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.
Sweden’s aluminium plates, sheets and strips export rise in 2018; Poland the top importer
The applications of aluminium plates, sheets and strips widely range from transformers through plaster strips to silos and heavy good vehicles. Thus, the industries in need of these products include automotive, aerospace, defence and also packaging. Among many countries that ship aluminium plates, sheets and strips to the various parts of the world, Sweden is one European nation that has been logging a steady growth over a past couple of years. {newsStudioGallery} According to the international export-import data, Sweden’s estimated export volume of aluminium plates, sheets and strips were at 72,515 tonnes in 2016, which in the next year, grew to the estimated amount of 78,952 tonnes, up 9 per cent year-on-year. That’s not all, 2018 was also estimated to see a rise further in Sweden’s...
27 Jamaican engineers complete JISCO-hosted training in Bayer process technology and refinery operations
According to a report, twenty-seven of the fifty-two young Jamaican engineers who were selected for further study and training in China last March by JISCO Alpart successfully completed the segment of the course and returned to the island on December 24. The batch of 27 was trained in the Bayer process technology and refinery operations. During the training in China, the young engineers completed three core areas of concentration. The first area of focus was in Chinese culture and language facilitated at JISCO’s head office; the second segment was in theoretical alumina process and equipment, done at North East University; and the final module was an advanced course in process control and operations done in the Henan Province. The remaining engineers out of fifty-two are in China...
Novosibirsk scientists test world’s first all-aluminium aircraft engine: Source says
Novosibirsk State Technical University scientists have reportedly tested the world’s first internal-combustion engine fully made of aluminium and weighing about 200 kg. Ilya Zverkov, Professor of the Aircraft-and Helicopter-Making Chair at the University’s Aircraft Faculty, told TASS on January 28 that the test results would help the scientists to design a smaller engine. "During the trials, flaws were detected in the engine’s design and, considering these faults, we will design a new engine smaller by its dimensions. We do not give up the basic ideas and the task is to obtain the stated characteristics by the [engine’s] capacity and firmness," Zverkov said, adding that the improved engine would be designed and tested in the summer of this year. The use of aluminium in place of steel has...
Kozloff presents six-decked 90-metre yacht concept featuring aluminium superstructure
Designer Steve Kozloff reportedly revealed a six decked 90-metre ice class expedition yacht concept called Kosatka, featuring an aluminium superstructure. Besides, the design also features steel and ice class hull with the strength to endure the intensity of driving through moderate multi-year ice conditions. According to Kozloff, Kosatka is thus, one of the most formidable yachts of her size. Other key features include a 2,415 square foot aircraft hangar with an accommodation capacity of four small or two medium-sized helicopters, and a large swimming pool at the bow with a hard-retractable cover. The vessel has a stern lounging area at the waterline and also features a crow’s nest equipped with a full command and control helm station. It has enough storage space as well for two large...
United Kingdom to see a growth in aluminium bar rods and profiles import this year; China to be the top supplier
The United Kingdom is a major aluminium product manufacturing hub in Europe. Automotive is the key end-user sector that generates maximum demand followed by the building and construction sector. The aerospace industry has also increased its operations in the UK, driving the requirements of aluminium extrusions and semi-finished products. {newsStudioGallery} The global trade data shows that the United Kingdom imports a significant amount of aluminium bar rods and profiles each year. However, the amount may slightly increase or decrease every year, like for instance, in 2017, the estimated import volume by the UK stood down compared to the previous year by 16 per cent. While in the year 2017, the UK’s estimated bar rods and profiles imports were at 125,948 tonnes, in 2016, they were at...
Alba starts operations at Casthouse 4, part of Line 6 Expansion Project
According to a report, Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) commenced operations at Casthouse 4 on December 26, 2018, the biggest furnace in the kingdom-based aluminium smelter’s history. Alba’s board of directors Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa and deputy chief executive officer Ali Al Baqali attended the opening of the first cold-charge of Furnace 3 at Casthouse 4. Representatives from the Alba executive management team, the Casthouse 4 start-up team, Bechtel, and other major contractors were also in attendance. On this occasion, Shaikh Daij said: “We are pleased with this milestone, which is another turning point in Alba’s journey towards becoming the largest smelter in the world. With this landmark, we are on track to cast final products from CH 4 -- another success in the Safe...
Bauxite Industry Recap 2018: A competitive year with plethora of expansion and investment
The bauxite market in the year 2018 had been found following a steady pace. There were some developments and expansions on existing mines, while some notable deals and new projects crossed the path across the world. The price in the China market also displayed steadfast growth throughout the year, with some short restraints and intermediate drops. In fact, Shanghai Metals Market had anticipated in July that bauxite would gain in the near term as more regulations on open-cut mining were put forward. Most bauxite mines in Shanxi and Henan provinces adopted opencast mining, SMM learned. Read through the article to know more about the developments and updates in the bauxite industry over the year. Bauxite price trend The bauxite price in China started at RMB 380 per tonne at the beginning of...
Windalco bauxite plant workers stage protest over unpaid retroactive payments
The Windalco bauxite plant in Ewarton, St. Catherine, is reportedly witnessing a growing tension between its management and the production workers over outstanding retroactive salary payments. The workers, represented by the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE), even staged a two-hour-sick-out on Thursday morning, December 27. At the protest meeting, Garth Cheese, UCASE Chief Union delegate at the Ewarton refinery, reminded all about the payment rule which was introduced by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT). The rule was employees should get payments in line with production targets. He also reminded that after the introduction of this rule the company had informed its staffs that it would give out US$ 18,000 of lump sum payment. However, the workers...
800,000 tonnes of alumina capacity cut at Shanxi Huaxing due to environmental upgrade
According to Shanghai Metals Market, some 800,000 tonnes of alumina capacity got affected in Shanxi Huaxing, an alumina producer located in Shanxi province of China. This occurred as the company upgraded its generators to meet ultra-low emission standards from mid-December. The company told SMM that regular production would start in the middle of March. At present, the company’s operating capacity stands at 1.4 to 1.5 million tonnes. A couple of days earlier, China’s largest state aluminium producer Chinalco also put one of its roasting furnaces at the Guangxi branch into maintenance that would expectedly affect total production of alumina by 20,000 tonnes. Chinalco at its Guangxi branch has an annual alumina capacity of 2.5 million tonnes. Another alumina producer in Guanxi Tiandong...
A00 aluminium ingot price extends drop across all Chinese markets; input costs show no change
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the A00 aluminium ingot price has extended its drop today, on December 28, to RMB 13,440 per tonne from RMB 13,540 per tonne on the previous day. Today’s price marks the lowest so far since the last two months. About a month ago on November 30, the price had reached at RMB 13,500 per tonne, but today it went below that. The average prices are expected to range between RMB 13,420 per tonne and RMB 13,460 per tonne, with spot discounts to settle at RMB 120 per tonne to RMB 80 per tonne. The average spot discounts rose by RMB 10 per tonne today from the previous day. The decline in ingot prices today touched all the major markets in China, SMM found. In the east Wuxi and Hangzhou, the ingot prices fell RMB 55 per tonne and RMB 50 per tonne and stood at...
Chinese aluminium spot sellers show reluctance to offload cargoes on futures price drop: SMM
According to Shanghai Metals Market, spot aluminium sellers in east China showed reluctance in offloading cargoes today, December 27, on the occasion of aluminium futures price drop. In this background, the SHFE January aluminium contract fell in morning trades. Spot discounts in Shanghai were heard at RMB 80 per tonne to RMB 70 per tonne against the SHFE 1901 contract compared to RMB 100 per tonne to RMB 90 per tonne in the previous day. Most spot transactions in Shanghai and Wuxi were at RMB 13,530 per tonne to RMB 13,550 per tonne while that in Hangzhou were at RMB 13,540 per tonne to RMB 13,550 per tonne. Thus, in contrast to the previous day, the prices today were down by some RMB 140 per tonne. The drops in prices found driving the purchasing interest among traders, but at the same...
Austria aluminium scrap import to grow in 2018 from year ago; Germany to continue as the top exporter
Aluminium recycling is part of Europe’s wider Aluminium industry, a sector of the economy that generates almost €40 billion revenue a year and directly or indirectly employs more than one million people. Aluminium beverage cans contribute to a large extent to the overall estimated recycling result of 65% for all aluminium packaging. After Germany, Finland, Belgium, Norway, and Switzerland, Austria’s name also comes in collecting and recycling the aluminium beverage cans. The country also imports a significant amount of scrap for recycling. According to the global export-import data, Austria is estimated to import 304,512 tonnes of aluminium scrap in 2018 against the import volume of 294, 368 in 2017. This means the country this year is likely to import 3.4 per cent higher compared to the...
Rusal board chairman Mattias Warnig resigns as part of US sanctions exemption deal
Following the board restructuring agreement for receiving release from US sanctions, Russian aluminium giant Rusal’s board chairman Mattias Warnig resigned from his post, as per the report from Reuters. The news came after Rusal officially announced on Wednesday, December 26. The US Treasury said last week it would remove sanctions against Rusal, its parent En+ and power firm EuroSibEnergo if they restructured to reduce the controlling stakes of businessman Oleg Deripaska, who is on Washington’s sanctions list. Mr. Warning stepping down from the post after six years at the world’s largest aluminium producer outside China is one of the conditions of the deal. Warning said in a statement, “I am confident that I can hand over to my successor a successfully developed company. My mission is...
Chinese A00 aluminium ingot price declines on increased inventory and extended price drop of alumina
According to Shanghai Metals Market, social inventories of primary aluminium across eight major consumption areas in China, including SHFE warrants, increased 6000 tonnes over the week ended on December 27, to come in at 1.29 million tonnes. More arrivals from smelters and smaller purchases from downstream buyers grew stocks on the week, following a week-on-week drop of 15,000 tonnes last Thursday. On last Thursday, December 27, the primary aluminium inventory in Shanghai was at 318,000 tonnes that increased 3000 tonnes over the week today to clock at 321,000 tonnes. The inventories in Gongyi and Henan, and Hangzhou and Zhejiang also increased from 73,000 tonnes to 81,000 tonnes and from 103,000 tonnes to 111,000 tonnes, respectively. Many other markets, on the other hand, saw plunges as...
Winter stockpiling keeps bauxite prices high in China; Maintenance at Chinalco to affect alumina output
According to Shanghai Metals Market, prices of bauxite remained high as of Tuesday, December 25, buoyed by winter stockpiling across alumina producers amidst growing bauxite supplies after the output resumption at some miners in Shanxi and Henan. As of December 25, bauxite with alumina/silica ratio of 7 was offered up to RMB 700 per tonne, ex-works, in Shanxi, while materials with alumina/silica ratio of 5 were offered up to RMB 560 per tonne, ex-works, SMM learned. Owing to looser environmental restrictions compared to the previous year, miners in Shanxi and Henan with production licences recovered output from late November, which in turn, eased shortages of bauxite. According to another update from SMM, China’s largest state aluminium producer Chinalco has put one of its roasting...
Russia aluminium powder and flakes exports to decline this year; Germany continues to remain top buyer
According to the global export-import data, Russia’s aluminium powder and flakes exports in 2018 is estimated to see a decline compared to the last two years. As per the data, the estimated aluminium powder and flakes exports by Russia in 2016 was at 22,413 tonnes, which in the next year (2017) grew 9 per cent to 24,413 tonnes. But after a year-on-year growth last year, Russia’s estimated aluminium powder and flakes exports this year are likely to drop to 22,026 tonnes, down 2 per cent from 2016 and 10 per cent from 2017. However, despite a fall in exports volume, the revenue out of it is likely to continue to remain steady this year. Last year in 2017, Russia’s estimated aluminium powder and flakes exports revenue were at US$ 27 million after growing from US$ 23 million in 2016. This...
Arksen signs deal with aluminium shipbuilder Wight Shipyard Co. for developing hybrid explorer vessels
Arksen, a soon-to-be-launched technology, and innovation company, has reportedly partnered with high-speed craft and aluminium shipbuilder Wight Shipyard Company based in East Cowes for developing, building, and supporting semi-autonomous, hybrid explorer vessels. According to the report, Arksen has also teamed up with world-renowned naval architects Humphreys Yacht Design, based in Lymington, and award-winning Fareham based interior designers, Design Unlimited for building the new vessels. The vessels are designed in such a way that will have the least impact on the environment and take adventurers to the most inaccessible corners of the world’s oceans. The report also says that Arksen has appointed Isle of Wight resident Tanya Brookfield as Executive Director. She brings expertise from...
Chinese aluminium billet inventories record the biggest weekly drop on poor production and transportation shortage
According to Shanghai Metals Market, the week ended on December 20 recorded the biggest weekly decline in social aluminium billet inventories in last eight months. The inventories dropped 11,900 tonnes because of smaller arrivals and sellers destocking at the year-end. Deliveries from social warehouses, however, continued to pick up from December 24, SMM learned further. Production cuts at aluminium smelters lowered supplies of molten aluminium, which finally resulted in poor production of aluminium billet and thus, the lowered inventories. Moreover, slow deliveries of cargoes due to a shortage in transportation and logistics in Xinjiang, and high freight charges at the end of the year accounted for the limited arrivals of aluminium billet last week. This overall situation last week...
