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.
Lower aluminium production at key smelters in and outside China affects global output in H12019
The survey data of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) showed that global aluminium production dropped 0.5 per cent in the first half of 2019, as Lower Western output had been largely down due to temporary outages at two important smelters – Albras in Brazil and Becancour in Canada. The bearish market sentiment in China was another key factor for the world aluminium production fall in H1 2019. In June, Chinese output fell by 3.1 per cent and by 0.4 per cent over the first six months of the year, according to the IAI. Production in the world outside China decreased by 0.6 per cent in the first half of the year. Albras in Brazil, which has an annual capacity of 450,000 tonnes, has been operating at 50 per cent since April 2018 because of tight global alumina supply on Alunorte...
China’s alumina import in H1 2019 lowers 9.5% YoY; Import in June up 4.6% over the year
According to Shanghai Metals Market, China in June imported 50,000 tonnes of seaborne alumina, down 16.7 per cent from May but up 4.6 per cent from June 2018. With this, China’s import of alumina came in at 320,000 tonnes in the first half of 2019, down 9.5 per cent from the same period last year. Exports, on the other hand, stood more than half in June compared to May, amounting to 3,757 tonnes. Compared to the same period last year, the export amount stood down by 96.8 per cent. This brought China’s total volume of alumina exports to 180,819 tonnes in the first half of 2019, down 24.4 per cent year-on-year, according to China’s General Administration of Customs on Tuesday, July 23.
UK’s aluminium foil import to rise 4.2% YoY in 2019 after remaining flat last year
In Europe, as flexible packaging market is expected to grow from $28.22 billion in 2016 to $ 41 billion by the end of 2021 at a CAGR of 7.76%, the United Kingdom emerges as a large consumer of aluminium foils. According to the global export-import data, the United Kingdom in 2016 imported 66,025 tonnes of aluminium foil, which in 2017 grew 46 per cent to 96,586 tonnes. In 2018, the country’s import volume remained flat at 96,448 tonnes, while this year is expected to see a growth of 4.2 per cent to 100,499 tonnes. Unique characteristics like strength, formability, and barriers properties are playing the most important role in consistently stimulating the use of aluminium foil. It is largely used in flexible packaging, container applications, automotive and heat exchange components,...
Hydro’s primary aluminium EBIT in Q2 2019 down by NOK 151 million YoY; Bauxite & alumina EBIT increased
Norsk Hydro in the financial results of second quarter 2019 declared that its underlying earnings before financial items and tax stood at NOK 875 million, compared to NOK 2,713 million in the same period last year. This year-on-year fall in underlying earnings could be attributed to cyber-attack and lower aluminium and alumina prices across the globe. Underlying EBIT for bauxite and alumina, however, stood higher from NOK 364 million in Q2 2018 to NOK 415 million in Q2 2019, primarily buoyed by increased production following the lifting of the embargo on May 20. “Alunorte reached 80-85 per cent capacity utilization in June, within the targeted 75-85 per cent capacity utilization for the state-of-art press filter technology. Paragominas and Albras are also ramping up successfully. This is...
Canyon Resources obtains $4 million for Minim Martap Bauxite Project’s PFS development stage
Canyon Resources Limited has reportedly acquired a fund of $4 million for the pre-feasibility study (PFS) development stage of Minim Martap Bauxite project in Cameroon. Canyon has successfully raised the fund by way of a private placement of shares to sophisticated and professional investors at an issue price of 16 cents per share. Phillip Gallagher, Canyon’s Managing Director, said: “We are extremely pleased with the support we have received in the capital raising. Canyon is now funded to complete a PFS and move our global tier-one Minim Martap Bauxite Project into the next stage of development.” The Minim Martap Project is located in the Adamawa region of Cameroon, adjacent to Canyon’s existing Birsok Bauxite Project. Canyon Resources recently discovered 8 metres at 56.76% aluminium...
Bentley unveils futuristic concept electric car made from aluminium and carbon fibre to mark its centenary anniversary
Bentley marks its 100 th birthday with a new futuristic concept car EXP 100 GT designed for the world of 2035. Unveiled at The Home of Bentley in Crewe, the autonomous and completely electric vehicle represents the British luxury car brand’s vision of future car design while preserving the heritage. Borrowing sleek and muscular exterior look from Bentley’s famous past models, the new 5.8-metre-long futuristic car, made from aluminium and carbon fibre, includes round headlights that overlap the grille in a nod to the Bentley Blower and a rear resembling the famous R-Type Continental. The decorative features are made from aluminium as well and some from copper. Two of the most unique things about the car are its exterior paint named “Compass” made from rice husk ash, a bi-product of the...
Nemak to close its Windsor Aluminium Casting Plant by mid-2020
Global automotive parts manufacturing company Nemak, headquartered in García, announced on Tuesday, July 16, that it planned to close down its aluminium casting plant at Windsor by mid-2020. This decision is a result of the early phase-out of an export programme with a customer in China, according to Nemak. Armando Tamez, CEO of Nemak, said in a media release, "Given our outlook on capacity utilization and volumes in Windsor, we have made the decision to end production at this facility." About 90 per cent of the 400,000 cylinder engine blocks produced annually in Nemak’s Windsor plant was destined for Cadillac vehicles at GM's Shanghai plant. So, the early phase-out of the export programme is expected to reduce Nemak's use of the plant to less than 10 per cent of capacity. Currently, the...
Demand for photovoltaic-use aluminium extrusion to stay strong in China in H2 2019:
According to Shanghai Metals Market, demand for photovoltaic-use (PV-use) aluminium extrusion is likely to stay strong across China in the second half of the year, as the National Energy Administration (NEA) released on Thursday, July 18, the remaining quotas for residential solar qualifying for a 2019 subsidy, which was at 1.27GW. The NEA revealed on its website that some 2.23GW installed capacity of PV projects was eligible for national subsidies till June-end of 2019. The total approved quotas for the year is 3.5GW. The rooftop market performed well in the first half of the year, recovering from the sluggish trend on China’s announcement of its plan to curtail subsidies on May 31, 2018. Customs data showed China’s export of PV modules in June came in at 5,974.36MW after registering an...
Indonesia’s mining giant plans to invest billions in expanding aluminium smelting
Indonesia is reportedly planning to spend billions of dollars in building aluminium and nickel smelters and reshaping its mining industry, in a bid to cut decades-long dependence on costly imports to meet domestic demand. Report says the Southeast Asian country is seeking to make building smelters mandatory for the miners. The state-owned first and largest SOE engaged in aluminium smelting, PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum), will designate a fund of $10 billion over the next five years to develop refineries and smelters, said President Director Budi Gunadi Sadikin. According to Sadikin, the company is investing $850 million in building a smelter-grade alumina refinery with1 million tonnes capacity in West Kalimantan. This refinery once completed, is expected to help reduce the...
A00 aluminium ingot price ends the week with a jump of RMB70/t; Alumina price remains unchanged
After remaining restrained on Thursday, July 18, the A00 aluminium ingot price has decided to end the week with a jump of RMB 70 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,920 per tonne, as of July 19, found Shanghai Metals Market. With this rise, the A00 aluminium ingot price is standing RMB 20 per tonne or 0.14 per cent higher from 13,900 per tonne in the same period last month. Throughout this week, since July 15, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded continued rises, except for a restraint on July 18, ranging between RMB 13,800 per tonne and RMB 13,920 per tonne. Week-on-week, the price is RMB 200 per tonne higher, as it was at RMB 13,720 per tonne on July 12. This significant increase in A00 aluminium price over the week could be attributed to the improved spot aluminium transactions among...
China’s production and sales of motorcycles increased 2.83% MoM & 8.09% YoY in June 2019
According to the latest data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), production and sales of motorcycles in June improved across China both year-on-year, as well as month-on-month basis. Domestic production of motorcycles in the above mentioned month came in at 1.48 million units, up 2.83 per cent from May 2019 and 8.09 per cent from June 2018. In May 2019, the production had dropped month-on-month by 0.64 per cent. Sales climbed 4.34 per cent month-on-month in June and 6.74 per cent on the year to stand at 1.47 million units. In May 2019, sales were down by 1.32 per cent from the previous month. With this, the total production and sales of motorcycles in the first half of 2019 in China totalled 7.81 million units and 7.77 million units, respectively. Chinese...
Western Australia’s container deposit scheme to be launched next year
According to a recent report, Western Australia will launch its much-awaited container deposit scheme in 2020, with a 10 cent refund on offer for every eligible container returned. This initiative is designed to encourage people to recycle empty containers and reduce litter. Aluminium containers between 150 millilitres and 3 litres are eligible for the 10 per cent refund. Besides, plastic, glass, steel, and paper-based containers are allowed in this scheme. As per the report, the scheme will be launched under the banner "Containers for Change" on June 2, 2020. On the same date, about 170 full-time or flexible refund points will open across the state and another 59 refund points will open by the end of 2020. "So, right around the state, wherever you are, you'll have access to a collection...
Alcoa’s Q2 2019 revenue remains flat Q-o-Q at $2,711 million; Adjusted EBITDA drops 2.5%
Alcoa Corporation in the financial results of second quarter 2019 declared that its revenue stood at $2,711 million, compared to $2,719 million in Q1 2019. This indicates the company’s revenue remained flat quarter-on-quarter in Q2 2019. The net loss recorded at $402 million or $2.17 per share, in comparison with a net loss of $199 million or $1.07 per share in Q1 2019. The second quarter results include the impact of $400 million of special items, including $319 million from the divestiture of Alcoa’s interest in the Ma’aden Rolling Company (MRC) in Saudi Arabia and $81 million in other special items. Excluding the impact of special items, adjusted net loss improved sequentially to $2 million, or $0.01 per share. The adjusted EBITDA excluding special items stood at $455 million in Q2...
Aluminium billet inventories extend drop in China by 400 tonnes; Alloy prices record no change
According to Shanghai Metals Market, inventories of aluminium billet in China have recorded further decline this week, as stocks in Foshan of Guangdong province has dipped significantly. Across five major consumption areas, the stocks of 6063 aluminium billet have decreased by some 400 tonnes over the week to stand at 81,100 tonnes, as of July 18. On last Thursday, July 11, the stocks hovered at 81,500 tonnes after declining from 83,200 tonnes week-on-week. In Foshan, Guangdong, and Nanchang, Jiangxi, the billet inventories have registered a drop from 47,900 tonnes last week to 41,700 tonnes and from 6,400 tonnes to 5,100 tonnes, as of July 18. In other major markets like Wuxi, Jiangxu; Changzhou, Jiangsu; and Huzhou Zhejiang, the inventories have, however, increased today by 3,400...
Chinese secondary aluminium producers operating rates decline in June for the third month in a row
Shanghai Metals Market survey shows the operating rates of Chinese secondary aluminium producers have fallen for the third consecutive month in June to 52.24 per cent, down 1.49 percentage point month-on-month and 0.5 percentage point year-on-year. Sluggish secondary aluminium demand among carmakers and dealers as they attempted to clear inventories before new vehicle emission standards took effect in July could be attributed to this fall in operating rates. Moreover, continued weakness in the car market grew inventories of finished goods across secondary aluminium producers, resulting in production curtailments in June. In May, the operating rates were at 53.73 per cent after falling 4.6 percentage points from April and 4.2 percentage points from May 2018. Shanghai Metals Market suggests...
X5 teams up with Coca-Cola to test reverse vending machine for collecting and recycling aluminium cans
In association with Coca-Cola, Russian food retailer X5 Group will reportedly test reverse vending machines in Pyaterochka stores in Moscow, aiming to collect and recycle used plastic bottles and aluminium beverage cans of different brands. As per the report, the vending machines will dispense a 15 per cent discount coupon, applicable on a range of Coca-Cola drinks, for each item deposited by customers. Commenting on the collaboration with Coca-Cola, the CEO of X5 Retail Group, Igor Shekhterman, said, "We are happy to collaborate with one of our large partners on this pilot plastic collection project that represents an important step towards reducing waste.” He also said, "Teaming up to install reverse vending machines at our stores allows us to refine procedures for a potential future...
A00 aluminium ingot price records marginal rise in China; Input costs show restraint
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the price of A00 aluminium ingot has recorded a marginal rise by RMB 10 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,850 per tonne, as of July 17, 2019. This marks the third consecutive rise since July 15, followed by a drop on July 12 from RMB 13,800 per tonne to RMB 13,720 per tonne. Improved spot aluminium trading over the weekend as downstream consumers started restocking has buoyed the back-to-back rises in A00 aluminium ingot price this week, learned Shanghai Metals Market. But the overall sentiment of the aluminium ingot price is still found sluggish. Compared to the same period last month, the price stands low by RMB 80 per tonne. The average prices today are expected to range between RMB 13,830 per tonne and RMB 13,870 per tonne, with spot contract to be...
China’s alumina production of 6.40 million tonnes in June records highest since May 2017: NBS
According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Thursday, July 11, China’s alumina production in June recorded a rise by 5.4 per cent year on year to come in at 6.41 million tonnes. It is the highest monthly figure since May 2017, as per the data published on bureau’s website. In April, China’s alumina output had increased by 4.2 per cent year on year to stand at 6.28 million tonnes, the highest monthly total for the aluminium raw material in records on the bureau’s website since June 2017. NBS also showed that China’s aluminium production in June totalled 2.97 million tonnes of, down 2.98 million tonnes in May but up 1.3 per cent year-on-year. On a daily basis , China’s June aluminium output hit record levels at 99,000 tonnes, up from 96,000 tonnes in May and...
