AlCircle News Edited By "Nilanjana Banerjee"
Nilanjana Banerjee is a new leaf on this branch of AL Circle. is a spontaneous author and she writes on inspiration and purpose, not by design. Her penmanship is replete with sensitivity and depth.
The connection of furnace engineering with aluminium and the role of JASPER GmbH in it
Industrial furnace engineering and firing systems form the backbone of modern aluminium production and recycling. From melting scrap and refining alloys to casting and heat treatment, aluminium processing remains heavily dependent on efficient thermal systems. Modern furnace technologies offer a combination of combustion systems, heat recovery, automation and process controls for successful energy optimisation while ensuring consistency of product quality. Unlock in-depth insights into the extrusion segment of the global aluminium industry with The World of Aluminium Extrusions – Industry Forecast to 2032 These advances are especially relevant to the aluminium sector, where recycling and low-carbon production are becoming key industry priorities. At this juncture, JASPER GmbH steps in...
EU alumina exports to Russia come under fresh scrutiny from Belarus opposition leader
After Estonia’s call for Aughinish Alumina export sanctions on Russia , Belarus has joined the discussion with the European Union (EU). Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has urged the EU to halt alumina exports to Russia, arguing that the materials support industrial and military production. Speaking at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Tsikhanouskaya appreciated the investigation undertaken by The Irish Times and the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project , claiming that alumina produced at the Aughinish Alumina refinery in Co Limerick, Ireland, may have entered Russian supply chains connected to military applications. She stated that the EU should continue closing sanction loopholes that could provide economic or industrial support...
Alcoa shares drop 30% as aluminium market cools on Middle East supply hopes
Alcoa shares (ASX: AAI) have come under pressure, dropping 30 per cent over the past three weeks as aluminium prices softened on expectations that supply disruptions owing to the Middle East conflict may gradually ease. On Tuesday, Alcoa's Australian-listed shares fell 4.17 per cent to close at AUD 80.42 (USD 55.48), wiping out the gains reported earlier in 2026 . The decline remained at par with another weak session for aluminium on the London Metal Exchange (LME), whereby the aluminium cash price dropped to a three-month low of USD 3,263.5 per tonne from USD 3,405 per tonne the day before , representing a 4.16 per cent plunge. Although aluminium remains about 11 per cent higher year-to-date (YTD), the latest development marks a sharp reversal from the four-year highs recorded in April...
Steel out, aluminium in: KUBO reshapes production footprint for next growth phase
Dutch greenhouse technology specialist KUBO has announced a new course of action, planning to outsource steel production activities of KUBO Productive B.V. The company confirmed that steel production at its Monster facility will cease on September 1, 2026, while aluminium manufacturing will continue to remain in-house. The initiative suggests KUBO's aim to attain innovation-driven growth, focusing on areas where it sees the greatest long-term value creation, including innovation, engineering, digitalisation and the delivery of high-tech greenhouse projects worldwide. Unlock in-depth insights into the extrusion segment of global aluminium industry with The World of Aluminium Extrusions – Industry Forecast to 2032 According to the company, changing market dynamics, widening the gap from...
Canada to the world: Q1’26 aluminium export declines by 20%
The unwrought aluminium export graph of Canada to the world follows a significant year-on-year declining streak. The cumulative exports in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026 amounted to 579,279.8 tonnes , valued at USD 1.95 billion . Q1 volume comparison: 2026, 2025, 2024 Comparing quarterly volumes, the Q1 2026 export figure reflects a Y-o-Y decline of 19.7 per cent from 721,400.36 tonnes shipped in Q1 2025. Again, the Q1 2025 volume slipped from that of Q1 2024, which totalled 779,517.6 tonnes. The difference reflected is of 7.46 per cent. Explore the accurate insights and forecasts for the aluminium flat rolled products (FRP) market in Aluminium Flat Rolled Products: Insights & Forecast to 2032 Q1 value comparison: 2026, 2025, 2024 As we look at the unwrought aluminium shipment value, the...
Vedanta Aluminium poised for Large-Cap status in upcoming AMFI reclassification
Vedanta Aluminium holds the potential to secure a place in the Large-Cap segment along with BSE, Vodafone Idea, and Hitachi Energy India, under the upcoming semi-annual stock categorisation by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI). Meanwhile, LG Electronics and Siemens Energy India might occupy Mid-Cap positions. Vedanta Power, Vedanta Oil & Gas and Vedanta Iron & Steel, from the Vedanta demerger , are expected to enter the Small-Cap category. The revised classification, expected in the first week of July, serves as an important reference point for domestic mutual fund managers when evaluating portfolio allocations and investment opportunities. The four Vedanta entities , viz., Vedanta Aluminium Metal, Vedanta Power, Vedanta Oil & Gas and Vedanta Iron & Steel, were listed on...
Aughinish Alumina red mud expansion stalled after Irish High Court ruling
The Irish High Court has overturned the approval granted to Aughinish Alumina’s expansion plan for its Bauxite Residue Disposal Area (BRDA) by 8 million cubic metres. Citing review gaps, the court sent the red mud project back to An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) for fresh consideration. The proposal would have allowed the largest alumina refinery in Europe, in County Limerick, to increase the capacity of its bauxite residue or red mud storage facility. The capacity ramp-up would have added another 22,500 cubic metres of salt cake, enabling continued refinery operations on the Shannon Estuary until 2039. The decision follows a successful judicial review brought by the Limerick-based Environmental Trust Ireland (ETI), which expressed doubt over ACP's approval issued in March 2025. Explore the...
LME aluminium price makes modest recovery as stocks drop to 315,300t on June 22
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices made a modest recovery on June 22. Cash price and futures contracts improved over the previous session’s figures, while the continued decline of opening stocks indicated market volatility. On June 22, the LME aluminium cash bid price edged up from USD 3,399 per tonne to USD 3,403 per tonne, reporting a 0.12 per gain. The offer price moved from USD 3,400 per tonne to USD 3,405 per tonne, rising by 0.15 per cent. The LME aluminium three-month contract bid surged from USD 3,397.5 per tonne to USD 3,405 per tonne, gaining 0.22 per cent. The offer price rose from USD 3,398 per tonne to USD 3,406 per tonne , marking a 0.24 per cent increase. Explore the relevance of red mud in the sustainable aluminium industry in A Comprehensive Analysis of...
Vedanta’s post-demerger map has Aluminium ramp-up and critical minerals at core
Vedanta post-demerger advances its expansion roadmap, set to double its aluminium business capacity to 6 million tonnes in the next three and a half years. Alongside that, the company has outlined a strategic shift towards critical minerals and strategic metals such as zinc, copper, nickel, ferrochrome, positioning itself as a key player in India's resource security and energy transition ambitions. Shared in its latest investor presentation, ' Insights by Vedanta' (May 2026), Vedanta is expecting its individual entities to attain valuations projected up to USD 100 billion. Its portfolio would consist of strategic resources like zinc, silver, copper, ferrochrome, nickel and critical minerals, as key drivers of future growth. Discover: The Gulf aluminium market risks, China impact, alumina...
Strait of Hormuz limbo: Aluminium trade faces shipping and fuel supply concerns
The Strait of Hormuz trade corridor remains at the centre of uncertainty as conflicting claims over its operational status continue to unsettle global shipping markets. While oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply remains in a suspended state, the aluminium industry, sourcing the 5.5 million tonnes of primary aluminium shipped by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) of the Middle East, continues to bear the brunt of trade uncertainties. Shipping concerns renewed after Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz was closed in response to the recent Israeli conflict in Lebanon. The declaration triggered an immediate decline in commercial vessel movements, spurring fresh questions about the security of a passage that normally handles around one-fifth of global oil and LNG trade. Explore: The...
Can Europe secure 1Mt+ aluminium scrap for circularity goals while maintaining global competitiveness?
Europe’s aluminium recycling industry is entering a defining phase. Demand for low-carbon aluminium is climbing rapidly across automotive, packaging, construction and clean energy sectors, while policymakers continue to champion circularity as a key pillar of climate action. Yet, despite recycling rates above 80 per cent in several segments and continued investment in recycling infrastructure, a rising share of valuable aluminium scrap is still leaving the continent. That paradox is becoming one of the industry’s biggest focal points. Across the value chain, we notice a growing regard for Europe’s recycling success, which will be measured not only by how much scrap it collects, but by how much of that material it can keep, process and turn back into aluminium products at home. As...
China’s aluminium scrap imports from overseas jump 4% in Q1’26
As we look more closely into the aluminium industry of China, the leading exporter in the global aluminium supply chain, it appears to fall short in the aluminium scrap market. How do we know? China’s import data accumulated from the International Trade Administration offer evident pointers. In Q1 2026, China sourced 526,380 tonnes of aluminium scrap from the world , which reflects a notable year-on-year surge of 3.92 per cent from the import volume of 506,546 tonnes in Q1 2025. The spike in imports prompts an in-depth tracking of the nation's aluminium scrap sources. Annually, the import volume has shot up to 2.02 million tonnes in 2025 from 1.78 million tonnes in 2024, up Y-o-Y by 13.48 per cent. Since 2025, China’s top three suppliers of aluminium scrap have been: Thailand,...
UK’s aluminium scrap shipment to the US in Q1’26 dips nearly 10% Y-o-Y
How has the momentum in UK aluminium scrap exports to the US been in the opening quarter (Q1) of 2026? According to the data recorded in the International Trade Administration (ITA), a slight cooling can be noticed, with shipments and export revenues both slipping from the levels recorded a year ago. In Q1 2026, the UK exported about 3,785 tonnes of aluminium scrap to the US, which is about 9.8 per cent short of the 4,196 tonnes exported during the same period in Q1 2025. Gather insights on the aluminium recycling market from LME-Certified Risk Management Consultant’s exclusive session on Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours . Year-to-date (YTD) import volume of aluminium scrap by the US till March 2026 totalled 265,983 tonnes. Here, the UK ranks in the fifth position,...
Who led the aluminium FRP industry in 2025? A look at the top global players
The 2025 calendar maps the aluminium flat-rolled products (FRP) industry at the intersection of two major trends, i.e., the accelerating transition toward circular manufacturing and the rapid growth of sectors requiring advanced aluminium FRP solutions. Leading this transformation are a select group of companies that combine large-scale rolling and foil production capabilities with strong sustainability credentials, advanced recycling infrastructure and extensive global customer networks. These companies continue to shape the competitive landscape while strengthening the industry's focus on innovation, circularity and low-carbon solutions. Explore the accurate insights and forecasts for the aluminium flat rolled products (FRP) market in Aluminium Flat Rolled Products: Insights & Forecast...
Aluminum Dynamics pulls the plug on Benson aluminium recycling plant
Mississippi-based flat-rolled aluminium manufacturer Aluminum Dynamics Inc. has announced its withdrawal from the aluminium recycling project at Benson, Arizona. The official announcement has come after months of slowed progress on the project of a 200-acre area previously reserved for the establishment of an aluminium recycling facility. Aluminum Dynamics had planned to construct a large recycling slab facility that would process scrap aluminium and support the company's downstream operations. The official statement released by the company noted, “Due to differences with some Arizona state officials that risked the construction and operations of the facility in Benson, Arizona, Aluminum Dynamics, Inc. has decided not to move forward with construction of the recycling slab centre in...
Boston Beer to pay a hefty $191m penalty to aluminium can maker Ardagh
The Boston Beer Company, renowned for flagship brands such as Samuel Adams, Twisted Tea and Angry Orchard, has been directed by a US District Court to pay nearly USD 191 million to aluminium can manufacturer Ardagh Metal Packaging USA following a long-running contractual dispute over can purchases. The court’s final judgment, entered on May 26, includes USD 175.5 million in damages and an additional USD 15.5 million in pre-judgment interest. The case stems from a lawsuit filed by Ardagh at the end of 2022, citing Boston Beer’s inability to meet the minimum can purchase commitments as drawn up in its 2021-2025 agreement with Ardagh. Explore the accurate insights and forecasts for the aluminium flat rolled products (FRP) market in Aluminium Flat Rolled Products: Insights & Forecast to 2032...
LME aluminium price recovers to $3,405.5/t as the inventory continues to decline
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium price graph recovered at the close of the June 17 session. The upswing in cash and near-term contracts improved in parallel as the withdrawals from stocks led to a continued decline in the aluminium inventory. The LME aluminium cash bid as well as offer prices reported an improvement of 1.38 per cent day-on-day on June 17 from June 16 . As the bid rose to USD 3,405 per tonne from USD 3,358.5 per tonne, the offer price climbed to USD 3,405.5 per tonne from USD 3,359 per tonne. Explore the relevance of red mud in the sustainable aluminium industry in A Comprehensive Analysis of Bauxite Residue (Red Mud): Sustainability, Resource Recovery and Strategic Recommendations The LME aluminium three-month contract followed a similar trend. The bid price...
Aluminium over copper solar cable? FRCABLE’s cost-efficient metal alternative
As solar projects continue to expand across the globe, aluminium conductor cables are increasingly being adopted across DC collection systems, AC transmission lines and medium-voltage interconnections. With lower material costs than copper and advanced aluminium alloy conductors, the metal is increasingly being adopted in the solar cable sector. FRCABLE, a China-based solar cable manufacturer, has regarded aluminium as a practical option for large-scale photovoltaic projects, citing its potential for reducing balance-of-system (BOS) costs while maintaining electrical performance and reliability standards. Discover: The Gulf aluminium market risks, China impact, alumina supply, carbon costs, and logistics disruptions shaping pricing and trade in Gulf Disruption Roadmap The company noted...
