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.
UK’s aluminium cans import to rise YoY in 2019, unlike export; Czech Republic to be the top source
Besides exporting, the United Kingdom imports a considerable amount of aluminium cans from several European countries and even outside. The global export-import data reveals that the country’s import volume of aluminium cans has been rising year over year since 2016. It also shows that this year is most likely not going to show any exception. The Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation observes the recycling rate of aluminium drinks cans in the UK has been rising every year. While in 2016, the recycling rate was at 70 per cent; in 2017 it was at 72 per cent. This perhaps indicates the rising use of aluminium cans in the UK and the reason behind its growing imports. In 2019, the United Kingdom is expected to import around 39,505 tonnes, up 5 per cent from 37,759 tonnes in 2018. In 2016...
Fluor sets 450 tonnes rotating assembly at GAC’s bauxite mine project
The Guinea Alumina Corporation’s (GAC) bauxite mine project has reportedly achieved a major construction milestone. Engineering and construction firm Fluor Corporation, which has been serving as the African project’s engineering and programme management partner, has safely set the car dumper facility’s 450 tonnes rotating assembly into final location. The facility took three days, two750 tonnes cranes, and multiple self-propelled modular transporters for the installment of the assembly. Fluor noted that some special preparation was required to elevate the assembly over the walls of the car dumper facility into its final location. The team that worked behind this massive project consisted of 200 people. “This milestone was achieved due to the collective efforts between the GAC and Fluor...
India makes an offer to the US to resolve trade issues, says Suresh Prabhu
Followed by discussion and consultation with departments like IT and agriculture, India has made an offer to the US to resolve trade issues between the two countries. The news came after Union Minister Suresh Prabhu told PTI on April 3 that "We have consulted all the ministries and we have given them an offer.” India has long been pressing the US for the removal of tariffs on its exports of aluminium and steel products, reconsidering export benefits to certain domestic products under Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), and greater market access for products from agriculture, automobile, automobile components, and engineering sectors. The United States has also been demanding greater market access for its agricultural, dairy products, and medical devices besides seeking reduction in...
6063 aluminium billet inventories extend week-on-week decline to 112,000t
According to Shanghai Metals Market, inventories of 6063 aluminium billet across five major consumption areas in China saw a smaller decline this week as value-added tax cuts lowered purchases. As of today, April 4, the inventories were found at 112,000 tonnes, after falling by some 8,700 tonnes from a week ago. This marks the fourth consecutive weeks of aluminium billet inventories decline across China. While most of the Chinese markets have seen a downfall in billet inventories, there are some that has seen a rise. For instance, Huzhou, Zhejiang where inventories have grown from 6,000 tonnes on March 28 to 7,000 tonnes on April 4. Inventories in Foshan, Guangdong; Wuxi, Jiangsu; Changzhou, Jiangsu; and Nanchang Jiangxi have, however, dropped. The chart below gives more details on the...
NALCO achieves ever-highest bauxite production at Panchpatmali Mines in FY2018-19
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has posted its year-round achievements for fiscal 2018-19, where it mentioned about recorded capacity production of bauxite at Panchpatmali Mines totalling 74.14 lakh tonnes, which is the highest since inception. The transportation of the ore has also been ever-highest totalling at 72.31 lakh tonnes. Besides, the Navratna CPSE achieved the distinction of lowest-cost producer of bauxite and alumina in the world (as per the Wood Mackenzie report). The production of NALCO’s alumina hydrate, as well as cast metal also scored highest since inception at 21.53 lakh tonnes and 4.40 lakh tonnes respectively, for the fiscal period of 2018-2019. Further, Steam & Power Plant (SPP) of Alumina Refinery achieved highest ever net power generation. Per the...
Chinese A00 aluminium ingot price increases further on the drop of primary aluminium inventories
Social inventories of primary aluminium across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, declined further by some 37,000 tonnes from March 28 to come in at 1.641 million tonnes on April 4, found Shanghai Metals Market. This drop in primary aluminium inventories marks the third consecutive weeks of decline as consumption continued to recover. Today, the inventories in Wuxi, Jiangsu are hovering at 584,000 tonnes while that in Shanghai at 294,000 tonnes. In Nanhai, Guangdong and in Gongyi, Henan, the inventories are seen at 385,000 tonnes and 135,000 tonnes, respectively. The chart below indicates the current status of primary aluminium inventories across all major Chinese consumption areas in more details. On the drop of primary aluminium inventories, today, on April...
Ball Corporation to design and produce aluminium cans for Ölgerðin’s Ava fruit water drinks
Ball Corporation has recently bagged a new project to design and produce aluminium cans for Icelandic brewery Ölgerðin’s iconic Ava fruit water drinks. The drinking cans will be available in Ball Corporation’s 33- centilitre standard format, with designs featuring popular HD printing technique. Ölgerðin, the oldest producer of beer and soft drinks in Iceland, has always been deeply rooted in sustainability. Looking out for new ways to increase its sustainability credentials, Ölgerðin decided to update its packaging material to a new format that has less impact on the environment. And since aluminium cans are the most sustainable form of packaging, Ölgerðin looked in on Ball Corporation. The use of Ball’s HD printing technique will allow Ava to highlight the ingredients of the beverage,...
Ramon airport in Israel uses white aluminium panels for its exterior
While the usage of aluminium is expanding in the global construction sector, Ramon airport in the Israeli desert has reportedly made an extensive use of aluminium. So much so that according to a report “panels of white aluminium have enveloped the exterior of the airport”. Designed by Amir Mann-Ami Shinar Architects and Moshe Zur Architects, the airport is located 12 miles north of the city of Eilat, Israel, on 506 hectares of arid land. Commenting on the design of the airport project design manager Amir Mann said: "Our objective was how not to compete with the overwhelming emptiness of the site, while creating a place that welcomes passengers through the departure and arrival processes, reflecting through that experience the uniqueness of the desert environment, as a functioning...
Germany’s aluminium bar rods and profiles import to drop in 2019 after three consecutive years of growth
Aluminium consumption in the construction sector has been found growing year over year, resulting in a rising demand for aluminium bar rods and profiles. Aluminium profiles are gaining market share due to their slim structure, durability, and negligible maintenance cost. It is projected that by 2020 global aluminium extrusions market for the building and construction sector will account for almost 74 percent of the overall market share to continue its dominance as the key revenue generator. {newsStudioGallery} Among many countries across the world, the use of aluminium bar rods and profiles in Germany has been faring high due to massive infrastructural advancements and refurbishment. Global export-import data reveals that this year Germany is expected to import 522,325 tonnes of aluminium...
Rio Tinto & Alcoa’s joint venture ELYSIS to set up new research centre in Quebec
ELYSIS, the joint-venture technology company of Rio Tinto and Alcoa, announced yesterday that it chose Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region in Quebec for setting up its new research and development facility. It will indirectly employ more than 25 experts when fully operational, said the company on its website. The ELYSIS team is working to commercial a breakthrough technology by 2024 that will eliminate all direct greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the traditional aluminium smelting process, producing pure oxygen instead. The new research and development facility is expected to be fully operational in the second half of 2020. ELYSIS said it chose Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region for its new research centre since the place is known for having expertise in the aluminium sector. Moreover, it receives...
Nespresso invites portioned coffee manufacturers to join its aluminium capsule recycling scheme
Nespresso on Friday, March 29, reportedly issued an invitation urging portioned coffee manufacturers to join its recycling programme that aims to improve the accessibility and convenience of aluminium capsule recycling. This move was endorsed by the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board (NSAB) during its annual meeting at Geneva. Jean-Marc Duvoisin, CEO of Nespresso, said, "Aluminium is a valuable material and is infinitely recyclable. We have built a global scheme for recycling our capsules, and by inviting other companies to join our system, we hope to offer a solution for the whole category. This decision is aligned with our global initiatives to shape a waste-free future and drive behaviour change towards a circular economy." The public recycling infrastructure in most countries...
Rusal & Tiocomposite together to start test production of sulphur polymer concrete using red mud
The Russian aluminium giant Rusal has signed a memorandum of intent with Tiocomposite to start test production of sulphur polymer concrete using red mud in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Further details of the location of the project and its economic and organizational conditions are expected to be agreed upon this year. Usually, around 1.56 tonnes of red mud are generated while processing 2.87 tonnes of bauxite into 1 tonne of commercial alumina. With this project, the problem of red mud disposal will be solved, as the alumina production waste will be used as filler in sulphur polymer concrete. In the year 2017, Rusal had started the initial phase of research & development, in a bid to explore different uses of red mud for producing commercial products. Sulphur concrete production is...
Weiqiao Group revises prebaked anode purchasing price for April; average prebaked anode price marks first growth this year
Shandong Weiqiao Group’s prebaked anode purchasing price for the month of April has been revised to RMB 3,030 per tonne after renegotiating with carbon firms, according to the latest update from Shanghai Metals Market. On Monday, April 1, Shandong Weiqiao Group had set its prebaked purchasing price for April at RMB 2,990 per tonne in cash, compared to which the revised purchasing price is higher by RMB 40 per tonne, but down by RMB 150 per tonne from RMB 3,180 per tonne last month. After a drop yesterday in the average price of the prebaked anode in east China, the aluminium raw material has recorded a rise today by RMB 20 per tonne to come in at RMB 3205 per tonne, SMM data showed. This marks the first rise in prebaked anode price in east China this year. Throughout January 2019, the...
Jaguar Land Rover launches new aluminium recycling scheme; obtaining metal from I-Pace for trial
Jaguar Land Rover has reportedly launched a new aluminium recycling scheme, in a bid to reduce material wastage that comes from scrapping cars and minimise CO2 emissions throughout its entire production process. The manufacture will recover aluminium from end-of-life vehicles and melt down to reform into high-grade metal suitable for new model production. Currently, it is obtaining the metal from a group of pre-production I-Pace electric SUVs for trialling the new scheme. Besides aluminium, Jaguar Land Rover also intends to recondition and reuse the batteries of the I-Pace electric SUVs. The British multinational automotive company claims that it has “already reduced its global vehicle manufacturing operating CO2 by 46% per vehicle and remains committed to an ongoing decarbonisation...
A00 aluminium ingot price records rise in China after sharp decline on the previous day; the price stands higher MoM
After a sharp fall yesterday, on April 1, the A00 aluminium ingot price has recorded a slight growth today by RMB 20 per tonne to stand at RMB 13,760 per tonne, found Shanghai Metals Market. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,740 per tonne and RMB 13,780 per tonne, with spot discount to settle at RMB 20 per tonne, showed the SMM data. Reviewing the aluminium ingot price trend through March 2019, there was a bullish sentiment in the market as per SMM data. With the growing range from RMB 13,550 per tonne on March 1, the ingot price had even extended the benchmark of RMB 14,000 per tonne on March 21. There was some intermittent fall, but the overall trend was on the rise until the latter half of the month (March 25) when the ingot price started shrinking. Other than on...
“Hulamin has remained focused on delivering high quality products at competitive costs’ ~ Richard Jacob, CEO of Hulamin
As the only major aluminium rolling operation in Sub-Saharan Africa, Hulamin is one of the largest exporters, representing more than 60% of sales. In January 1990, Richard Jacob had joined Hulamin and since then, held various positions in manufacturing, and sales and marketing. In 2002, he was appointed to the Executive Committee and in 2007 assumed the responsibility for Investor Relations. 3 years later, in 2010, Richard became the Chief Executive Officer of the company. Here, we have shared with you all a brief interview with Mr. Jacob, who implicitly told us about Hulamin’s key strengths behind producing an extensive range of products and also spoke about the key strategies to maintain a sustainable growth rate. If you want to know more, continue reading the interview. Q: What are the...
“India is the fastest and most promising growing economy in the world today” ~ Mr. Abhijit Pati, CEO, Aluminium Division, Vedanta Aluminium – Jharsuguda
Mr. Abhijit Pati started his career as a budding engineer with Indian Aluminium Company in the year 1989. In 2008, he joined Vedanta and subsequently became Chief Executive Officer of Aluminium Division, Vedanta Aluminium – Jharsuguda, one of the largest Greenfield Aluminium cum Power complexes in the world. AlCircle had an opportunity to interview him where he shared his strategies to raise Lanjigarh alumina refinery's capacity to 2 million tonnes in 2019 and his projection for the company as well as the aluminium industry in FY2020. If you want to know them detail, go ahead and read our brief conversation. Q: Vedanta Limited has become the largest aluminium producer in India in FY2019, with aluminium production of 1.96 million tonnes. What is your outlook for the company in FY2020? A:...
Weiqiao Group lowers prebaked anode purchasing price by RMB190/t; average price in the east China drops
Shanghai Metals Market found Shandong Weiqiao Group, one of the top aluminium producers in China, once again lowered its purchasing prices of prebaked anode for April 2019. Weiqiao sets the purchasing price at RMB 2,990 per tonne in cash, down RMB 190 per tonne from RMB 3,180 per tonne in March. Today Shanghai Metals Market also found a drop in prebaked anode price in the east. The price today plunged by RMB 95 per tonne to RMB 3,185 per tonne, after remaining at RMB 3,280 per tonne from March 28 to 29. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 2,990 per tonne and RMB 3,380 per tonne. In the central, however, the prebaked anode price is still hovering at RMB 3,200 per tonne since March 28, after declining from RMB 3,400 per tonne. Other aluminium raw materials like aluminium...
