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.
Hindalco Industries Q3 profit rises 77% to INR 1,877 crore
On 10 th February 2021, the metals Flagship Company of Aditya Birla Group, Hindalco Industries reported a consolidated profit after tax at INR 1,877 crore for the Q3 ended 31 st December’20, which is up by 77% Y-o-Y and 385% consecutively. Hindalco posted a consolidated profit of INR 1,062 crore in Q3 FY20 and INR 387 crore in Q2 FY20. Novelis and India Aluminium business drove the group’s strong performance, supported by higher volumes and better product mix, lower input costs, stability in operations and cost-saving actions. “The consolidated revenue from operations leapt by 20% to INR 34,958 crore in Q3 FY21 when compared to INR 29,197 crore in the same period previous year”, Hindalco Industries said in a regulatory filing. Consolidated business EBITDA surged by 40% Y-o-Y to INR 5,242...
Armenia’s import of Aluminium Wire during 2019-20 reflects upswing; 15.81% de-growth expected in 2021
Vahan Qerobyan, Armenian Minister of the Economy articulated positive about the country’s estimated performance in 2021, as he expects double-digit growth. He said inflation would not exceed 2-2.5% and that Armenia has significantly less inflation than its neighbours. As for 2020, Qerobyan said he expects Armenia’s economy to have declined by 8.5% when all the numbers were in and reviewed. “There’s been a 20% drop in imports, exports and consumption,” he said. The International Monetary Fund has predicted that Armenia's economy will grow by 1% this year. The nation’s import of aluminium wire in 2019-20 has been recorded at 366 tonnes and the expenditure incurred for the import remained at $3.43 million. The import for 2021 has been analysed to be standing at 165 tonnes and expenditure to...
Century Aluminium promotes Gunnar Gudlaugsson as Executive Vice President- Global Operations
On 9 th February 2021, Century Aluminium, the global primary aluminium producer with operations in the USA and Iceland, declared that it has named Gunnar Gudlaugsson as Executive Vice President, Global Operations. Mr Gudlaugsson has served in a variety of operational roles of increasing responsibility since he joined in 2018, which included most recently as Vice President, European Operations and Managing Director of Norðurál. A BS in Electrical Engineering, Mr Gudlaugsson also holds a PG in Master of Science - Electrical Power Engineering from the University of Aalborg in Denmark. Jesse Gary, COO, Century Aluminium, stated: "Our Board and I are thrilled to announce Gunnar's promotion to this critically important position. Since joining us in 2008, Gunnar has played a leading role in...
Brazil: Communities from lower Amazon region brings a lawsuit against Norsk Hydro over toxic waste
Norsk Hydro the globally integrated aluminium giant has been sued by a group of communities in Brazil. Around 40,000 Brazilians are involved in the lawsuit against Norwegian aluminium producer, as they stated, it is toxic waste pollution the company is causing in northern Brazil. The communities who live in the lower Amazon region in the Brazilian state of Para, mainly members of Cainquiama – the Amazon Association of Mixed Race, Indigenous and Quilombolas – representing some 11,000 families has brought the lawsuit. PGMBM, the law firm of the community said: “They are seeking compensation for what they say is the incorrect disposal of toxic waste in the Murucupi River, as well as other effects from the presence of Norsk Hydro installations in the region.” Norsk Hydro has three facilities...
Moody's lifts Press Metal Aluminium’s rating for business reasons
On 8 th January 2021, the bond credit rating business of Moody's Corporation, Moody's Investors Service had withdrawn Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd's Ba3 corporate family rating and negative outlook for business reasons. The bond rating firm said: "Moody's has decided to withdraw the rating for its business reasons.” However, the American financial services firm did not clarify any specific reasons behind the withdrawal of Press Metal’s rating. Press Metal initiated as a local aluminium extrusion company in 1986 and after over 30 years of growth, the company proclaims that presently it a globally integrated aluminium producer with the largest presence in Southeast Asia. Press Metal said: "From upstream smelting activities to downstream extruding operations, Press Metal is a fully...
Iceland’s import of Aluminium Plates, Sheets and Strips during 2018-20 demonstrates marginal movement; expenditure rises
The economy of Iceland is predicted to recover in 2021, as the global economy reopens and international travel resumes. Although there is uncertainty over the evolution of the pandemic lingers and clouds the outlook, posing a key downward risk to recovery. As per FocusEconomics panellists, the economy is expected to grow by 4.7% in 2021. The Nordic island nation’s import of aluminium plates, sheets and strips during 2018-19 was recorded at 4610 tonnes and the expenditure for the import stood at $16.33 million. The import for 2020 remained at 2473 and the expenditure stood to $12.08 million. However, when the import volume and expenditure of 2020 got assorted with the existing two years, it denotes 7083 tonnes and $28.41 million respectively. Iceland’s import of aluminium plates, sheets...
AlCircle launches 6th edition of e-Magazine, “Green Aluminium: Sustainable Future for the Industry”
AlCircle believes to stay at top of the mind of the global aluminium value chain industry, starting from publishing daily news update of the industry to various industrial reports on trending topics and publishing e-Magazines on time to time basis on global issues related to the industry. After the gala success of the July-August 2020, 5 th edition of our e-Magazine “COVID-19 impact: Importance and Emergence of Industry 4.0”, now on this January-February 2021, AlCircle launches the 6 th edition of its e-Magazine on the global trending topic “Green Aluminium: Sustainable Future for the Industry.” As we all know that metal producers are facing a dual challenge in the energy transition. First, they must meet the rising global demand for vital commodities and secondly they have to reduce...
Alucam’s Aluminium export sinks to 49,300 tonnes in 2020 from 80,000 tonnes in 2017
According to the report published by Bank of Central African States (BEAC), it has been stated that in 2020 Aluminium du Cameroun (ALUCAM) has exported 49,300 tonnes of aluminium. This export volume is recorded as the second-lowest by the aluminium company in a decade, as the bottom lowest was in the 2012 financial year when the export was marginally over 30,000 tonnes. The Central Bank data also reveals that the export trend of Alucam has remained downward in the past 10 years, aside from the 2015 and 2017 financial years when the company exported over 80,000 tonnes of aluminium. Its yearly aluminium exports plunged to 49,300 tons in 2020 from 80,000 tonnes in 2017. The drastic fall is due to the unfavourable situation Alucam drove itself into post the divestment of its strategic...
Chinese Aluminium industry needs to close down inefficient coal power plants to meet climate goals: Climate think tank Ember
The independent climate and energy think tank focused on accelerating the global electricity transition, Ember said that the Chinese aluminium industry needs to pull down dedicated power capacity equivalent to more than Germany's entire coal fleet over the next decade to put China on track to meet its carbon neutral goals. China produces for more than half of global aluminium, churning out 37 million tonnes in 2020. President Xi Jinping has vowed China will achieve peak emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060. Ember, in a report said: “China's record aluminium output last year emitted more CO2 than some entire countries, including Indonesia and Brazil.” Muyi Yang, the author of the report said: “China will need to shut around 47 gigawatts of inefficient, subcritical coal power...
Argentina’s import of Aluminium Tubes or Pipes fittings during 2018-20 unveils constant downfall
Argentina had an estimated decline in GDP of 11.8% in 2020, primarily due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The nation had one of the strictest and lengthiest lockdowns in the world and, although the pandemic didn't cost as many lives in Argentina as it did in other large Latin American countries. The second-largest economy of South America’s is expected to rebound in the coming years, with the IMF's October 2020 estimates predicting growth of 4.9% for 2021 and 2.5% for 2022, subject to post-pandemic global economic recovery. In its most recent January 2021 update of the World Economic Outlook, the IMF has revised its GDP growth projections for Argentina to 4.5% in 2021 and 2.7% in 2022. The Southern American nation’s import of aluminium tubes or pipes fittings was recorded at 929...
The top 5 primary Aluminium producers of Africa
Africa is one of the largest producers of aluminium ore BAUXITE. African nation Guinea stands as the world’s highest exporter of bauxite and ranks at number two in bauxite production. The other African countries producing bauxite are Ghana, Cameroon, Mozambique, Ivory Coast, etc. Although having a huge amount of bauxite deposits in Africa, the region remains deprived in the production of aluminium due to irregular power supply, obstruction in financial investments and modernization, unstable political scenario and lack of professionalism. There are multiple numbers of aluminium smelter scattered all around the continent, but most of the smelters failed to reach its actual production capacity and few also took steps to close down like Bayside Aluminium in South Africa and Alscon in...
Vedanta approves expansion of Lanjigarh Alumina refinery for INR 37.79 billion
The Board of Directors of Vedanta has approved the expansion of existing capacity of Lanjigarh Alumina Refinery, as announced by Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Ltd. On 4 th February 2021, during its regulatory filing, Vedanta stated that the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting which was held on 3 rd February 2021 has approved the expansion of Lanjigarh Alumina Refinery. Vedanta plans to expand the production capacity of the alumina refinery to 5 MTPA from existing capacity of 2 MTPA for INR 37.79 billion approximately, subject to requisite government approvals. Vedanta said: "Completion of this project will place Lanjigarh Alumina Refinery as one of the world’s largest single-location alumina refinery complex."
RUSAL’s 3D-printed casing installed onto Yarilo satellite operates successfully
RUSAL declares the successful operation of a 3D-printed casing installed onto Yarilo satellite. The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology developed the thermoregulatory casing of the gamma-ray detector, which was produced at the Centre of Additive Technologies based on the Institute of Light Materials and Technologies (ILM&T) from a new aluminium powder alloy developed by the institute's specialists. The temperature-regulating casing of the gamma-ray detector, produced on a 3D printer, has been installed onto one of the two Yarilo research satellites launched into space in 2020. This is a unique space project for the Bauman Moscow State Technical University in partnership with the Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of...
Vedanta Jharsuguda bags the ‘Best Exporter’ Award, presented by Govt of Odisha
India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, Vedanta Aluminium’s Jharsuguda plant has bagged the ‘Best Exporter’ Award for the years 2017-18 & 2018-19 at the Odisha State Export Award. Directorate of Export Promotion & Marketing (DEPM), Odisha organized the event and the awards were presented to the company in a virtual ceremony which was chaired by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik. On behalf of Vedanta, GG Pal, Chief Operating Officer – Metal, received the award. The Jharsuguda plant was rewarded for being the biggest exporter from the state of Odisha consecutively for two years, 2017-18 and 2018-19. The aluminium smelter at Jharsuguda produces a line-up of top-of-the-line products such as Ingots, Billets, Wire Rods, Primary Foundry Alloy (PFA),...
Papua New Guinea’s import of Aluminium Cans during 2018-19 displays de-growth; 2020 import reflects marginal growth
As per Fitch Solutions, the Papua New Guinea economy is expected to recover from 2021, after a recession in 2020. Fitch Solutions forecasts real GDP growth of 3.2% in 2021, from an estimated contraction of 4.0% in 2020. The island nation on the South-western Pacific region has recorded with 7942 tonnes of aluminium cans during 2018-19 and the expenditure occurred for the import remained at $19.56 million. The import for 2020 stood at 3496 tonnes and the expenditure remained at $28.00 million. However, when the import volume and expenditure of 2020 gets added with the existing two years, it signifies 11,438 tonnes and $67.11 million respectively. Papua New Guinea’s import of aluminium cans in 2018 was 4570 tonnes and the expenditure stood at $19.56 million, whereas, in 2019, the import saw...
Century Aluminum, Glencore to deliver 150,000 tonnes of Natur‐Al™ to Austrian firm Hammerer Aluminium Industries
Century Aluminum Company has concluded the sale of 150,000 metric tonnes of Natur‐Al™ aluminium over five years to Austrian firm Hammerer Aluminium Industries (HAI). Natur‐Al™ products are produced with energy from 100% renewable sources at Century’s Norðurál Grundartangi aluminium plant in Iceland, while the product line has been in development over several years it was officially inaugurated in 2020. The aluminium will be supplied to Hammerer by Glencore. Natur‐Al™ aluminium has direct CO₂ levels below two tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of aluminium – one of the lowest CO₂ footprints in the world for the metal. The total CO₂ footprint is four tonnes per tonne of aluminium, less than one‐quarter of the industry average. To achieve these levels requires strict adherence to the highest standards...
‘Alcomet’ in Bulgaria posts standalone net loss of €1.8 million
Bulgarian manufacturer of rolled and extruded aluminium products ‘Alcomet AD’ posted a standalone net loss of 3.8 million levs (€1.8 million) in 2020 from a net profit of 8.6 million levs in 2019. In an annual financial statement, Alcomet stated that the revenue generation shrunk to 348.1 million levs from 352.1 million levs in 2019. Alcomet's sales rose by 10.7% to 65,739 tonnes in terms of volume, as sales of extruded products increased by 16.6% to 26,491 tonnes, while sales of rolled products added 7.6% to 46,288 tonnes. In 2020, the company’s largest export market was Germany, with a 23.4% share of all sales, followed by Poland and Italy with 14.5% and 13.5%, respectively. However, the output volume increased by 7% to 73,512 tonnes in 2020. The volume of extruded products rose to...
2020: Cameroon exports aluminium for 54 billion CFA franc, only in CEMAC region
The Bank of Central African States reported that while presenting the evolution of prices of the main commodities exported to CEMAC region - Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Chad to the Q4’20, only Cameroon exports aluminium. According to the 2020 monetary programming data, Cameroon exported 49,300 tonnes of aluminium, with a unit price of CFA franc 1,096,600 per tonne. This amounts to a value of 54 billion CFA franc collected by Cameroon in the sale of this metal, which is majorly used in construction, the manufacture of cars or planes, high voltage lines, but also in food packaging. Cameroon's performance in 2020 is down, as compared with the previous year when the country produced nearly 52,000 tonnes of aluminium, a drop of 2,700 tonnes between...
