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 aluminium billet inventories dip by only 1,500 tonnes, thanks to smooth arrivals of stocks on stable output
According to the Shanghai Metals Market survey, China’s aluminium billet inventories again decreased week-on-week but at a lower rate as of Thursday, March 23, after the two former weeks of hikes. As per the SMM data, the inventories dipped by 1,500 tonnes from a week ago to amount to 167,900 tonnes. Last Thursday, March 16, the billet inventories climbed 6,000 tonnes W-o-W to peg at 169,400 tonnes. Stable aluminium production across China this week ensured smooth arrivals of stocks. Due to the widening price difference, more billets flowed to Foshan than Wuxi, resulting in a growing stock in Foshan and a decline in Wuxi. To know the current status of aluminium billet inventories across China in more details, refer to the chart below: According to SMM, aluminium billet inventories only...
Gutterglove expands its product portfolio with new All-Aluminum Gutter Guard
Gutterglove has reportedly launched a new gutter guard made of aluminium. With 20 years of experience and expertise in the gutter guard market, Gutterglove has expanded its product portfolio by introducing All-Aluminum Gutter Guard for essential protection. The new product is designed in a way so that it can handle average rainfall and resist large leaves, debris and pests from going into gutters. All-Aluminum Gutter Guard utilises the company’s patented technology, outperforming other entry-level options of gutter guards. The new guard is made with RiserStep™ technology, which slows down the flow of rainwater into gutters like small, dam-like steps. The All-Aluminum Gutter Guard will be sold on the consumer and professional retail channels from March 2023. In 2000, Gutterglove realised...
Africa’s primary aluminium production records a monthly decline of 9% in Feb’23; daily output stands restrained
In February 2023, Africa's primary aluminium production stood at 130,000 tonnes, reflecting a plunge of 13,000 tonnes or 9.09 per cent month-on-month, found the International Aluminium Institute. But in January, the output edged 3,000 tonnes or 2.10 per cent higher at 143,000 tonnes, compared to 140,000 tonnes in December 2022. On a year-on-year calculation, Africa's primary aluminium output registered an increase of 7,000 tonnes or 5.69 per cent from 123,000 tonnes. In the first two months of 2023, primary aluminium production in Africa totalled 273,000 tonnes, up by 13,000 tonnes or 5 per cent from 260,000 tonnes. IAI data also showed that despite the monthly plunge in Africa's primary aluminium output during February 2023, the average daily production stood restrained at 4,600 tonnes....
China’s aluminium imports from Russia nearly double in last 12 months to 538,600 tonnes
When western countries turned back on Russian aluminium, China nearly doubled its imports from Russia. According to the data recently released by China customs, the country's imports of refined aluminium from Russia surged 94 per cent year-on-year to about 538,600 tonnes from March 2022 to February 2023, a record annual volume on a moving-average basis. Customs data also showed China's aluminium imports from Russia recorded more than three-fold growth in January and February 2023, surging 266.2 per cent. Compared to 28,759 tonnes in the first two months of 2022, China's aluminium imports from Russia amounted to 105,300 tonnes during the same period of this year. The total value of the two-month imports was $248.39 million, or an average price of $2,359 a tonne. Russian aluminium inflows...
Tianshan Aluminium to build an alumina refinery in Indonesia worth US$1.6 billion
Tianshan Aluminium Group, China’s second-largest aluminium producer by capacity, will reportedly invest US$1.6 billion to build an alumina refinery in the Riau Islands, Indonesia. Since Indonesia is rich in bauxite and coal and has low labour costs, building a plant here can improve Tianshan’s supply of raw materials. The plant will have an annual capacity of 2 million tonnes. But initially, it will produce 1 million tonnes of aluminium oxide a year, requiring an investment of US$952 million. However, the construction schedule is not yet revealed. Tianshan Aluminium Group produces primary aluminium, alumina, high-purity aluminium, pre-baked anodes, aluminium deep-processed products, and other materials. The company has been raising its annual aluminium oxide capacity in recent years. In...
World’s primary aluminium production in February drops for the second month this year to 5.273 MT
In February 2023, the world's primary aluminium production totalled 5.273 million tonnes, reflecting a second consecutive drop this year. Compared to 5.823 million tonnes in January 2023, the world's primary aluminium output recorded a decrease of 9.45 per cent month-on-month, found the International Aluminium Institute. The production in January was down by 0.80 per cent from 5.870 million tonnes a month ago. However, on a year-on-year calculation, world primary aluminium production registered an increase of 2.69 per cent from 5.135 million tonnes. But despite the decline in monthly production, the world's daily average output of primary aluminium in February grew slightly from the previous month by 500 tonnes from 187,800 tonnes to 188,300 tonnes. On a year-on-year basis, the output...
Uno Minda board approves 81.69% stake acquisition in Kosei Minda Aluminium to bring together 4W alloy business
On Monday, March 20, Uno Minda Ltd announced that its board gave a go-ahead signal to raise its stake to 81.69 per cent in Kosei Minda Aluminium and 49.90 per cent in Kosei Minda Mould, expecting the move to help Uno Minda consolidate its 4W alloy business. Uno Minda, located in North India, is a conglomerate engaged in manufacturing, developing and selling diverse automotive components for global and domestic automotive markets. In 2015, it formed a joint venture with Kosei International Trade and Investment Company Ltd, a part of Kosei Group - Japan's leading alloy wheel manufacturer. The JV named Kosei Minda Aluminium was established in Chennai, India. The acquisition of additional stakes will reportedly occur through a composite scheme of merger with Uno Minda Ltd through a swap of...
Vedanta’s aluminium wire rod price undergoes two succeeding cuts totalling INR221,000-228,500/t
Vedanta Limited continued to reduce its aluminium products prices on Saturday, March 18, bringing its aluminium wire rod price to the range between INR 221,000-228,500 per tonne, down by INR 1,500 per tonne from the previous day. On Thursday, March 16, Vedanta’s aluminium wire rod price stood at INR 222,500-230,000 per tonne, down by INR 2,000 per tonne from INR 224,500-232,000 per tonne on March 15. Vedanta’s aluminium billet price came in at INR 222500 per tonne as of March 18, also down by INR 1,500 per tonne from INR 224,000 per tonne. On March 16, the price saw a slash of INR 2,000 per tonne from INR 226,000 per tonne on March 15 . Aluminium ingot price was no exception but saw a cut of INR 1,500 per tonne on March 18 to INR 213500-244,000 per tonne, following by a downfall of INR...
Federal Metal Co. to invest $17.8 million in building a new facility for sorting aluminium-copper radiators
Federal Metal Co., Bedford, USA, has announced an investment of around $17.8 million in building and equipping a facility in North Little Rock, Arkansas, to melt post-consumer aluminium-copper radiators to create recycled-content metal products. According to Peter Nagusky, Federal Metal’s president and CEO, exporting scrap radiators to other countries is a waste. Instead, domestic semi-finished copper and aluminium producers must increase the use of scrap than primary metal to enhance the recycled content of products. It is economically advantageous and also environmentally sustainable. “Major investments in new mill, foundry and refining capacity are underway in the United States for the first time in generations, and it’s important the scrap industry here keeps pace to assure the...
Iranian alumina output in 11 months of the current calendar year records a 2% drop Y-o-Y: IMIDRO
According to the data released by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organisation (IMIDRO), Iran's alumina powder output during the first eleven months of the current Iranian calendar (March 21, 2022-February 19, 2023) totalled 206,887 tonnes. That reflected a 2 per cent drop from 211,499 tonnes during the same period of the previous year. Alumina is an important raw material for industrial applications, including construction materials, filling materials, abrasives, and catalysts. In plants and mechanical engineering, alumina ceramics are used for wear and corrosion protection. Due to these vital alumina applications, the material plays a prime role in the Iranian economy. Hence, the country has implemented several policies as part of its continuous...
China’s Jan-Feb aluminium imports grow 11.3% Y-o-Y, thanks to industrial recovery post COVID restriction ease
According to China customs data, China’s total aluminium imports in January and February grew by 11.3 per cent year-on-year, given the anticipated demand improvement once the country reopens. Customs data showed China imported 374,321 tonnes of unwrought aluminium and products, including primary metal and unwrought, alloyed aluminium, in the first two months of 2023, compared to 336,007 tonnes during the same period last year. In late 2022, China withdrew its strict COVID-19 restrictions, which led to economic recovery and improved demand for industrial metals. Consequently, manufacturing activity also ramped up at the highest rate in more than a decade in February 2023. In the first two months of 2023, China’s domestic primary aluminium output recorded an increase of 7.5 per cent...
Rio Tinto spent A$15.3 billion towards community growth in 2022
Rio Tinto increased its expenditure budget on Australian suppliers to more than A$15.3 billion in 2022 to support communities where it operates. Rio raised its budget by almost 9 per cent than the previous year and equally distributed among more than 6,200 businesses, including Australian-owned and operated businesses and locally owned and managed branches of overseas companies. This kind gesture supported tens of thousands of Australian jobs and contributed to the community growth across the country. Of the total amount spent, more than A$565 million was spent with indigenous businesses across Australia, up by 40 per cent from the earlier year. Kellie Parker, Rio Tinto Chief Executive, Australia, said: “Supporting local businesses in the communities where we operate is a key priority for...
NALCO’s aluminium ingot price experiences a third cut since February-end
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has slashed its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices for the third time in a row since the February end. With effect from Saturday, March 18, the company has cut its aluminium ingot price by INR 3,800 per tonne or 1.73 per cent to INR 215,850-219,350 per tonne versus INR 219,650-223,150 per tonne on March 10. NALCO’s aluminium wire rod price has also been reduced by INR 3,800 per tonne on March 18 to sell the product at INR 220,350-224,700 per tonne compared to INR 224,150-228,500 per tonne on March 10 . Aluminium billets price is no exception but also seen a cut of the same amount to come in at INR 220,300-222,950 per tonne as against INR 224,100-226,750 per tonne NALCO links its aluminium ingot and aluminium products prices to the...
Xingfa Aluminium posts a 9.7% Y-o-Y rise in revenue but still lags behind analyst estimates
Xingfa Aluminium Holdings, a famous large-scale architectural aluminium profiles and industrial aluminium profiles manufacturer in China, announced its full-year 2022 results ended December 31, reporting a 9.7 per cent year-on-year rise in revenue to RMB 16.9 billion. But it missed analyst estimates by 2.9 per cent. The company’s net income stood down by 48 per cent from FY2021 to stand at RMB 457.8 million at the end of the year, despite an increase in revenue. Xingfa’s profit margin also dropped in FY2022 from 5.8 per cent a year earlier to 2.7 per cent, primarily driven by higher expenses. The company’s earnings per share also missed analyst estimates by 48 per cent. Free cash flow pegged at RMB 184.330 million at the end of 2022, and cash from operations stood at RMB 790.767 million....
Czinger & Xtrac jointly build a topology-optimised gearbox case 3D-printed in aluminium alloy
Czinger Vehicles Inc., a Los Angeles-based automobile manufacturer of hybrid sports cars, launched a 3D printed automotive gearbox case which the company claimed as the world’s first. In collaboration with UK automotive engineering firm Xtrac, Czinger used topology optimization software to design the gearbox case and printed it in a proprietary aluminium alloy. Xtrac is specialized in designing gearboxes for race cars, which makes the company an obvious choice for manufacturing fuel-efficient luxury hypercars. The main advantage of 3D printing a gearbox case is that it requires no tooling, besides reducing gearbox case’s mass and complex geometry. Topology optimization software is combined with AI-driven generative design and its use is often found in additive manufacturing. The software...
Hindalco’s aluminium products prices again record a fall on March 16 after an intermittent hike
Hindalco Industries Limited again cut its aluminium products prices on March 16 after an intermittent hike the previous day. According to the latest price list, the company’s aluminium wire rod price has come in at INR 225,100 per tonne as of March 16, down by INR 2,000 per tonne. On March 15, the price stood at INR 227,100 per tonne after experiencing an increase of INR 4,500 per tonne from INR 222,600 per tonne. Hindalco’s aluminium billets price was also revised for the third day in a row, with effect from March 16. The price saw a cut of INR 2,000 per tonne to stand at INR 228,100 per tonne as of March 16, whereas it rose by INR 4,500 per tonne from INR 225,600 per tonne to INR 230,100 per tonne on March 15. Aluminium ingot price was no exception but also underwent a cut on March 16...
Production cost surge fails to suppress Rusal’s aluminium output in 2022 but weighs on profit
On Friday, March 17, Rusal announced a higher aluminium production in 2022, mitigating several challenges like Australia’s alumina export ban to Russia, suspension of alumina production at the Mykolaiv refinery, and inflated production cost due to energy and raw materials price hike. Rusal’s aluminium output in the full year stood at 3.835 million tonnes, up by 1.9 per cent from 3.764 million tonnes in 2021 amid a 31.8 per cent rise in production cost to US$2,190 per tonne versus US$1,661 per tonne last year. Thanks to the efficient management model, Rusal could rebuild raw material supplies and supply chains and successfully diversify sales channels, redirecting finished product flows to domestic and Asian markets. Thus, the company’s aluminium sales recorded no significant downfall but...
LME aluminium price settles at US$8.5/t lower; SHFE price grows reflecting a W-o-W hike
Three-month LME aluminium opened at US$2,283 per tonne and settled at US$2,280 per tonne, down 0.07 per cent. On Thursday, March 16, the LME aluminium cash bid price saw a further drop of US$8 per tonne or 0.36 per cent to stand at US$2,237 per tonne, and the LME aluminium official settlement price decreased by US$8.50 per tonne or 0.38 per cent to rest at US$2,237.50 per tonne. The 3-month bid price slipped by US$9 per tonne to settle at US$2,286 per tonne, and the 3-month offer price shrank by US$8.50 per tonne to close at US$2,287 per tonne. Meanwhile, December 24 bid price and December 24 offer price inched up by US$1 per tonne on March 16 to peg at US$2,508 per tonne and US$2,513 per tonne, respectively. LME aluminium opening stock continued to suffer a loss. As of March 16, the...
