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.
US precision tube manufacturer Virtus acquires Canadian aluminium and brass tube maker Arzon
Virtus Industries has acquired Canada-based brass and aluminium tube maker Arzon Ltd. The purchase is aided by a direct investment by global alternative investment manager Ares Management Corp. The acquisition of Arzon, located in Burlington, Ontario, was made through Virtus subsidiary STP Holdco and comes at a time when companies are moving to diversify in favour of local suppliers to increase supply chain security. Investors in Virtus include Ares, metals industry investment specialist Drakewood Capital Management and commodity and basic industries asset management firm Ospraie Management.
US imposes anti-dumping duties on aluminium alloy sheets from 18 countries
On 9 th October’20, the US Department of Commerce announced that it would impose preliminary anti-dumping duties "immediately" on imports of aluminium alloy sheets from 18 countries, which includes Germany, Bahrain, Brazil, Spain, India and Italy. Wilbur Ross, US Secretary of Commerce, said: “In total, that's $ 1.96 billion worth of goods and it's a pretty large percentage of the total aluminium industry in this country.” "The final decisions will be taken in February 2021, that is to say after the presidential election, indicated the minister of Donald Trump, specifying that it was the American Commission of the International Trade (ITC), an independent organization, which would take the final decision .” For now, these preliminary duties will be levied "immediately". He further...
Cuba’s import of Aluminium cans during 2017-20 reflects a downward trend; expenditures remain high
The economy of Cuba is a largely planned economy dominated by state-run enterprises. The government of Cuba owns and operates most industries and most of the labour force is employed by the state. The Northern Caribbean island nation’s import of aluminium cans during 2017-19 was recorded at 10,910 tonnes and the expenditure occurred for the import remained at $106.82 million. The evaluated import for 2020 has been marked at 3,354 tonnes and expenditure to outreach at $64.21 million, however, when the import volume and expenditure of the previous three years get added, it exhibits 14,264 tonnes and $171.03 million respectively. Cuba’s import of aluminium cans in 2017 stood at 1,730 tonnes and expenditures remained at $12.67 million, whereas in 2018, the import rose to 5,644 tonnes, growth...
Hydro ropes in Paul Warton as Executive Vice President for Extruded Solutions
Paul Warton, President of Automotive Structures and Industry Business Unit at global aluminium company Constellium, has been appointed as Executive Vice President for Hydro’s Extruded Solutions business area. The 59 years old aluminium industry professional, Paul Warton will report to President and CEO Hilde Merete Aasheim and join the Corporate Management Board. He will start his new position on 1 st February 2021, replacing Egil Hogna, who will leave Hydro to become CEO at Nordic consultancy Norconsult. Warton has extensive experience from the aluminium industry, which includes different leadership positions in US-based aluminium company Alcoa and aluminium extrusions company Sapa, now a part of Hydro. He has worked in Constellium since 2010. He holds a degree in production engineering...
EN+ Chair Barker appeals carbon disclosure to be mandatory for Aluminium producers
Gregory Barker, executive chairman of EN+, the parent company of Russian aluminium producer Rusal stated carbon disclosure needs to be made mandatory for the aluminium producers promptly. Barker was also very much clear of the fact that low-carbon aluminium futures contract needs to be introduced so that aluminium producers and buyers can better manage their price risks. He also added: “While aluminium has many low carbon applications, from electric cars to sustainable, recyclable packaging, aluminium production itself still contributes over 2% of the world's total emissions and the aluminium sector cannot wait.” "We are very clear. The aluminium industry has to wake up and take climate change seriously. Carbon disclosure needs to be mandatory. The transition to a low carbon economy is...
Lindian Resources: Non-Executive Director Mathew Bull resigns
The ASX-listed Australian company with a portfolio of high-grade bauxite assets on both the West and East coasts of Africa, Lindian Resources has announced that one of its non-executive directors has stepped down from his role. On 8 th October’20, Lindian Resources revealed that Matthew Bull will be leaving the company, after announcing his resignation, effective immediately. Asimwe Kabunga, the bauxite exploration company's Chairman commented on the departure by passing on his well-wishes. "On behalf of the Board and the management of Lindian, I would like to wish Matt all the very best in his future endeavours," he said. This has been the second leadership change in the company after Lindian appointed Danny Keating as its new CEO in August’20. The latest board shakeup comes as when the...
Ireland’s import of Aluminium Foil during 2017-19 demonstrates rapid growth; Projected with 19.11% downswing in 2020
Ireland is ranked 2nd among 45 countries in the Europe region, and its overall score is well above the regional and world averages. The Irish economy made it back into the ranks of the economically free in 2018 and has maintained that rank in the years since then. The European Commission has said that Ireland's GDP is projected to contract by 8.5% in 2020. The economy here is then expected to grow by 6.25% in 2021, on the back of the pent-up domestic demand release and the global post-crisis recovery. Ireland’s import of aluminium foil during 2017-19 was recorded at 59,128 tonnes and the expenditure occurred on the import stood at $131.93 million. The analysed import for 2020 has been evaluated at 23,827 tonnes and expenditure to outreach at $46.75 million, however, when the existing...
Minim Martap Mineral Resource estimate upgraded to over 1 billion tonnes
Canyon Resources has announced that Minim Martap Bauxite Project in Cameroon, West Africa estimate upgraded to over 1 billion tonnes following the integration of results from the Physical Testing Programme. The 1 billion tonne resource represents only 12 bauxite plateaux of the Minim Martap Project with 62 plateaux remaining for drill testing. Phillip Gallagher, Canyon’s Managing Director, said: “It is very pleasing to see further positive results from the density testing completed by our team that upgrades the Minim Martap resource to over 1 billion tonnes of high-quality bauxite. The Project is comparable to some of the biggest and best bauxite projects in the world which are dominated by major aluminium companies such as Alcoa, Rio Tinto, Rusal and Emirates Global Aluminium....
Fehrmann Alloys GmbH to introduce its new aluminium alloy for Additive Manufacturing at Formnext
Fehrmann Alloys GmbH based in Hamburg, Germany, will introduce its new high-performance aluminium alloy for Additive Manufacturing, AlMgty-90, at this year’s Formnext, which will take place digitally from 10 th -13 th November’20. The company simplifies that AlMgty-90 is rooted on its AlMgty-80 alloy, which was launched in 2019, but tenders increased strength, resulting in an aluminium alloy with approximately 25% higher hardness (115 +/-3 HV) compared to AlMgty-80. Together with AM parameters at a similar level of AlSi10Mg and a density of 99%, AlMgty-90 is said to enable increased productivity for Additive Manufacturing, with a considerable reduction of material cost and production time. Fehrmann Alloys states that AlMgty-90 offers the following benefits: Corrosion resistance Anodisable...
Novelis Brazil opt Danieli for supply of new pit furnace to heat Aluminium ingots
Novelis Brazil has selected Danieli Centro Combustion for the supply of a new pit furnace to heat ingots, to be installed at the Pindamonhangaba plant, Brazil. The purpose of the new facility is to heat the aluminium ingots more than 20% faster than the existing facilities. The furnace will load 2 rows of 8 ingots each for a total of 16 ingots (alloys 1xxx, 3xxx, 5xxx and 8xxx series), and maximum furnace capacity will be 310 tons. The new facility will be furnished with 12 self-recuperative burners and 4 recirculation fans. The Danieli design will enable Novelis to achieve: low fuel consumption, optimum heating rates, high-temperature precision during soaking for the best final quality, high plant flexibility, more safety and lower emissions. Danieli Centro Combustion will engineer the...
Vedanta appoints Gerli Metalli SPA as service partner for Italian market onward 2021
Vedanta, the largest primary aluminium producer of India, has appointed century-old non-ferrous metals, ferroalloys and pig iron trading company Gerli Metalli SPA as a service partner onwards 2021 for the Italian market. Vedanta with its two state-of-art aluminium smelters at Jharsuguda (Odisha) and BALCO in Korba (Chhattisgarh) is producing primary aluminium of 1.95 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) as recorded in FY19, while 50% of its aluminium produced gets exported. A world-class 2 MTPA alumina refinery at Lanjigarh (Odisha) has made Vedanta a premier manufacturer of metallurgical grade alumina for the company's aluminium smelters. An LME member, Gerli Metalli SPA plays a vital role in intermediary between production, trading and distribution to the metal industry. The international...
Panama’s export of Aluminium scrap reveals significant growth during 2017-20
Panama has been the fastest-growing economy in Latin America over the past two decades, benefiting from the activity of the canal, the Colon free trade zone (CFZ) and its role as an international banking centre and regional financial hub. The economy of Panama is based mainly on the services sector, which accounts for nearly 80% of its GDP and accounts for most of its foreign income. Panama is a high-income economy with a history of low inflation. The transcontinental country in Central America and South America has recorded its aluminium scrap export during 2017-19 at 15,569 tonnes and which paved revenue earnings of $12.78 million to the nation. The export for 2020 has been evaluated at 12,141 tonnes, the highest in the phase and earnings to stand at $9.55 million, however, when the...
Commercial vehicle manufacturer “Hino” expands its 300 series BTG in Australia, trays made from high grade extruded Aluminium
The Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer, Hino, has expanded its 300 Series Built to Go (BTG) in Australia to provide light-duty truck operators with more options. Daniel Petrovski, Hino Australia, Product and Strategy Manager said: “The Hino BTG range provides high quality, durable and convenient drive-away solutions for car and truck-licenced buyers who require the reliability of a Hino truck with the quality and peace of mind that a Hino Genuine body offers.” In July, Hino launched its new 300 Series range. According to Petrovski, the expansion of the BTG range ensures Australian operators to choose from a broader range of heavy vehicles while avoiding delivery lead times that typically occur when specifying custom-built truck bodies. The 2020 BTG 300 Series range is reported to...
Rio Tinto, AB InBev form a global partnership to deliver more sustainable aluminium beer cans
All those who love to drink beer will soon be able to enjoy their favourite brew out of cans that are not only supremely recyclable but made from responsibly produced, low-carbon aluminium. Rio Tinto and Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world’s largest brewer, have formed a global partnership to deliver a new standard of sustainable aluminium cans. In a first for the canned beverage industry, the two companies have signed an MOU committing to work with supply chain partners to bring AB InBev products to market in cans made from low-carbon aluminium that meets industry-leading sustainability standards. In the first instance, the focus will be North America; the partnership will see AB InBev use Rio Tinto’s low-carbon aluminium made with renewable hydropower along with recycled content...
MBF Aluminum in France could lose 150 jobs: DGE
MBF Aluminum, based at Eastern France, in the heart of the Jura Mountains in Saint-Claude, is recognized as one of the European specialists in the injection moulding of aluminium parts for the automotive sector, could see its workforce reduced by half, if it is believed that the recommendations included in a study of the automobile foundry in France, commissioned by the General Directorate of Enterprises (DGE), at the service of the Ministry of the Economy and Finance. This report was delivered in June 2020 to all the players in the sector, but also the various ministries responsible for industry and the economy. For MBF Aluminium, the report points to the possibility of saving the company, but by saving only half of the workforce, which means total150 jobs could be lost. The study in...
Austria’s export of Alumina exhibits steady growth during 2017-19; Projected with 21.02% downfall in 2020
Austria is a well-developed market economy with a skilled labour force and a high standard of living. Its economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, but highly developed agricultural sector. FocusEconomics panellists forecasted GDP will contract 6.6% in 2020, and grow by 4.8% in 2021. The southern part of Central European nation’s export of alumina during 2017-19 has been recorded at 54,515 tonnes, which generated revenue of $14.13 million. The analysed export for 2020 has been marked ta 19,553 tonnes and revenue earning to stand at $6.38 million, however, when the existing two years export and earning gets assorted, it depicts 74,068 tonnes and $20.51 million respectively. Austria’s alumina export in 2017 stood at 10,627 tonnes and earnings remained...
Time to mine Bauxite in Atewa and plans are far advanced: Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana
The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that plans are far advanced to exploit bauxite resources at Atewa in Abuakwa South of the Eastern Region. Nana Akufo-Addo said: “The state-owned Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) is determined to develop the bauxite mine to create employment for the youth in the area and other Ghanaians as well.” "It is time to mine the bauxite here and plans are far advanced for us to mine the bauxite so that the people of Kyebi and Ghanaians, in general, would have employment which would generate income for them," he emphasised. The President was speaking at a durbar organised for him by the leaders of the Akyem states at Kyebi during the second day of his three-day tour in the Eastern Region. Chiefs and people from the three Akyem...
Aliplast Poland: Boom in renewable energy market lifts Aluminium systems company’s business high amid “Corona crisis”
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the market slowdown, the Lublin company Aliplast in 2020 increases sales, employment and continues to invest. This is the effect of the continued boom in construction and the renewable energy market. Aliplast from Lublin deals with everything related to aluminium. Designs and produces, among others aluminium systems for the construction industry, of which doors, windows, facades, winter garden structures are made. Aliplast also produces aluminium parts related to transport, including photovoltaic systems and tent systems. In Poland, Aliplast is the second-largest player in the aluminium profile production industry, after Aluprof from Bielsko-Biała. In the country, the Lublin based company has approx. 30%. Market share and is considered as an important...
