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.
China’s domestic alumina production mounts above 7 Mt in July, bolstering prices alongside steady consumption
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China's alumina production continued to record an annual rise in July 2024, buoyed by increased operating rates in Shanxi, Henan, Hebei, and Guangxi. In July (31 days), China's metallurgical-grade alumina output was 7.173 million tonnes, registering a month-on-month rise of 4.84 per cent from 6.842 million tonnes and a year-on-year increase of 4.43 per cent. From January to July, China's metallurgical-grade alumina production totalled 47.466 million tonnes, up 3.92 per cent Y-o-Y. The daily average production stood at 231,400 tonnes, an increase of 3,300 tonnes from 228,100 tonnes per day in June. At the end of July, China's metallurgical-grade alumina capacity stood at 100.6 million tonnes, with an operating capacity of 84.46 per cent and...
Century Aluminum’s net sales in Q2 recorded over 14% rise as robust LME prices offset lower shipments
Century Aluminum Company, a US-based producer of primary aluminium, announced its second quarter 2024 results, revealing net sales of $560.8 million, up 14.57 per cent sequentially from $489.5 million, despite lower shipments. The higher average aluminium price, ranging above US$2,500 per tonne in May, primarily buoyed the sales figure. Century's adjusted EBITDA during the second quarter was recorded at $34.2 million, a sequential increase of $9.2 million, driven by favourable global aluminium prices on LME and regional price premiums of $21.8 million, offsetting lower volume of shipments. Century's gross profit in the June quarter was $20.4 million, up 23.64 per cent from $16.5 million in the March quarter. Operating income also increased sequentially from $1.9 million to $6.4 million....
Novelis posts 2% sales growth for Q1 FY2025 owing to an increase in aluminium rolled product shipments
Novelis Inc., an American industrial aluminium company that has etched its name in flat-rolled product manufacturing and recycling, announced the first quarter results for FY2024-25, which ended June 30. The results revealed robust earnings growth, led by a double-digit increase in beverage packaging shipments. As per the report, the company's net sales in Q1 rose 2 per cent over the year, amounting to $4.2 billion. Higher shipments and increased average aluminium prices jointly boosted the sales. Novelis' total flat-rolled product shipments surged 8 per cent to 951,000 tonnes from 879,000 tonnes in the previous year, primarily due to demand recovery for beverage packaging sheet, which was impacted earlier by customer inventory reduction activity. Novelis' Q1 report indicates the...
Alba and Daiki Aluminium collaborate to build a sustainable aluminium dross processing facility in Bahrain
August 7, 2024, witnessed the establishment of a strategic partnership between the first aluminium smelter in the Middle East and Japan’s leading aluminium product manufacturer, following the signing of an agreement by Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. and Daiki Aluminium Industry Company Ltd to establish a sustainable aluminium dross processing facility in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The new aluminium dross processing plant will employ state-of-the-art technologies to recover the lightweight metal while significantly reducing waste and carbon emissions. The signing ceremony, held at Alba premises, was attended by Alba’s CEO Ali Al Baqali, Acting Chief Marketing Officer Hisham Al Kooheji, and Alba’s executive management team. On behalf of Daiki Aluminium, the company’s Chairman and Representative...
LME aluminium benchmark price dips $2.5/t after a substantial growth last day; SHFE price gains $6/t
On Wednesday, August 7, the three-month LME aluminum contract opened at US$2,297.50 per tonne and closed at US$2,273 per tonne, registering a decline of US$28 per tonne or 1.22 per cent. In the intervening period, the price reached a high of US$2,300 per tonne and a low of US$2,247.50 per tonne. After a substantial growth on the previous day, the LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price dipped by US$1 per tonne and US$2.50 per tonne to reach US$2,202 per tonne and US$2,202.50 per tonne. The 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price stood at US$2,262 per tonne and US$2,263 per tonne, down by US$5 per tonne from US$2,267 per tonne and US$2,268 per tonne. December-25 bid price and December-25 offer price also decreased by US$5 per tonne to settle at US$2,418...
GME Recycling builds Africa’s first fully-automated aluminium recycling plant to capitalise on $2.5 billion untapped market
GME Recycling, a leading Italian company in the design and construction of aluminium recycling plants, has reportedly set up a fully automated aluminium scrap recycling plant in Nigeria, investing 10 million euros into construction and 6 million euros into technologies. The plant, equipped with advanced technologies, is the epitome of innovation, safety, recovery, and sustainability, assuring the output of high-quality aluminium scraps in Africa. Nigeria's waste recycling market has an untapped potential value of $2.5 billion. In Lagos alone, only 20 per cent of the 13 million tonnes of annual waste is properly collected. This significant unexplored opportunity ahead has inspired GME Recycling to develop a recycling plant aimed at promoting a circular economy. The new recycling plant is...
US aluminium scrap exports see Y-o-Y growth from Jan to May 2024, driven by shifts in Thailand's consumption patterns
In the wake of increased aluminium scrap generation, the United States' aluminium scrap exports experienced an annual growth of 9,000 tonnes or 1.05 per cent during the first five months of 2024. According to the US Census Bureau survey, the United States' year-to-date aluminium scrap generation totalled 1.468 million tonnes, up 7.23 per cent from 1.369 million tonnes during the corresponding period of the previous year. From January to May 2024, the United States exported 867,000 tonnes versus 858,000 tonnes a year ago. In May, aluminium scraps export volume from the United States amounted to 192,000 tonnes, reflecting an increase of 12,000 tonnes or 6.67 per cent from 180,000 tonnes in April 2024. However, on a year-on-year basis, the export volume stood slightly down by 4,000 tonnes...
Ricardo Fontes Santana from Sohar Aluminium onboards Aluminium Bahrain as the new CFO
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C., the world’s largest single-site smelter, announced on August 6 the appointment of Ricardo Fontes Santana as a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The company also said the appointment would be effective from August 15, 2024. Mr Ricardo will join Alba with a wealth of knowledge in the metals and mining industry gathered from over 25 years of global experience. He has recently been associated with Sohar Aluminium as CFO and has been on the team of non-executive directors. Mr Ricardo also served South32, ESSILOR, BHP Billiton, and Shell in Brazil, Australia, Singapore, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Oman. Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chairman of Alba’s Board of Directors, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ricardo to the Alba family. His deep-rooted expertise in the global...
The latest hike takes LME aluminium price a week higher by $43.5/t; SHFE price grows overnight but down W-o-W by $8/t
The previous trading day, LME aluminium opened at US$2,263.50 per tonne, reached a high of US$2,305 per tonne and a low of US$2,238 per tonne, and closed at US$2,301 per tonne, up US$39 per tonne or 1.72 per cent. The LME aluminium benchmark price registered its first rise of the month on Tuesday, August 6, following two consecutive days of downfall by a total of US$61.50 per tonne. According to the data shown by LME graph , the LME aluminium cash bid price increased by US$36.50 per tonne and LME aluminium official settlement price rose by US$38 per tonne to reach US$2,203 per tonne and US$2,205 per tonne, respectively. With the present hike, the LME aluminium benchmark price edged a rise of US$43.50 per tonne, as against US$2,161.50 per tonne. However, on a month-on-month basis, the...
Vedanta Ltd posts a 37% rise in net profit for Q1 FY2025, contributed by aluminium business
On Tuesday, August 6, billionaire Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Limited published its first quarter results ended June 30, 2024, emphasising increased net profit and revenue from operations, attributed to elevated metal prices. In Q1 FY2024-25, Vedanta generated a consolidated net profit of INR 3,606 crore, an increase of 36.59 per cent from INR 2,640 crore a year ago. The company's revenue from operations rose 5.6 per cent Y-o-Y to INR 35,239 crore against INR 33,342 crore. EBITDA also grew 47 per cent Y-o-Y on account of structural cost-saving initiatives across businesses, easing of input commodity inflation, and favourable output commodity prices. Vedanta's near-term goal is to achieve $10 billion EBITDA , of which aluminium is estimated to account for $4.2 billion, zinc and silver $2.7...
Utkal Alumina hosts Annual Entrepreneurship Conclave to foster young entrepreneurs in tribal hinterland
Utkal Alumina, a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, organised an Annual Entrepreneurship Conclave under Project Udyamee on July 27, 2024, at Rayagada, focusing on empowering communities and driving inclusive growth. About 283 entrepreneurs attended the event, showing great enthusiasm and commitment to entrepreneurial development in the tribal hinterland. The event was presided by Mr Rabi Mishra, Unit Head of Utkal Alumina, as the chief guest, in the presence of Mr Bijay Kumar Sahu, GM RIC, Rayagada; Mr Kanhu Charan Sahu, CFME DIC, Rayagada; Mr Siba Mahapatra, Cluster CSR Head; Ms Lopamudra Mishra, Utkal Alumina CSR Head, Ms Niharika Sahu, Mines CSR Head and EDIT members. Project Udyamee was started on June 16, 2021, by Utkal Alumina in association with EDI to encourage...
Hongfa Aluminum integrates AI-driven smart manufacturing systems into its casting production processes
In the wake of growing digitisation in the global aluminium industry, Hongfa Aluminum, a subsidiary of China Hongqiao Group, has embarked on a journey of digital transformation across all its manufacturing units. According to a report, the company has integrated artificial intelligence to achieve intelligent manufacturing and innovative industrial internet applications. The company has adopted an AI intelligent monitoring system for its casting production. The system provides 24-hour real-time monitoring, offering image recognition and analysis capabilities. It can identify machinery hazards to attain safe production and error-free operations. In collaboration with Weiqiao Guoke Advanced Technology Research Institute, Hongfa Aluminum has developed a hot rolling surface defect detection...
China’s aluminium usage for NEVs likely to reach a double-digit figure by 2030
Increasing investments and developments in China’s new energy vehicle sector are expected to boost aluminium consumption to nearly 10 million tonnes by 2030, compared to 2 million tonnes in 2023. This prediction follows the reported rise in China’s domestic production of new energy vehicles to 940,000 units in May 2024 , up 31.9 per cent from 712,660 units produced a year ago. In line with increased production, sales also grew in May this year by 33 per cent to 955,000 units versus 716,430 units. Thus, the market share of NEVs in China escalated to 39.5 per cent in May, out of total automobile sales amounting to 2.42 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). With the bullish forecast for China’s NEV production and sales, the domestic NEV share...
Reynaers hosts students from the University of Bahrain to share expertise on aluminium building solutions
A group of students from the Civil Engineering and Architecture departments of the University of Bahrain, with a keen interest in aluminium building solutions, recently paid a visit to Reynaers Middle East (RME) to learn about the advancements in this field, focusing on international aluminium systems. Reynaers Aluminium, a leading specialist in the development and marketing of innovative, sustainable aluminium solutions for windows, doors and facades, presented the company's background and business operations, along with some essential tips for those starting a career in the aluminium building solutions sector. Mr Isa Al Wadi, Area Manager—QBK at Reynaers Middle East, led the presentation and then took the students on a tour of Reynaers' showroom, which showcases some of the most...
DEWA recycles 656,315 units of aluminium cans and plastic bottles through smart machines
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), a public service infrastructure company, has been creating awareness for environmental sustainability practices through recycling and the benefits of recycling. DEWA advocates for recycling plastic bottles and aluminium cans in line with the Dubai Integrated Waste Management Strategy 2021-2041, which promotes innovation in waste management and recycling, converting waste to energy, and providing practical solutions to environmental challenges. Since the launch of the recycling initiative in October 2022, around 690 employees have actively recycled 656,315 units of aluminium cans and plastic bottles. This collective effort has diverted 9.18 tonnes of waste from landfills, demonstrating the integral role our employees play in our sustainability...
EGA, the first in the world to have shipped bauxite cargo using a cleaner energy-fuelled vessel
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) announced it initiated a bauxite cargo shipment today from its subsidiary Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC) using a Liquefied Natural Gas-fuelled capsize vessel. It is the world's first-of-a-kind bauxite shipment in a cleaner-energy ship en route to China. This move also marks a remarkable milestone achieved by EGA in line with its carbon emissions goal across operations because LNG-fuelled ships reduce up to 28 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions on a tank-to-wake basis compared to vessels using traditional marine bunker fuel. In general, the global shipping industry accounts for more than 2 per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: "Aluminium plays an essential...
Crown Holdings releases 2023 Sustainability Report highlighting roadmap to 2030 emissions reduction goal
Crown Holdings Inc., a leading name in beverage packaging, food packaging, aerosol can packaging, and metal closures, has published its 2023 Sustainability Report titled ‘A Shared Purpose’. The report details the company’s global sustainability activities, such as initiatives to meet the carbon emissions reduction goal ahead of 2030. Crown Holdings’ carbon emissions reduction goal is part of its Twentyby30 sustainability programme established in 2020. The programme includes 20 measurable sustainability goals with a timeline of the end of 2030, committing to reach 75 per cent usage of renewable energy to reduce Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 43 per cent relative to 2019. To achieve this goal, investment plans include both on-site and off-site purchase power agreements. All employees in the...
Africa & Asia’s alumina production in H1 2024 advanced 9.5% Y-o-Y, boosting contribution to global output
In the first half of 2024, alumina production in Africa & Asia (ex-China) demonstrated an annual increase of 9.48 per cent, primarily due to robust output in the first quarter. According to the International Aluminium Institute, Africa & Asia’s alumina production in Q1 was 7.9 per cent higher than in Q2. A sharp decline in production in April 2024, reaching as low as 997,000 tonnes, negatively impacted the Q2 figures. Although output recovered in May and June, it could not fully offset the drop seen in April. Africa & Asia’s alumina production in Q2 2024 totalled 3.348 million tonnes, compared to 3.613 million tonnes in Q1. However, on a year-on-year basis, the Q2 2024 output edged an increase of 3.3 per cent from 3.241 million tonnes, making up for the H1 output totalling 6.961 million...
