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.
Geely Technology to build new energy battery research institute in China
Chinese automaker Geely Technology Group will reportedly build a new energy battery research institute at Xiuzhou Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone. The agreement was signed on April 29 with local government of Xiuzhou District, Jiaxing, Zhejiang. About RMB 3 billion of investment is involved in this project, which is expected to start operation within this year. The institute will work as the headquarters for the group to research and develop new energy batteries with R&D hubs of battery cells and electricity generation system as well as centres for analysis & testing and forward-looking technology development. The objective of this institute is not only to meet Geely’s demands on future continuous growth of new energy batteries, but to help improve the quality and efficiency of local...
India further defers import duties on 29 US products till May 16
The Indian government has once again deferred the deadline to impose retaliatory import duties on 29 US products, including almond, walnut, and pulses. So, now instead of May 2, 2019 the deadline to impose tariffs is on May 16, 2019. The deadlines have been extending since June 2018, when India decided to impose these duties in retaliation to the Trump Administration’s decision to impose high customs duties on certain aluminium and steel products. Further extension of the deadline comes in the backdrop of the US decision to withdraw export incentives provided to Indian exporters under Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme. America has given 60 days-notice, which will come to an end this week, to withdraw the export incentives. However, on May 6, the US Commerce Secretary...
Sweden’s aluminium plates, sheets and strips export to record marginal growth in 2019
Aluminium rolled products — plates, sheets and strip have, for many years, formed a large volume of aluminium products shipped annually all over the world due to the increasing consumption of aluminium rolled products in packaging, automotive and other industrial sectors. To cash on this growing aluminium rolled products market, Sweden has been increasingly exporting aluminium plates, sheets and strips to various parts of the market, found our available third-party data. In 2018, Sweden had exported 90,297 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and strips, which in 2019 is estimated to rise to 91,734 tonnes, up 1.6 per cent. In 2016 and 2017, Sweden’s aluminium plates, sheets and strips exports were at 72,718 tonnes and 85,152 tonnes. This indicates that the country’s export has been growing...
NRG plans to restart its natural gas plant on the old Sherwin Alumina property
NRG Energy Inc. is reportedly planning to resume operations at its mothballed natural gas plant on the old Sherwin Alumina property in Gregory from June 2019. David Knox, a spokesman for NRG Energy Inc. said the natural gas plant was built in 2002 to provide energy to its partner Sherwin Alumina. In 2016 it was mothballed when Sherwin Alumina filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations, he said. However, now that the issues related to bankruptcy filing have been resolved, work is underway to restart the plant by early June, according to a news release. "I am pleased to announce the return to service of this highly efficient natural gas plant," said Mauricio Gutierrez, president and CEO of NRG, in a statement. "The Public Utility Commission of Texas' recent actions to further strengthen the...
Aluminium aerosol cans machinery maker PackSys Global Thailand to be acquired by Benpac Holding
Swiss machinery maker PackSys Global has reportedly agreed to sell its subsidiary in Thailand to Benpac Holding. Becpac Holding is a group of companies in the fields of engineering, machine construction and packaging technology. The subsidiary company of PackSys Global in Thailand, on the other hand, manufactures lines to make monobloc aluminium aerosol cans, aluminium tubes, printing machines for metal and plastic closures. Per the report, PackSys Global Thailand will be renamed Benpac Packaging Limited. However, Roman Angst, chief executive of PackSys Global Thailand will continue as chief executive of the company. Following a strategic review PackSys Global AG and its German parent the Brückner Group have decided to focus on PackSys Global’s core competence in plastic packaging....
Regal London delivers one of world’s first cast aluminium clad-buildings
Luxury boutique developer Regal London reportedly delivers an ambitious 49-unit residential building project The Compton made with a façade created from 1,800 recycled cast aluminium panels. It is one of the world’s first cast aluminium clad-buildings located in London’s most prestigious suburb St. John’s Wood, just a three minute walk from two of London’s most renowned attractions - Lord’s Cricket Ground and Regent’s Park. Designed by Simon Bowden Architecture, this architecturally striking residential building represents a masterpiece of both innovation and elegance. Each apartment has been individually configured to maximise both space within the home and the outward views. The façade constructed from recycled cast aluminium furthermore culminates in a distinguished appearance and...
Italy’s aluminium scrap import to continue to see a growing trend this year
Our third-party data finds that aluminium scrap import by Italy is likely to continue to grow this year by 3.17 per cent from the previous year. In 2018, Italy’s estimated aluminium scrap import volume was at 598,353 tonnes, which in 2019 is expected to increase to 617,355 tonnes. The volume is estimated to grow in 2019, but slower than in 2018 as the growth in the latter year was up by 10 per cent year-on-year. The estimated import volume in 2017 was at 544,857 tonnes, which was again 10 per cent higher than 495,924 tonnes in 2016. Thus, the above graph shows that aluminium scrap import by Italy has been growing year over year since 2016. After the United States, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, and Germany, Italy is emerging as the world’s largest user of aluminium. According to...
China’s NEVs production estimated to reach 6.96 million units by 2025
According to Shanghai Metals Market, now that that the Chinese government is cutting subsidies, China’s credit system that rewards longer-range models will continue to boost the development of new energy vehicles (NEVs). By 2025, NEV production in China is expected to come in at 6.96 million units, among which passenger vehicles is likely to amount for most of the growth. SMM expects pure electric vehicles to contribute to about 30 per cent of the annual increase in NEV production. Consumers’ favour towards plug-in hybrid vehicles is estimated to keep the output growth by about 15 per cent after the subsidy cuts, compared with a growth rate above 35 per cent before the cuts. SMM further estimates the production of new energy buses to continue to decline in the long-term due to the...
Rusal’s Q1 VAP sales drop 44% YoY and 22% QoQ; aluminium sales and production decline too
Russian aluminium giant Rusal posted that its first-quarter sales of value added products (VAP) dropped 44 per cent from the contemporary period of the previous year and 22 per cent from the last quarter. Sanctions by the United States are held primarily responsible for this year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter downfall. Washington had declared sanctions against the Russian aluminium company in April 2018 and lifted them in January 2019 when co-owner Oleg Deripaska reduced his stake after months of talks and several extensions of the deadline for sanctions to take full effect. But despite the withdrawal of the sanctions, the company claims its sales of VAP metal - alloyed ingots, slabs, and some other products to have been affected in the first quarter. Sales of VAP metal decreased to...
Rusal appoints new head for its US office
Charles Brian Hesse is the new head of Russian aluminium giant Rusal’s United States office, according to the latest report. Rusal has appointed Mr. Brian Hesse at a time when trying to strengthen its presence in North America. The news came when the firm said in a statement on Tuesday, April 30. Hesse will join Rusal with a vast experience in the metal industry. He worked as the Vice President of sales and marketing for the Americas for India’s Vedanta, prior to which, he also worked as the global sales director in a rolled products manufacturer Aleris International. Rusal in mid-April landed its first investment in the United States since Washington lifted sanctions. It has collaborated with Braidy Industries Inc. to construct an aluminium rolling mill in Ashland, Kentucky, USA in order...
Bauxite price in China records a drop today while alumina price rises
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the price of Bauxite(6.0≤Al/Si＜7.0)Shanxi has recorded a fall today, April 30, by RMB 10 per tonne to stand at RMB 540 per tonne. January 1, 2019, was the last time when Bauxite(6.0≤Al/Si＜7.0)Shanxi price had recorded a fall from RMB 570 per tonne to RMB 550 per tonne, followed which the price continued to show restraint until today. The price of Bauxite(6.0≤Al/Si＜7.0)Henan has also registered a drop today, but by RMB 20 per tonne to stand at RMB 500 per tonne. The Bauxite(6.0≤Al/Si＜7.0)Henan price had fallen previously on April 22 from RMB 530 per tonne to RMB 520 per tonne. Since then the price remained unchanged until today. The alumina spot price, on the other hand, continues to grow, found Shanghai Metals Market. The price today has grown to RMB...
JISCO Alpart to host community meeting to discuss ongoing water distribution & dust pollution problems
Jamaica-based bauxite/alumina producer JISCO Alpart’s meeting with community leaders, political and stakeholder representatives is scheduled today, April 29, at 11:00 am at the JISCO Alpart Sports Club in Nain. The agenda of the meeting is to discuss ongoing problems relating to water distribution and dust pollution. Residents have been hugely complaining about the negative effects of dust pollution, as well as the inadequate distribution of water to communities close to the plant. The first phase of the Essex Valley water scheme, however, is now said to be nearing completion. This water scheme was first launched in 2001 as a partnership between the Jamaican Government and Alpart to provide piped water from the National Water Commission to residents in communities close to the plant. But...
QAMCO posts net profit of QR13.3 million during four-month period ended on March 31
Qatar Aluminium Manufacturing Company (QAMCO), a successful producer of primary aluminium and one of the largest aluminium smelters in the region, has reportedly announced its financial results for the fourth-month period ended on March 31, 2019. The company announced that its net profit was at QR13.3 million, with earnings per share of QR 0.02. This result predominantly represents the net profit share of QAMCO’s joint venture Qatalum. There were two challenging conditions in the market that primarily affected Qatalum’s performance, said the company itself. The first challenging condition was the increase in the costs of raw materials; particularly the prices of alumina that led to a rise in Qatalum’s operating cost and a decrease in its operating margins substantially during December...
India’s aluminium wire import to drop in 2019 after stupendous growth in previous year
Increasing demand towards diverse, innovative product grades for electrical and automotive applications are found consistently stimulating the aluminium wire market size across the globe. Composed of aluminium, these wires exhibit corrosion protection properties and find a wide array of usage in the products including transformers, building wires, heat sinks in industrial segment, and electrical appliances. Global primary aluminium production was over 5 million tonnes in 2017, while the sales were over 95 million units. By 2024, aluminium wire market revenue is slated to exceed US$ 65 billion. In this background of increasing aluminium market size globally over the past few years, India neither shied away from marking a stupendous growth in aluminium wire import in 2018. According to our...
Alumina price marks sixth consecutive growth today; A00 aluminium ingot price also rises on further inventory decline
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the alumina spot price has recorded further rise today, April 29, by RMB 26 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,750 per tonne. The alumina spot price started rising since April 22 and today marks the sixth consecutive growth. So, over the week, the alumina spot price ranged between RMB 2,675 per tonne and RMB 2,750 per tonne. This week-on-week growth takes the , higher than the price in the same period last month, which was at RMB 2,694 per tonne, but still down from the price in the contemporary period of February. In the east and central market, the alumina price has registered growth by RMB 20 per tonne each to peg at RMB 2,760 per tonne and RMB 2,750 per tonne, respectively. In the north and south, on the other hand, the alumina price has climbed by RMB 40...
Nalco challenges Odisha HC for allowing Vedanta participating in alumina sale tender
A navratna CPSE National Aluminium Company Limited (Nalco) has reportedly urged the Supreme Court to challenge Odisha High Court for allowing Vedanta’s Jharsugda unit's participation in the tender floated by Nalco for the sale of surplus alumina. Nalco pointed out that according to policy the tender for alumina sale was issued only to overseas customers. Therefore, Vedanta was not entitled to participate in the tender. However, at the same time, Nalco clarified that Vedanta could participate in the tender through its sister concern based in London. Vedanta, on the other hand, has moved the Odisha High Court against Nalco’s decision to not include it in the tendering process. According to Vedanta, the Nalco’s decision of not allowing its participation in the tendering process adversely...
Toshiki Omatsu reveals his new furniture range made of maple wood and aluminium
Tokyo-based architect and designer Toshiki Omatsu has reportedly revealed his latest furniture project named 'Shades of Michelangelo’. The project includes exquisite chairs made of warm maple wood with a cold metal surface that lends a simple yet intriguing design connecting between natural and man-made materials. The back plate of the chair is formed at an angle to the sheet surface since a right-angled plate could be uncomfortable for users to sit on. The design of the chair derives from a question that Omatsu had raised once - what if the back plate is deformed according to one’s leaning on it backward? The back plate, the sheet, and the partial front legs are made out of a bended single aluminium sheet with a thickness of 3mm. It is to be noted that partial front legs are not just for...
Shanxi Aluminium restarts construction of its bauxite mining project after a decade halt
According to the latest update from Shanghai Metals Market, State Power Investment Corporation Shanxi Aluminium has recommenced its bauxite mining project in Kuancaoping Town of Ningwu County on Saturday, April 20. The news came after it was released on the Ningwu government website on Tuesday, April 23. The construction of the mine had initially started in February 2010. Then due to some historic issues, project was on halt for about a decade. The mining license for the project was obtained from the Department of Land and Resources of Shanxi province in December 2012, SMM learned. SPIC is one of China's top five power generators, and an integrated energy group with power as its core. It has a total installed capacity of 107.4 GW, including 68.27 GW of thermal power, 20.94 GW of...
