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.
Japan’s import of Aluminium containers for compressed gas during 2018-19 remains even; 2020 import reflects 67% growth
The economic recovery of Japan in 2020 was proportionately strong, while by Q4, the real GDP was down just 1.2% from a year earlier, and it was due to recoil in consumer spending and ample foreign demand. Japan’s indecisive growth was evident in January 2021, when the Consumption Activity Index fell 2.8% from December ’20. Similarly, the decline in Y-o-Y retail sales degenerated in January. The East-Asian nation’s import of aluminium containers for compressed during 2018-19 was recorded at 3343 tonnes and the expenditure for the import remained at $5.27 million. The import for 2020 stood at 2812 tonnes and the expenditure accounted was $4.15 million. However, when the import volume and expenditure for 2020 gets added with the existing two years, it signifies 6155 tonnes and $9.42 million...
Bulgarian real estate firm Interlink Group to invest in Aluminium profiles production
On 30 th March 2021, Trakia Economic Zone (TEZ) reported that Bulgarian real estate firm Interlink Grup revolutionised towards the development of an aluminium profiles production facility near the city of Plovdiv. Followed by the investment of €20.3 million for the aluminium profiles production unit and storage hall, the Plovdiv-based PVC profiles manufacturer Profilink will initiate production. However, the plant is expected to be operative during the third quarter of 2022 and it will be capable to produce out 10,000 tonnes of aluminium profiles per year in the first instance, through a wholly automated production process, while the project will create 150 new jobs. Sienit Holding, a local construction company has bagged the contract to construct the plant which will blazon on a total...
French Govt. investigates disappearing Greensill loan to GFG Alliance’s Liberty Aluminium Poitou
The British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance is on the radar of the French government for preliminary investigation towards the disappearance of a loan dispensed by Greensill Capital to a French aluminium smelting plant. Greensill filed for insolvency protection on 8 th March 2021. According to the sources, the case recounts a government-backed loan worth about €18 million issued to a GFG-owned facility, Liberty Aluminium Poitou, in central France. The local investigators will look up to ascertain whether any criminal offence occurred, as revealed by an official from the Ministry of Industry, France. As per the report, Liberty Aluminium Poitou smelting plant secured the loan in December’20 but Greensill then solicited the money to be sent back in line with a two-month waiting...
Iran’s import of Aluminium Tubes and Pipes during 2018-20 reflects uneven movement
The economy of Iran is tumbling down after years of U.S. sanctions and Iran has been insisting the United States withdraw those restrictions before the two sides can return to nuclear talks. The economy shrunk to an estimated 4.99% in 2020, gradually diminishing since 2017. In comparison, the nation relished a sharp economic growth of 12.5% in 2016 after the nuclear deal was signed. However, that acquit was short-termed. IMF predicts Iran’s gross domestic product growing 3% in 2021. The Western Asian country has recorded the importation of aluminium tubes and pipes during 2018-19 was 1164 tonnes and the expenditure occurred for the import remained at $4.12 million respectively. The import for 2020 stood at 417 tonnes and the expenditure accounted was $1.41 million. When the import and...
Canyon Resources: Minim Martap Bauxite Project ESIA on track for submission in May
Canyon Resources, focused on the development of the 100% owned Minim-Martap Bauxite Project, a direct shipping ore (DSO) project development opportunity in central Cameroon has announced that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the bauxite project is progressing well and is planned for submission in May 2021 to the Cameroon Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED). The ESIA is a vital component of a mining permit application process and is being undertaken in line with the ESIA Terms of Reference submitted on 16 th April 2020 and accepted by the MINEPDED, and it aligns with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards and other key international standards, frameworks and guidelines. The scope of the ESIA...
US firm Metal Impact acquires Luxfer Holdings Aluminium gas cylinder division
The subsidiary of US-based Thunderbird Manufacturing LLC, Metal Impact East LLC has acquired the Luxfer Holdings PLC aluminium gas cylinders division. Metal Impact affirms the acquisition of the manufacturing operations of Luxfer in Graham, North Carolina, as well as its range of products and services, ranks it as “one of the leading aluminium gas cylinder suppliers to the medical and healthcare industries.” Phil Kretekos, President of Thunderbird, the parent company of Metal Impact, said: “As a Thunderbird company, Metal Impact is dedicated to growth - organically and through acquisitions.” “This addition to our aluminium gas cylinders operations will assure the industries that rely on us that we have the best talent and resources to support the growing demand for our products and...
British Govt. rejects Sanjeev Gupta’s bailout plea to prevent GFG Alliance from collapsing
The British metal magnate and Executive Chairman of GFG Alliance, Sanjeev Gupta’s request for a £170 million emergency loan to prevent his group from collapsing have been rejected by British ministers, as reported by the industry sources on 28 th March 2021. The plea was rejected amid concerns by ministers over the structure and corporate governance at GFG Alliance, and whether bailout funds would remain in the country, as reported by a person familiar with the matter. As per the sources, Mr Gupta was working on plans to raise fresh loans against parts of the group facility outside the UK, which added that he also focused to generate cash from an expedited sale of goods. Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance was the biggest recipient of financing from Greensill, a British financing company that...
New Zealand’s import of Aluminium Cans during 2018-20 exhibits rapid downfall
New Zealand's GDP sprouted 2.2% in 2019 against 3.2% in 2018 but fell to -6.1% in 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19. It is expected to pick up to 4.4% in 2021 and 2.6% in 2022 according to the updated IMF forecasts from January 2021. The island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean has recorded 4589 tonnes of aluminium cans import during 2018-19 and the expenditure accounted for the import stood at $17.16 million. The import for 2020 remained at 1014 tonnes and the expenditure recorded at $8.71 million. However, when the import volume and expenditure of 2020 gets assorted with the existing two years, it resembles 5603 tonnes and $25.87 million respectively. New Zealand’s import of aluminium cans in 2018 exhibited at 3305 tonnes and the expenditure stood at $10.92 million,...
Jörgen Rosengren appointed as new CEO and President of Gränges
The Board of Directors of the global leader in aluminium engineering, manufacturing and innovation, Gränges’ has appointed Jörgen Rosengren as the new CEO and President. Jörgen Rosengren, currently positioned as CEO of Bufab Group, a Nasdaq Stock Exchange in Stockholm listed company. He will take office at the latest on 1 st October 2021. However, as announced previously, Johan Menckel, the current CEO of Gränges’ will step down during the third quarter. Fredrik Arp, Chairman of the Board, Gränges AB, said: “We are very pleased that we have managed to recruit Jörgen Rosengren. Jörgen has for nine years been CEO in a company that under his leadership has added significant value to the shareholders through profitable organic growth and several successful acquisitions. Jörgen’s experience...
Aluminium a metal of strategic importance to the nation and vital raw material for key industries, says BALCO Chief
Mr Abhijit Pati, CEO and Director of BALCO explained how India’s iconic Aluminium & Power producer countered the unconventional situation which occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic and forced to shape the business more sturdily and pursue the momentum of growth. Mr Pati, a person to reckon with the Aluminium industry for the past three decades stated that Aluminium is a metal of strategic importance to India and a vital raw material for key industries like electrical distribution, transportation, aerospace, defence, building & construction etc. He also added that it is an uninterrupted operative function, which denotes that the BALCO’s smelters have to run 365x24x7. Furthermore, as BALCO is one of India’s largest producers of aluminium, it became a self-challenge to assure that...
Aluminium supplies in Europe disrupt with Suez Canal maritime traffic jam
The large container vessel maritime traffic jam on the Suez Canal in Egypt has intensified the shortage of primary aluminium billet supplies in Europe, which resulted in higher premiums on 26 th March 2021. Suez Canal, an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia and it also is the major route for shipments between Europe and Asia, has been occluded by the large containership Ever Given since 23 rd March 2021, resulting in a maritime traffic jam of more than 100 vessels. An industry professional commented: “I think the situation just sparked another level of worry; all we have been talking about across commodities and markets is the freight situation and how it has mucked things up.”...
Eyeing on the application of graphene in Aluminium smelters, Tirupati Graphite bolsters team strength
Tirupati Graphite, a fully integrated specialist graphite and graphene producer, with operations in Madagascar and India, has further strengthened its team across three business units to brace its growth. Tirupati has appointed Dr SK Biswal, a scientist and technocrat specialising in the field of graphene and mineral processing technology as head of the Tirupati Graphene and Mintech Research Centre (TGMRC), in India. TGMRC is fully focused on becoming a leading graphene manufacturer, developing its applications and giving Tirupati its technological backbone. To focus on the application of graphene in aluminium smelters and graphene aluminium composites development, Tirupati has also appointed graphene engineering science specialist Dr P Dash, as well as hired Dr SK Sathpathy as advisors....
Sweden’s import of Alumina during 2018-20 remains volatile, expenditure trends to dip
The Swedish economy is losing its pace for recovery in short term, but the foundation is in place for a strong rebound later in 2021. Unemployment is expected to decline, while inflationary pressures remain subdued, but the outlook is elusive due to upside-down statistics and incoherent signals from the Riksbank. The Scandinavian nation’s import of alumina during 2018-19 recorded with 467,237 tonnes and the expenditure occurred for the import stood at $134.20 million. The import for 2020 remained at 214,951 tonnes and the expenditure stood at $48.40 million. However, when the import volume and expenditure for 2020 gets merged with the existing two years, it denotes 682,188 tonnes and $182.60 million respectively. Sweden’s import of alumina in 2018 stood at 256,796 tonnes and the...
King River Resources market price mounts with HPA progress
The exploration mining company, King River Resources, with holdings at Speewah and Mt Remarkable in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia and at Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory reflects its share price mounting 27%, gliding on the news that the company has managed to produce high purity alumina at greater than 99.99% purity, also known as “4N HPA”. Presently, the mining company is fully absorbed in its feasibility study over the project that also brags vanadium, iron and titanium, despite King River is now solidly focussed on the economics of producing high purity alumina from it. High purity alumina is a gainful modern age mineral that has scores of uses comprising as a coating inside lithium batteries, as an iPhone face and even in LED that is rapidly replacing...
Century Aluminum concludes Mt. Holly Aluminium smelter power contract, receives all necessary approvals
On 25 th March 2021, Century Aluminum of South Carolina (CASC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Century Aluminum Company announced that it has concluded and received all necessary approvals for, its new, three-year power contract with the South Carolina Public Service Authority, also known as Santee Cooper for the Mt. Holly aluminium smelter. The contract will set in motion on 1 st April 2021 and run through December 2023. As announced in December 2020, the contract delivers a minimum of 290MW of electric power, allowing the smelter to increase its production by 50% (resulting in total production of 75% of Mt. Holly’s full capacity once the restart project is completed). Restart work at the Mt. Holly smelter is already underway and is on schedule to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2021...
Gränges to infuse $33 million to boost aluminium casting capacity in the US
Gränges will infuse $33 million to expand its aluminium casting operations in Huntingdon, Tennessee, to encounter the rise in demand from North American customers. This investment follows the previous and successful investments in new rolling capacity at the sites in Huntingdon and Newport, Arkansas. Patrick Lawlor, President Gränges Americas, said: “This investment is the third major US investment we make since 2017. It underscores our commitment to growing our business with our customers and the markets we serve and strengthens our platform for continued profitable growth. It also supports our high sustainability ambitions by improving both energy and carbon intensity. We take pride in being a trusted partner to our customers for continued growth and innovation.” The expansion includes...
Mexico’s export of Aluminium Stranded Wire during 2018-20 resembles marginal fluctuation
The World Bank estimated that Mexico’s economy will rebound from the expected 9% shrink in 2020, with growth in 2021 of 3.7%. This movement is due to an improvement in Mexican exports to the United States and less uncertainty about the application of the renewed USMCA. However, by 2022 its rate of expansion is predicted to slow down to 2.6% by the agency. The country in the southern portion of North America has recorded export of aluminium stranded wire during 2018-19 was 59,814 tonnes and the revenue earnings stood at $170.36 million. The export for 2020 remained at 31,709 tonnes and the earnings stood at $79.79 million. However, when the export volume and earnings for 2020 got assorted with the existing two years, it resembles 91,523 tonnes and $250.15 million respectively. Mexico’s...
Corruption on exploitation of Bauxite in Guinea, investigation filed against President Alpha Condé and others
Our sources reported on 23 rd March 2021, an investigation was opened in Paris after a complaint about corruption in the exploitation of bauxite in Guinea comprising President Alpha Condé, several of his relatives and mining companies. This preliminary investigation, opened by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) in September, follows the complaint about "corruption, influence peddling and corruption laundering", filed in August by the Collective for the transition in Guinea (CTG). Ibrahim Sorel Keita, the CTG spokesperson, stated that they have very strong suspicions of corruption between the ruling clan and the miners. The words of CTG brings together the opponents of Alpha Condé, President since 2010 and re-elected in October’20 for a controversial third term. “The...
