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.
Norsk Hydro plots to tap new market opportunities from ‘Green Aluminium’
Norsk Hydro has outlined a new roadmap for its operation and business, focusing more on recycling and extrusions in line with the growing demand for low-carbon aluminium. By 2030, the company is determined to scale up its recycling activities in pursuit of decarbonisation and green transition in the aluminium industry. Such was the message by Hydro at its Capital Markets Day 2023. The Norwegian company expects up to NOK 2 billion growth in greener earnings by 2030, primarily contributed by extrusion and recycling. To capitalise on this opportunity, Hydro plots to lift its extrusion business to NOK 10-12 billion EBITDA and recycling business to NOK 5-8 billion, banking on a potential rise in post-consumer scrap to 850-1,200 thousand tonnes. President and CEO Hilde Merete Aasheim indicated...
Press Metal Aluminium’s nine-month net profit lags behind consensus forecasts, marking a 21% Y-o-Y fall
On Tuesday, November 28, Press Metal Aluminium Holdings published its third quarter fiscal report, showing a lag from the consensus forecasts. Nonetheless, market analysts have maintained their recommendations on the company, with expectations that aluminium prices will remain subdued. Press Metal posted a 3 per cent drop in net profit for Q3 2023 to MYR 306 million versus MYR 315.8 million a year ago. The nine-month consolidated net profit amounted to MYR 894 million, missing the research house’s full-year expectations and the consensus estimate. The decline in net profit could be attributed to the sluggish global aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange that were 6 per cent down Y-o-Y at US$2,203 per tonne in 3QCY2023. “The core bottom line slipped 3% year-on-year (y-o–y) and 21%...
Hitachi takes a pledge to use only “green aluminium” for its Japan-made products
Hitachi has pledged to make all its products in Japan from “green aluminium” produced through less carbon-intensive processes than conventional methods. To achieve this goal, the company has set a deadline of March 2024. Hitachi, Ltd. is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The company specialises in a diverse range of products, including digital systems, power and renewable energy solutions, railway systems, healthcare products, and financial systems. The Japanese industrial giant uses approximately 10,000 tonnes of aluminium domestically to make refrigerators, washing machines, railroad cars, and so on. To achieve the net-zero carbon emissions goal across the entire supply chain by 2050, Hitachi has aimed to reduce carbon footprint by using low-carbon...
Annual increase in India’s aluminium scrap imports justifies AAI’s demand for 10% customs duty
India’s aluminium scrap imports from the United States recovered in August 2023 by 2,300 tonnes or 5.36 per cent month-on-month to stand at 45,200 tonnes, according to the US Geological Survey data. The imports in July fell by 3,700 tonnes or 8.62 per cent to 42,900 tonnes, as a continuation of M-o-M decline in June from 48,100 tonnes to 46,600 tonnes, showed USGS survey. On a year-on-year calculation, India’s aluminium scrap imports from the United States in August’23 stood 1.95 per cent lower than 46,100 tonnes. However, the country’s total imports from January to August 2023 registered a rise of 5,000 tonnes or 1.59 per cent from 314,000 tonnes to 319,000 tonnes. The year-to-date increase in India’s aluminium scrap imports from the United States indicates the country’s need for...
Danfoss joins First Movers Coalition with a commitment to scale up low-carbon aluminium purchase
The World Economic Forum has announced the joining of Danfoss to the First Movers Coalition (FMC), a global union determined to decarbonise hard-to-abate industries. First Movers Coalition is a flagship public-private partnership launched by the United States & World Economic Forum (WEF) to clean up the most carbon-intensive sectors like aluminium. Danfoss has joined the FMC aluminium sector, and like all other members, it is committed to procuring at least 10 per cent of low-carbon aluminium in a year and using at least 50 per cent of secondary aluminium of all the aluminium used by 2030. Rob van Riet, Interim Head of First Movers Coalition, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Danfoss to the First Movers Coalition, and are eager to work together towards the scaling up of the low-carbon...
World monthly alumina production recovered above 12 Mt in October 2023 but saw a 1% dip in daily output
According to the International Aluminium Institute survey, world alumina production in October 2023 stood at 12.25 million tonnes, reflecting a month-on-month rise of 2.17 per cent. The output recovered in October but could not reach the production volume of August. In August 2023, world alumina production was recorded at 12.369 million tonnes, which fell in the succeeding month by 3.06 per cent to 11.99 million tonnes, according to the IAI data. On a year-on-year basis, world alumina production in October 2023 remained almost restrained compared to 12.21 million tonnes. From January to October 2023, the world‘s cumulative production of alumina amounted to 118.22 million tonnes, down by 0.50 per cent from 118.81 million tonnes during the corresponding period of the previous year. The...
Two years later, GCC again starts an anti-dumping investigation against Chinese aluminium imports
On November 26, the Gulf Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation against aluminium products imported from China. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Technical Secretariat Office is conducting the investigation against allegedly unfair trade practices of aluminium sheets, coils, and strips, specifically coated or pre-coloured flat or granular rectangular (including square) sheets originating from China. The investigation starts following a complaint lodged by the regional industry to the Technical Secretariat Office to determine if China’s aluminium imports into the Gulf countries are affecting the indigenous aluminium industry. The objective is to safeguard the national metal industry from allegedly detrimental trade practices. The...
Saudi Arabia ready to seize the global aluminium demand growth opportunity with its robust infrastructure
Arab International Aluminium Conference (Arabal) held recently in Riyadh presented many crucial information, including the global aluminium demand set to rise by 20 to 30 per cent over the next seven years. Engineer Khalid bin Saleh Al Mudaifer, the Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, communicated at Arabal that Saudi Arabia, home to some of the largest aluminium production facilities, would efficiently tap this demand growth and take its aluminium industry a new high. This aligns with Saudi’s Vision 2030 to establish itself as a key global hub for metal production. The Kingdon possesses all the necessary assets required to achieve this aspiration, such as low energy prices and strategically advantageous geographical location,...
Alba, GCC’s first aluminium smelter to have achieved a 4-star rating for health and safety practices
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world’s largest aluminium smelter ex-China with a production of more than 1.548 million tonnes per annum, has reportedly achieved a 4-star audit rating for health and safety practices at its smelter. Alba has emerged as the first smelter in the Gulf countries to have attained this stupendous rating, accredited by the British Safety Council (BSC). The latter conducted the Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit to acknowledge companies prioritising workers’ health, safety, and wellbeing. The BSC Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit is a world-class process to evaluate occupational health and safety against the latest legislation, recognised standards, and best practices. Alba has achieved this rating after going through a 12-day...
Africa’s October 2023 primary aluminium production gains 4.5% M-o-M to match the previous year’s
Africa’s primary aluminium production has exhibited an oscillating trend over the past ten months of 2023. Although the output in October encountered a significant rise of 4.5 per cent, reaching 139,000 tonnes compared to the previous month, yet it could not beat the last year’s production. According to the International Aluminium Institute data, Africa’s aluminium production in October rose month-on-month after two consecutive months of downfall. In August and September, the output stood at 135,000 tonnes and 133,000 tonnes, respectively, following a hike of 5,000 tonnes to 136,000 tonnes in July. Similarly, the earlier months went through frequent ups and downs, with the sharpest fall in February to 123,000 tonnes versus 138,000 tonnes in January. It is to be noted here that Africa’s...
Bauxite Hills’ record production brings the 5 million tonnes annual sales target within easy reach
On Thursday, November 23, Metro Mining Limited reported that its record production at Bauxite Hills mine made the sales target easily achievable. CEO and MD Simon Wensley said that the phased expansion to 5 million wet metric tonnes in August and September 2023 helped Bauxite Hills mine meet the annual sales target of 4.5 to 5 million tonnes by shipping 1.61 million wet metric tonnes through Q3 2023. This new production milestone gives confidence boost to achieve the 7 million tonnes a year output rate by 2024, said Simon Wensley in a statement. “The Metro team, together with our contract partners, have worked incredibly hard to reach this milestone. The rates currently being achieved provide high confidence that the 7mtpa production rate will be achieved in 2024.” Metro Mining achieved...
Aluminium drives the growth of global aerosol cans market, leading at an estimated CAGR of 5.62% by 2030
According to a recent report by Fortune Business Insights, the global aerosol cans market size is estimated to reach $10.52 billion in 2023 from 10.02 billion in 2022. By 2030, the market size is projected to grow further to stand at $15.42 billion, recording a CAGR of 5.62 per cent from 2023 to 2030. The growth owes to the increasing need in the automotive, paints, and personal care industries due to several benefits like recyclability, user-friendliness, contamination and spill resistance. Among all materials used for making aerosol cans, aluminium is the most popular for having superior physical qualities over the others. Aluminium is the most preferred metal by aerosol can producers, retailers, and consumers because the cans made of aluminium are lightweight, easy to ship, and...
Saudi Arabia does not mind investing more into aluminium projects
A report states that Saudi Arabia aims to double its investments in the aluminium industry to become one of the top ten aluminium producers in the world. So far, the country has infused at least $12 billion into various aluminium projects to expand its production capacity. In early 2023, Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu approved five investment calls worth SR43 billion (US$11.4 billion) for the construction of major industrial projects in the Arabian cities of Yanbu and Ras Al Khair. The investment made a provision for the Red Sea Aluminium Industrial Company to acquire leased industrial land in Yanbu Industrial City to make a plant for safe smelting and rolling of aluminium and its alloys. The plant would also be used for drawing, purifying and casting, alongside the...
CBA posts a 13% growth in aluminium sales volume for 3Q2023, but revenue dips 17% due to economic hardship
Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA), the largest aluminium producer in Brazil with a total production capacity of around 480,000 tonnes, announced its third-quarter results of 2023, ended September 30, reporting a 13 per cent growth in sales volume to 119,000 tonnes. The company’s primary aluminium sales reached 67,000 tonnes, reflecting a 26 per cent rise from the previous year, with emphasis on aluminium-silicon billets and ingots. This sales growth owes to improvements in the civil construction and automotive sectors. According to CBA, the positive result in Q3 2023 was driven by improved economic conditions in Brazil. The company also reported in its quarterly results that it recovered the operational stability of the furnace rooms, with liquid aluminium production reaching 84,000...
Centrica bags 3MW solar array building contract from Smart Architectural Aluminium
Centrica Business Solutions has bagged a contract to install a 3MW solar array at Smart Architectural Aluminium’s facilities in Yatton, near Bristol. The news came on November 23 after both companies signed a deal. Centrica Business Solutions builds, operates, and maintains onsite and large-scale energy assets like Solar PV and Combined Heat and Power to help manufacturing companies reduce carbon footprint and save money. As soon as Centrica signed a long-term lease agreement with Smart Architectural Aluminium, it started the construction of 7,000 solar panel array across the roofs of three buildings at Smart Architectural Aluminium. The agreement is a 25-year deal with Smart Architectural Aluminium, under which Centrica has agreed to lease the roof space, finance the project, and...
FACE claims EU’s sanction on Russian aluminium will backfire on the domestic economy
The Federation of Aluminium Consumers in Europe (FACE) is of the opinion that the European Union's twelfth package of sanctions on Russian aluminium will harm Europe's economy more than Russia's. In response to the report last week that European Union (EU) countries are contemplating imposing new sanctions on Russia , banning aluminium product imports, FACE said that the European Commission added aluminium to the 12th package of sanctions without considering the possible consequences. FACE's Secretary General, Dr Mario Conserva, commented: "Adding aluminium products to the twelfth sanctions package proposal is not a great demonstration that the EU has a strategic compass: it will not help accelerate the end of the war in Ukraine, it will further redirect Russian low carbon supplies, that...
ARABAL 2023 shine bright with the aluminium industry’s who’s who; Alba’s CEO visits with his delegation
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba)’s Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali paid his visit at the Arab International Aluminium Conference (ARABAL), leading the company’s delegation. ARABAL is the Middle East’s premier trade event for the aluminium industry, combining a strategic conference with an international exhibition. This year, Ma’aden, the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East, is hosting the 25th edition of ARABAL in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 21 to November 23, 2023. At the ARABAL 2023 conference, Alba’s CEO Ali Al Baqali delivered his speech at the Arab CEO Smelter Panel ‘Current Challenges and Future Opportunities’. The CPO Amin Sultan took part in the panel discussion on Getting on Track with the Net Zero Scenario – Decarbonising the...
European aluminium foil deliveries face a hit in Q3 2023 owing to worldwide demand crisis: EAFA
Aluminium foil shipments from European rollers were impacted in Q3 2023 by sluggish demand for foil products owing to high inflation and interest rates worldwide. According to the survey carried out by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA), Q3 shipments amounted to 191,000 tonnes, down by 20.08 per cent from 239,0000 tonnes during the corresponding period of the previous year. Total foil shipments (both domestic and overseas) by European rollers during the first nine months of 2023 amounted to 636,000 tonnes – 12.9 per cent less than in the previous year. Thinner gauges, used mainly for flexible packaging and household foils, continued double-digit declines, reflecting 19 per cent drop in domestic shipments and almost 40 per cent in exports. Year-to-date shipments of these gauges...
