
