AlCircle News Edited By "Rupankar Majumder"
A professional with a technical background, specialising in producing insightful content centred around metals, particularly aluminium, passionately engaged in the intricacies of the recycling sector.
India’s largest aluminium producer Vedanta recycles 16.5 billion litres of water in FY21
India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, Vedanta has recycled 16.5 billion litres of water in FY 20-21, capitalizing technology for focused control and monitoring of water consumption. The water-saving projects covering its Aluminium smelters, Alumina refinery and Power plants have standalone resulted in water conservation in accordance of 700 million litres. The operations of Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Aluminium are governed by the Vedanta Sustainable Development Framework, which incorporates a powerful suite of technical & management standards and guidance notes developed under control with global sustainability management practices oriented to the International Financial Corporation (IFC), International Council for Mining and Metals (ICMM), Global Reporting...
Alucast’s £200,000 investment supports to bounce back from pandemic
The specialist in Aluminium casting, Alucast’s delivery of single-source manufacturing solution is supporting itself to bounce back from the pandemic. The Wednesbury factory of Alucast that employs around 100 people has secured new wins with major carmakers and accredits its ability to provide simulation, casting, machining and the latest testing facilities. The investment of more than £200,000 for creating a specialist Dye Penetrant offer has strengthened the business even further. This is a form of non-destructive testing used to assess structural vehicle components and other parts for cracks. The fully trained five-member staff have been operating the new line successfully for several months. Tony Sartorius, Chairman of Alucast, said: “The automotive sector is always looking for faster...
EGA commences early expansion of Al Taweelah aluminium smelter’s second phase
On 13 th July 2021, Emirates Global Aluminium announced the commencement of the second phase of its expansion to Al Taweelah smelter in Abu Dhabi. The aluminium smelter expansion casts up 26 new reduction cells to Potline 2, boosting production capacity by over 30,000 tonnes of hot metal per year. EGA is adding further reduction cells to each of the three potlines at Al Taweelah. The expansion to Potline 1 began production in April. The expansion to Potline 3 is expected to start production later this year. The comprehensive expansion of 66 new reduction cells will increase EGA’s production capacity by around 78,000 tonnes of hot metal per year. The work has progressed ahead of schedule, while the full project is now some 80% complete amid the Covid-19 pandemic. At the Al Taweelah smelter...
Thailand’s export of aluminium cans during 2018-20 illustrates express growth, earnings remain inconsistent
On 23rd June 2021, the central bank of Thailand, which is known as the Bank of Thailand predicted, the Thai economy would expand by 1.8% in 2021 and 3.9% in 2022. This would be lesser than the previous projection owing to lower foreign tourist figures and domestic demand held down by the third wave of the outbreak. The Southeast Asian country, Thailand has registered an export of 147,409 tonnes of aluminium cans during 2018-19 and the foreign revenue earnings accounted for the export remained at $133.44 million. The export for 2020 stood at 139,314 tonnes and the earnings counted to $82.42 million. However, when the export volume and earnings for 2020 gets assorted with the existing two years, it denotes 286,723 tonnes and $215.86 million respectively. Thailand’s export of aluminium cans...
ALUCAM raises aluminium price by 8% with effect from July 12
On 12th July 2021, the aluminium producer of Cameroon, ALUCAM, which not only feed the domestic demand but also export to other African nations, has decided to raise its aluminium prices by 8% on average, as confirmed by credible sources. The aluminium producer explicates that its decision to raise the prices is triggered by two major reasons. The initial is the surge of alumina prices on international markets, while the other reason is the additional transport costs generated due to supply chain disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The price of alumina has soared by over 52.5% within 12 months, from $1,663 on 17th July 2020, to $2,539 on 12th July 2021. The metal company’s decision towards price rise will empower in the short term policy to its roofing sheets manufacturing unit,...
Alba secures SafeGuard Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label from Bureau Veritas
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) secures the SafeGuard Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label from Bureau Veritas for its diligent efforts towards assuring the Health and Safety of its employees and contractors’ workers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This recognition was delivered to Alba following a detailed on-site audit process which took place during 26 – 31 May 2021 to scrutinize the effectiveness of various precautionary measures which the Company has been implementing across its campus and different departments since the outbreak of COVID-19 as well as the different policies and procedures governing these measures. Ali Al Baqali, Chief Executive Officer, said on the occasion: “We are pleased to be the first industrial company in Bahrain to receive the SafeGuard Label from Bureau Veritas...
Norway: Park bench made from Hydro CIRCAL branded aluminium, carrying digital product passport using Blockchain technology
The Scandinavian country, Norway has installed a park bench which is now carrying the technology that permits for those sitting on it, can trace Wrexham firm played in its creation. The park bench has digital product passports, containing verified information using Blockchain technology. This digital passport helps the public easily see the life cycle and footprint of the aluminium and wood by scanning a QR code on the furniture. These Blockchain technology labelled benches, along with tables and bins, are from a series called 'Folk' produced by Norwegian urban furniture manufacturer Vestre made of Hydro CIRCAL from Hydro Aluminium in Wrexham. Anyone who visits the park scans the QR code and can see the metal travelling from Wrexham Industrial Estate to Magnor in Norway, on to Vestre’s...
Mauritius import of aluminium foil during 2019-20 exhibits gradual rise; 4.50% growth forecasted for 2021
As per the report published by Care Ratings Africa, the economy of Mauritius pursued to plunge for the fifth successive quarter recording a GDP de-growth of 8.7% compared with - 2.9% in Q1 2020. Notwithstanding, there has been a sequential development from the double-digit de-growth of 11.3% in the previous quarter. The island nation on the Indian Ocean, Mauritius has registered 437 tonnes of aluminium foil during 2019-20 and the foreign revenue expended for the import was accounted for $1.62 million. In 2019, Mauritius import of aluminium foil remained at 213 tonnes and the expenditure occurred for the import was $0.87 million, whereas, in 2020, the import exhibited a gradual rise by 5.16%, as the import volume grew to 224 tonnes, while the expenditure slumped to $0.75 million. The...
EGA flags century shipload of bauxite exported from Guinea
On 11th July 2021, Emirates Global Aluminium earmarked the 100th shipload of bauxite exported from Guinea, since the company’s initiation in August 2019 from its wholly-owned bauxite-mining subsidiary Guinea Alumina Corporation. The UAE based aluminium company, EGA uses Capesize vessels to transport much of its bauxite ore, as Capesize vessels are up to 300 metres long, which is more than the length of two football fields and 50 metres wide, while they can carry around 180,000 tonnes of bauxite ore. EGA has exported over 16.4 million dry metric tonnes of bauxite from Guinea so far in total and that could fill Wembley Stadium in London more than nine times. The quantity of bauxite exported from GAC so far would be enough to produce over three million tonnes of aluminium, which adequate to...
Arch-rivals Glencore, Trafigura alliances to support GFG’s aluminium arm with $450 million lifeline deal
The Indian-born, British metal tycoon Sanjeev Gupta owned GFG Alliance has reportedly signed a loan deal with commodities giants Glencore and Trafigura to safeguard its aluminium division from emerging to collapse. As the report, the Anglo-Swiss multinational commodity trading and mining company, Glencore would disburse a six-year loan to acquire the maximum of the outstanding debt of Alvance Aluminium’s smelter in Dunkirk, France, and an associated aluminium rolling mill in Duffel, Belgium. The commodity company will also assist with selling aluminium products, with the two merchants both supplying raw materials. As per a spokeswoman of the Swiss multinational commodity trading company, Trafigura has confirmed the outline of the deal and the amount could settle up to $450 million....
Recycled Aluminium Weekly Recap: Every Can Counts survey indicates Ireland ranks high for environmental concerns; Shawinigan Aluminum Inc. rolls-out its aluminium recycling center
The aluminium recycling segment is playing a vital role, as the recycling process creates high-quality aluminium that loses none of the physical properties of primary aluminium and also uses just 5% of the energy it takes to create primary aluminium. The most happening news which came up this week in the recycling is from not-for-profit communications programme working to inspire, encourage and empower people to recycle their empty drink cans, Every Can Counts survey indicates Ireland ranks high for environmental concerns, while in Quebec Shawinigan Aluminum Inc. rolls-out its aluminium recycling center. Taiwan’s imports of aluminium scrap from the US stood at 2,640 tonnes in April, with a month-on-month increase of 9.54%. Taiwan had imported 2,410 tonnes in March 2021. On a yearly basis,...
Weekly End-user Recap: En+ Group’s metal segment teams with Ball Corporation to produce ultra-low carbon aerosols; Ogeu teams up with Ardagh for beverage can production
The global aluminium sector’s end-user segment remained with few happenings this week. Anglo-Russian company En+ Group’s Metals Segment teams with Ball Corporation to produce ultra-low carbon aerosols, while on the other hand French beverage group Ogeu teams up with Ardagh for beverage can production and TUBEX Aluminium becomes news member of Alupro. The nation which spans Asia and Europe, Azerbaijan has recorded 1202 tonnes of aluminium foil during 2018-19 and the expenditure occurred for the import was $4.35 million. The import for 2020 stood at 753 tonnes and the expenditure accounted was $2.74. However, when the import volume and expenditure of 2020 gets assorted with the existing two years, it denotes 1955 tonnes and $7.09 million. To know more:...
Romanian aluminium producer ‘Alro’ needs to count 30% of consumption on the spot market
One of Europe’s largest vertically integrated aluminium producers by production capacity and trading on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, Alro needs to cover some 30% of its consumption through the spot market purchases, following multiple suppliers discontinued their contracts. Alro is considered one of the biggest power consumers in Romania and the largest company with a vital contribution to local and national economic development. The spot market price hikes on one hand stressed the suppliers to discontinue their contracts, as it was pre-assumed that they were not shielded by long-term agreements with power producers for the quantity sold in advance to the aluminium producers, however, it also leaves Alro exposed to high production costs. Marian Năstase, Chairman and non-executive member...
Scottish govt. signs £405,600 contract with Deloitte for contingency planning advice around Lochaber aluminium smelter deal
Sanjeev Gupta owned GFG Alliance’s deal with the Scottish Govt. stated that the government undertakes the cost of a 25- year electricity supply contract between Lochaber aluminium smelter and the adjoining hydro-plant. The key factor to acquire both the facilities by Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance in 2016 was the income stream. The Scottish ministers had expected the continued operation of the plant, which employs around 100 people and was acquired from Rio Tinto for £330m by Gupta’s GFG Alliance that will safeguard jobs in the region and allow for a sustainable metal production sector in Scotland. It was further reported that the deal incorporated the commitment of a new aluminium wheel factory, which will create a further 2000 job opportunities, unfortunately, neither eventuated. The...
Zambia’s import of aluminium stranded wires during 2018-20 manifests robust growth; 11% drop predicted for 2021
The Zambian economy drove towards a deep recession due to the unfavourable impact of the COVID–19 pandemic. In 2020, the real GDP plunged by an estimated 4.9%, following the 4.0% growth in 2018 and 1.9% in 2019. The landlocked southern African nation, Zambia, during 2018-20 recorded 6139 tonnes of aluminium stranded wires and the expenditure occurred for the import accounted for $12.08 million. Zambia’s imported only 318 tonnes of aluminium stranded wires in 2018 and the expenditure remained at $1.32, whereas in 2019, the import grew by 60.06%, as the import volume grew to 509 tonnes and the expenditure inclined to $1.92 million. The demand for aluminium stranded wire in the country manifested robust growth in 2020, which generated the import volume to 5312 tonnes, an upswing by 943.61%...
Propulsion towards light-weight is obliged to grow driving the high usage of aluminium in all vehicles, says Sundaram-Clayton
The largest auto-components manufacturing and distribution group in India, TVS Group, which owns Sundaram-Clayton stated that the company is well-positioned to grasp emerging market opportunities in the rise of developments that will steer to higher aluminium usage in all types of vehicles. The Chennai-headquartered company, part of $8.5 billion TVS group visions in long term, due to strict emission norms, fuel economy regulations and adoption of alternate drivetrain technologies, the propulsion towards light-weight which is obliged to grow, leading to higher utilization aluminium in all vehicles. The Chairman of SCL, Venu Srinivasan, while presenting the directors’ report to the shareholders in the Annual Report 2021, highlighted that this will empower the organization towards fast-track...
Shawinigan Aluminum Inc. rolls-out its aluminium recycling center
Shawinigan Aluminum Inc. (SAI) rolls out its new aluminium recycling center. On 15 th September 2020, as announced SAI is investing $ 10 million to build a new aluminium recycling center that will recycle 30,000 metric tonnes of aluminium per year. The additional recycling capacity is complementary to the billet supply which amounts to 60,000 metric tonnes per year. Recycled products will therefore account for up to 50% of the total supply of billets. With the new recycling center at SAI, more than 50,000 metric tonnes of aluminium per year of recycling capacity are located in Quebec within the Groupe Sotrem-Maltech. SAI is now able to use clean process aluminium scrap and transform it into billets while maintaining quality, meeting the growing needs of customers for recycled products and...
Granges, Hydro collaborates to supply low-carbon aluminium offerings to the automotive market
The aluminium technology company, Gränges that drives the development of lighter, smarter and more sustainable aluminium products and solutions collaborates with Hydro, the Norwegian aluminium giant to supply low-carbon and circular aluminium offerings to the automotive market. In this new collaboration, Gränges will be sourcing low-carbon primary aluminium from Hydro. Torbjörn Sternsjö, President Gränges Europe, said: “We strive to develop solutions that have a low climate impact and are circular and resource-efficient, and I am therefore very pleased that we are collaborating with Hydro to source their low-carbon REDUXA primary aluminium.” “Increased collaboration in the aluminium value chain is necessary to support the global automotive market’s rapid shift to more sustainable...
