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.
Guinea’s bauxite exports to China are up 60.5% Y-o-Y in Oct’2023 despite rain-delayed shipments
According to China customs data, China’s bauxite imports in October 2023 stood at 11.1273 million tonnes, reflecting a month-on-month increase of 11 per cent and a year-on-year hike of 23.97 per cent. Guinea was the highest exporter of bauxite to China in the said month, supplying 7.084 million tonnes, up by 4.61 per cent M-o-M and 60.51 per cent Y-o-Y. Australia was the second largest exporter, providing 3.4229 million tonnes - 26.86 per cent more than the previous month and 3.44 per cent higher than a year ago. Other significant exporters were Turkey, supplying 226,700 tonnes; Sierra Leone, providing 147,600 tonnes; and Ghana, exporting 104,400 tonnes. Other countries that exported substantial quantities of bauxite to China in October 2023 were Jamaica (45,000 tonnes), Brazil (43,500...
China aluminium market overview: While the industry grapples with downward prices and demand, auto sales growth adds a silver lining
The prevailing demand deficit for primary aluminium in China continued to affect domestic prices throughout November 2023. Slow metal supply across the market due to production cuts at Yunnan, resulting in rapid inventory fall, could not cast much positive impact on prices. However, it is believed that domestic automobile production growth in November may have supplemented the aluminium demand and offset the prices. China's automobile production and sales in November 2023 According to the data released by the China Automobile Association, China's automobile production witnessed a month-on-month growth of 7 percent and a year-on-year hike of 29.4 percent, amounting to 3.093 million units in November 2023. The data showed that sales also increased by 4.1 per cent M-o-M and 27.4 per cent...
US’ shift to recycled aluminium results in crude metal and alloy imports decline till Aug’23
The United States aluminium crude metal and alloy imports from the United Arab Emirates continued to fall in August 2023 but at a slower rate than the previous month. According to the US Census Bureau data, the United States imported 23,100 tonnes of aluminium crude metal and alloy, which reflected a downfall of 12.5 per cent month-on-month. In July 2023, the United States imports from the UAE were 26,400 tonnes, marking a drastic decline of 53.44 per cent from 56,700 tonnes a month ago. The month-on-month downfall in US aluminium crude metal and alloy imports from the UAE began in June 2023 when the volume stood 36.36 per cent lower than 89,100 tonnes in May. The United States' overall imports of aluminium crude metal and alloy from various parts of the world were also less in August...
With 3 more ASI-certified rolling plants, Novelis to scale up sustainable aluminium product deliveries
On Wednesday, December 13, Novelis announced its achievement of securing Performance Standard Certifications by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (AS) for three North American aluminium rolled product manufacturing facilities. The plants, located in Guthrie, Kentucky; Oswego, New York; and Ontario, Canada, remelt and recycle through to cold mill processing to produce a range of rolled aluminium products, primarily for the automotive market. The ASI certifications attest Novelis' responsible manufacturing practices and its strong commitment towards the circular economy and sustainability. In 2022, Novelis obtained ASI Performance Standard Certifications for its Berea plant in Kentucky, Greensboro plant in Georgia, and Warren facility in Ohio. Since 2021, Novelis has been delivering...
Aluminium industry unitedly set a nearly 100% recycling target by 2050 at COP28
At the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), aluminium and can industry unanimously agreed to the goal of recycling nearly 100 per cent of aluminium beverage cans by 2050. The world-leading companies and associations which gave consent to this target were Emirates Global Aluminium, the Australian Aluminium Council, the United States Aluminum Association, Ardagh Metal Packaging, the Aluminium Association of Canada, the Can Manufacturers Institute, the European Aluminium, Ball Corporation, Crown Holdings, Novelis, Japan Aluminium Association and many others. Initially, they would strive to achieve an 80 per cent recycling target by 2030 and then 100 per cent by 2050. Coordination must come from the state and national levels to meet this recycling goal. The governments must...
Russia's aluminium association warns price drops and sanctions may hurt the industry
Russia’s Aluminium Association has cautioned the domestic industry of the adverse effects of Western sanctions, tariffs, and price drops. The global aluminium prices have dropped to their lowest level since March 2021, while the US and EU almost banned Russian exports. Furthermore, the Russian aluminium products will likely face the 12th package sanctions by the European Union. According to the association, all this may adversely affect the Russian aluminium industry. The association has warned that the Russian aluminium industry is on the verge of a severe crisis, adding that several enterprises of Rusal are even at risk of closure. On Monday, December 11, the association highlighted that a number of Rusal enterprises are operating on the verge of zero or negative profitability. Any...
Cosma Casting UK to expand its Telford aluminium die casting facility, creating 62 new jobs
Cosma Casting UK, an aluminium high-pressure vacuum die casting company, desires to enlarge its factory in Telford by adding a rear extension. The factory operates 24 hours daily with 230 people from Telford Business Park premises. On further expansion, the casting facility will create sixty-two new jobs. Telford & Wrekin Council has already recommended the expansion plans for approval before councilors. The proposed expansion will house two new die-casting units to support manufacturing additional product lines. The company specialises in making large complex parts for the automotive sector. Their end product is that of high-quality alloy castings for automobiles. "The foundry has been operational for many years without impacts on neighbouring properties and it is anticipated that the...
Hindalco to build a new aluminium battery foil manufacturing facility worth INR 800 Cr. in Odisha
On Tuesday, December 12, Hindalco Industries announced its plan to invest INR 800 crore into building a battery foil manufacturing facility at Sambalpur in Odisha in a bid to tap the fast-growing electric vehicle market. The facility will produce 25,000 tonnes of aluminium foil, the backbone of lithium-ion and sodium-ion cells. "Hindalco Industries is investing INR 800 crore to build a new plant near Sambalpur in Odisha that will initially produce 25,000 tonnes of the resilient product which forms the backbone of Lithium-ion and Sodium-ion cells," the statement said. To leave no stone unturned to seize the boosted electric vehicle market, Hindalco also plans to significantly expand its production capacity of fine-quality aluminium foil used in rechargeable batteries. The new battery foil...
2024 forecast on China's car sales suggests the transportation sector to be the driving force for aluminium demand
According to the data released by the China Automobile Association, China’s automobile production and sales in November 2023 increased month-on-month by 7 per cent and 4.1 per cent, respectively, to stand at 3.093 million units and 2.97 million units. On a year-on-year calculation, they stood significantly higher by 29.4 per cent and 27.4 per cent, respectively. Of the total units sold, 2.488 million cars were sold domestically, reflecting a month-on-month rise of 5.2 per cent and a year-on-year hike of 24.3 per cent. The rest 482,000 tonnes were exported, down by 11 per cent month-on-month and up by 46.3 per cent year-on-year. At the 2024 China Automobile Market Development Forecast Summit, Xu Haidong, deputy chief engineer of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, shared his...
China’s daily alumina production in November 2023 exceeds SMM estimation of 223,000 tonnes
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China's metallurgical-grade alumina production in November 2023 recorded a further M-o-M decline to stand at 6.745 million tonnes. The output decreased by 1.44 per cent over a month from 6.842 million tonnes. But the daily average output stood 1.86 per cent higher month-on-month at 224,800 tonnes compared to 220,700 tonnes in October, in line with SMM projection. SMM estimated last month that China's daily alumina production would stand at 223,000 tonnes per day in November, with an operating capacity of 81.15 million tonnes. In reality, China's daily output as well as operating capacity surpassed the SMM forecast by 1,800 tonnes and 92,000 tonnes, respectively. At the end of November 2023, China's operating alumina capacity was 82.07...
China’s November 2023 aluminium production dips 4.2% M-o-M due to output cuts in Yunnan, as was expected
Yunnan’s aluminium production shutdowns due to the ongoing dry season have resulted in lower aluminium output in November 2023. According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China’s aluminium production in the said month stood at 3.488 million tonnes, down by 4.2 per cent from 3.641 million tonnes in October 2023. The decline in November 2023 aluminium production happened as per the SMM forecast. The Shanghai Metals Market had estimated the aluminium production to decline in November to reach 3.45 million tonnes , marking a M-o-M down of 5.25 per cent. In line with monthly production downfall, the average daily output also decreased in November 2023 to 116,300 tonnes from 117,500 tonnes in October. However, on a year-on-year calculation, China’s aluminium production in November 2023...
ISRI and Aluminium Association find out 80% of aluminium produced in the US uses recycled content to lower GHG emissions
Last week, December 7, at the hearing of the GHG emissions intensity investigation, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and the Aluminum Association intimated to the US International Trade Commission (USITC) that the domestic recycled materials industry’s support for the aluminium producers to fight climate change by providing high-quality renewable materials as replacements for extracted resources has resulted in lowering energy consumption and carbon emissions. Both ISRI and the Aluminium Association testified to this fact after conducting surveys on several aluminium companies in response to the USITC’s fact-finding investigation on the intensity level of greenhouse gas emissions from aluminium and steel produced in the United States. ISRI pointed out at the hearing that...
China’s A00 aluminium ingot price marks a W-o-W fall of 1.7% on not-so-stable consumption
The unstable consumption pattern of China’s domestic aluminium ingot has pushed the A00 aluminium ingot price further down on Monday, December 11, 2023, found the Shanghai Metals Market. As per the official data, the price has plunged by RMB 140 per tonne over the weekend to stand at RMB 18,380 per tonne, marking a week-on-week fall of 1.71 per cent from 18,700 per tonne. Over the last one month, China’s domestic A00 aluminium ingot price has arrived to the range of RMB 18,000 per tonne from RMB 19,000 per tonne due to weaker purchase sentiment among downstream sectors. Today, the average prices are expected to range between RMB 18,360 per tonne and RMB 18,400 per tonne, with a spot contract to be traded at a discount price of RMB 50-10 per tonne. In Wuxi and Chongqing, A00 aluminium...
China’s aluminium ingot inventories are depleting faster than expected; SMM expects 2023 to round up at 500,000 tonnes
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China's domestic aluminium ingot inventories are decreasing faster than expected. The estimated reason is the production cut in Yunnan, resulting in slower arrivals of stocks to warehouses. As per the data shown on December 7, the inventories halted at 560,000 tonnes, reflecting a decline of 29,000 tonnes from Monday, December 4, and a downfall of 38,000 tonnes from the previous Thursday, November 30. SMM estimates if this downtrend accelerates further, the Chinese primary aluminium inventories will reach as low as around 500,000 tonnes. However, in the rest of this month, inventory depletion may face disruptions because lessened aluminium billet production in northern regions will lead to a potential cast ingot volume increase in some...
EagleCraft Boats launches 42-inch aluminium boat with high power cruising technology
A Campbell River boat builder, EagleCraft Boats, has recently launched the country’s first 42-inch aluminium boat equipped with quad Yamaha 450HP outboard motors. The vessel is described as a powerhouse on the water because of having high-performance outboards that underscore EagleCraft’s unwavering commitment to providing the latest and most potent marine technology. With a fuel capacity of 600 gallons, EagleCraft ensures an extended and exhilarating journey on the open sea. The interior of the cruiser offers a two-berth layout with a convertible settee, a separate head and shower, and a fully appointed galley. For comfort, the cruiser has air conditioning, a 12 KW generator, and a large house battery system for uninterrupted power on extended voyages. For navigation, the vessel uses...
European Aluminium commands EU to impose a sanction against Russian aluminium
The industry group European Aluminium believes the European Union should sanction Russian aluminium metal rather than banning a few products like aluminium wire, foil, tubes, and pipes for a more significant impact. According to the group, a more robust and stringent action is required to restrict Russian aluminium imports. The group explains in a letter sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the recently proposed 12th package of sanctions keeps out the primary aluminium, which accounts for the largest volume of Russian aluminium exports to the EU. The sanctions package only includes aluminium wire, foil, tubes, and pipes exports, which are limited to the EU. In the first three quarters of 2023, the European Union imported almost 500,000 tonnes of Russian...
Energy crisis hit hard! Europe’s alumina production during Jan-Oct 2023 sees a 32% fall Y-o-Y
Aluminium value chain is a complete and thriving industry in Europe, with over 600 plants across 30 European countries. Presently, 9 million tonnes is Europe’s annual demand for primary aluminium, and by 2050, the demand is expected to grow till 18 million tonnes. However, production has seen a dip in the recent past owing to the energy crisis since the beginning of 2023. The hit has not spared the alumina sector as well, bringing its production in the first ten months to 5.36 million tonnes compared to 7.09 million tonnes. That indicated a decrease of 32.28 per cent in Europe’s (including Russia) alumina output from January to October 2023. As of early September 2023, about 1 million tonnes of European primary aluminium capacity went offline as the power-intensive sector struggled to...
UK’s aluminium packaging collection for recycling achieves 92% of annual target in 9 months
Recent data on the NPWD by the Environment Agency (EA) showed aluminium packaging recycling in the United Kingdom maintained its rising spree in Q3 2023, ended September 30. During the three-month period (July-September), aluminium packaging collection for recycling stood at 48,135 tonnes, up by 21 per cent year-on-year. The data further showed that of the total volume collected, 33,051 tonnes were recycled through kerbside, bring and on-the-go systems, which was 15 per cent higher than the previous year. The rest 12,950 tonnes were recovered from incinerator bottom ash (IBA), reflecting a 19 per cent rise compared to last year. To date in 2023, aluminium packaging collection in the United Kingdom totalled 137,275 tonnes, representing a 17 per cent increase from the corresponding period...
