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.
COVID-19 impact: Indian aluminium utensils producers encounter challenges of Raw materials and labours
The aluminium utensil producers in some of the districts of the Southern part of India have resumed their factories last month. Insufficiency of raw materials and workers are the crucial challenges they have been facing. Suresh Shankar, CEO, Gomathi Metals said: “For the aluminium utensil manufacturers here, numbering nearly 10, availability of manpower is a major issue.” He said: “As it is labour-intensive work, the units employ a large number of unskilled migrant workers. The skilled workers are mostly from Tamil Nadu. The migrant workers have gone home. A couple of units have not reopened because of a labour shortage.” The aluminium vessel manufacturers’ mostly use recycled aluminium as raw material and it is available locally. Kathiresan, President of Annuparpalayam utensil...
Worley secures engineering and project delivery services contract from Alcoa Australia
Worley has declared that it has secured a three-year services contract with Alcoa for its Australian operations consolidated in mining, refining and smelting operations. As per the contract, Worley will provide engineering and project delivery services for Alcoa’s site‐based sustaining capital program of works. The contract is the continuation of the existing relationship between Alcoa and Worley and establishes Worley as the most preferred engineering services provider for base-load works across the Wagerup, Pinjarra and Kwinana alumina refineries, Bunbury port terminal and the Willowdale and Huntly bauxite mining operations in Western Australia. Worley will also support Alcoa’s Portland Aluminium smelter in Victoria, Australia. The Company said: “The services will be executed by...
Argentina’s aluminium ingot export exhibits $ Billion market during 2019-20
The economy of Argentina is an upper-middle-income economy for the fiscal year 2019 according to the World Bank. It is the second-largest in South America behind Brazil. Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Early in the twentieth century Argentina had one of the ten highest per capita GDP levels in the world, on par with Canada and Australia and surpassing both France and Italy. The major industries of the driving the economy of the Latin American nation are food processing, beverages, motor vehicles and auto parts appliances, electronics, machinery and equipment; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, glass steel, aluminium, cement, textiles, tobacco products, publishing, furniture...
America’s exclusion of Canada from its aluminium import tariff is under the scanner
The United States removing Canada’s exclusion from aluminium tariffs with quotas, focusing to encourage the survival chances of the local producers. The aluminium market has exhibited its price rising in the prospect. However, some US aluminium industry references are expecting the exemption to be lifted completely. This would slow down Canadian imports and stimulate a huge price rise, securing the possibility of high-priced US smelters i.e. Magnitude 7 Metals and Century Aluminium. The USA aluminium pricing is positioned on the physical market premium AUPc1 plus the standard price CMCU3 on the LME, presently around $1,570 per tonne. An outpouring of aluminium from Canada and the drop in demand in present due to COVID-19 lockdowns has forced the US premium below $180 per tonne from $400...
Aluminij Mostar constituted a loss of 65 million BAM during the first six months of 2019, Federal Financial Police investigates
The Federal Financial Police of Bosnia-Herzegovina submitted a report on the operations of the former Mostar giant and aluminium smelter “Aluminij” to the Government, which refers to the period from 1 st January’14 to 10 th July’19. The Federation’s Financial Police tracked down all cash flows, and now it is expected that the report will be submitted to the Prosecutor’s Office, on the existence of grounds for suspicion of committed crimes and perpetrators. The report that was submitted to the Federal Government, states exclusively that the total value of the share capital of “Aluminij” Mostar is 190,110,000 BAM, however, the loss above the amount of capital is as much as 273,638,742 BAM. To make things worse, the complete assets of “Aluminij” for 408,208,254 BAM are financed from other...
Aluminium scrap export of Lebanon shows a positive trend during 2017-20
The economy of Lebanon is classified as a developing, upper-middle-income economy. The nominal GDP was estimated $54.1 billion in 2018, with a per capita GDP amounting to $12,000. Government spending amounted to $15.9 billion in 2018 or 23% of GDP. The major industries of the country are banking, tourism, real estate and construction, food processing, wine, jewellery, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating. The aluminium scrap export of Lebanon in 2017 was recorded only 6319 tonnes and the revenue income stood at $9.09 million, whereas in 2018 the aluminium scrap export saw growth by 237.63%, as the total export volume reflected at 21,355 tonnes with Y-o-Y excess volume of 15,016 tonnes and the revenue generation...
Aid towards COVID-19 testing: Aluminium extrusion maker Sagar Asia producing disinfection tunnels and testing booths for hospitals
Sagar Aisa, Hyderabad, India based aluminium extrusion maker and supplier for Walmart India, has remodelled its business to produce aluminium disinfection tunnels and testing booths towards the support of COVID-19. The company has repurposed its Hyderabad unit and came out with the new products in just two weeks. The company started its operation in 1977 to create hardware systems in aluminium, the company forayed into aluminium extrusions to supply for both the domestic and export markets, offering a range of products including ladders, extrusions, wind tower internals and aluminium aircraft docking and helicopter maintenance. Sagar Asia rapidly revolved its product offering and developed aluminium testing booths to aid contactless testing since the COVID-19 outbreak. The company has...
Bauxite mine site rehabilitation in Fiji continues
Jone Usamate, Minister for Lands and Minerals Resources, Fiji Govt. has been to Vanua Levu on his first official visit of the North since taking up the position. Usamate initiated his tour from Bua and stated that he hopes to be able to identify bottlenecks in the system and address issues related to the Ministry’s service delivery in the North. The Minister is seeking members of the public to make use of this opportunity to raise their grievances if they have any as he will be visiting some villages and communities. Usamate started his tour with a visit to the Nawailevu Bauxite Mine Rehabilitation site. Bauxite mining in Nawailevu got suspended almost two years ago however the company responsible for the mining Aurum Exploration is continuing rehabilitation works on the site. The company...
Govt. of India to endorse the establishment of Angul Aluminium Park to attract investments
Angul Aluminium Park Private Limited is a Private incorporated on 30 th July 2010. It is classified as Non-Govt. Company and is registered at Registrar of Companies, Cuttack, Odisha. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, Govt. of India, on 13 th June’20, organised a meeting with the senior Odisha state Government officers, Idco CMD, IPICOL officers and the Nalco CMD regarding the progress of the Angul Aluminium Park. Pradhan was chairing the meeting via video-conferencing said that the Govt. of India is committed for the development of Odisha and welfare of its people in the state. The Government would encourage the establishment of Angul aluminium park-based downstream industries and help attract investments, create employment and increase enterprises....
Ghana–China Sinohydro bauxite deal manifest results in infrastructure: Tamale interchange 40% Complete
The Tamale interchange project funded under a barter arrangement between the governments of Ghana and China’s Sinohydro ltd is one of the multi-priority infrastructural projects worth $2 billion in exchange for Ghana’s refined bauxite. The project which is expected to be completed within 24 months will improve traffic flow reducing within the Tamale Metropolitan area and also intensify economic activities between Ghana and the Saharan regions. Kwesi Amoako-Atta, Minister of Roads and Highway, Ghana, were on-site to inspect the progress of work, expressed satisfaction with the quality and speed of work done. After inspecting the project, the Minister conveyed his assurance to the residents and business owners who have been affected by the construction that the government will pay them the...
Indonesian Metal miner Antam to invest $105 million in CAPEX, dividend pay-out remains $4.78 million
The Indonesian state-owned and public listed metal miner PT Aneka Tambang, ANTAM, aims to invest $105 million (Rp 1.5 trillion) in capital expenditure this year to build two smelter megaprojects. On 11 th June’20, Anton Herdianto, Director of Finance, Antam, said: “Most of the funds were slated for two smelter megaprojects, while the remainder would be for exploration activity, subsidiaries and regular investments.” He said post an annual shareholders meeting: “We are still revising the 2020 CAPEX concerning COVID-19. It is awaiting shareholder approval. Rp 180 billion had been absorbed as of the first quarter.” Antam produces bauxite, the raw material used to produce aluminium and other metals. The company is also developing a $900 million alumina refinery in Mempawah, West Kalimantan...
Hindalco FY20 profit slips 31% to INR 3,767 crore, revenue sinks 9%
Hindalco Industries, a subsidiary of the Aditya Birla Group, closed the financial year 2019-20 (FY20) with 31% downturn in its consolidated net profit at INR 3,767 crore as compared to INR 5,495 crore in the preceding fiscal. The consolidated revenue from operation drops by 9% to INR 1.18 lakh crore against INR 1.31 lakh crore in the financial year 2018-19. During the January-March quarter (Q4 FY20), Hindalco posted a steep decline of 43% in its consolidated net profit at INR 668 crore versus INR 1,178 crore in the same phase last year. Hindalco's consolidated revenue from operation reflected fall by 13% to INR 29,318 crore in Q4 FY20 as against INR 33,745 crore in Q4 FY19. The company's EBITDA inclined by 6% to INR 4,173 crore compared to INR 3,938 crore in the year-ago period, helped by...
Govt. of Jamaica: $544 million to be drawn out from CDF for bauxite budgetary support
The Government of Jamaica is to draw out just over half a billion dollars from the Capital Development Fund (CDF) to deliver budgetary aid to the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) and the bauxite community development programme this fiscal year. An order, under the Bauxite (Production) Levy Act, giving effect to the withdrawal was tabled in the House of Representatives on 10 th June’20. Preliminary to the sitting of the House, the Economy and Production Committee started discussions on a resolution brought by Manchester Southern Member of Parliament (MP) Michael Stewart, calling on the Government to place a cap on the amount of funds that can be transferred from the CDF to the Government's central coffers for budgetary support. Stewart is also professing for the fixing of the levy on...
The steep fall of Estonia’s export of Aluminium structures during 2017-20
Estonia, a country in Northern Europe, formerly part of the Soviet Union, borders the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. Including more than 1,500 islands, its diverse terrain spans rocky beaches, old-growth forest and many lakes. The economy of Estonia is an advanced economy and the country is a member of the European Union and the Eurozone. Estonia's economy is heavily influenced by developments in the Finnish and Swedish economies. The major industries of the nation are engineering, electronics, wood and articles of wood, textiles, information technology, and telecommunications. The Northern European nation’s export of aluminium structures has been marked with a step fall during 2017-19, as the total volume of export and revenue income during the period remained at 22,246 tonnes and...
“COVID-19” strikeout: Metal Baron Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance to axe jobs as weak demand speculation continues
The British metal baron Sanjeev Gupta’s GFC Alliance made public on 11 th June’20 that it will slash costs and reduce human resources owing to a steep slide in demand that might stretch to 18-20 months. The GFG Alliance, a conglomerate with wide-ranging operations including aluminium , infrastructure and steel, stated its business had been strike hard by the COVID-19 epidemic. GFG said: “With 35,000 workers, needed to adjust to the new market environment so it would aim to cut costs by 30%, including an unspecified number of job cuts.” The demand from aluminium and other metal consuming sectors in précised region has dipped heavily. The impact is likely to hold on for month after month, resulting in an aforesaid difficult market. GFG said it's aluminium and steel businesses were sticking...
Aluminerie De Bécancour Inc.: The “Corona” crisis created challenging markets
The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down the restart of the Bécancour Smelter. However, 90% is complete now and more than 200 people have been hired since January’20. Nicole Coutu, General Manager, who also became CEO of Alcoa Canada, admitted that the markets are very difficult. On 11 th June’20, while inaugurating the industrial incubator in Bécancour, Nicole said: "It was already difficult at the end of 2019 and the automotive, aviation and construction markets are greatly affected by the pandemic.” While the restart of the ABI must be completed by the end of the summer, Coutu confirmed that hiring summer students is no longer part of the company's plans. In regards to the management of coronavirus, all measures have been put in place and only one case has been reported at the factory so...
Azelio: Recycled Aluminium to store solar energy, batteries unwanted
A start-up renewable energy company has invented a low-cost, zero-emissions solution to the problems that occur while the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. In contraction, the more the world grabs clean energy like solar and wind, the more it must support something remarkably less-clean—diesel fuel or batteries. In a building cut-off from a reliable grid powered by fossil fuel, diesel generators might be used to cover the hours of darkness when solar panels cease providing electricity. An alternative to this is to store the energy generated from the sun during the day in batteries, but along with representing a serious recycling problem, batteries require rare-earth minerals that are obtained from environmentally-destructive mining operations. Jonas Eklind, CEO of Azelio said:...
COVID-19 impact: European Aluminium scrap suppliers heading toward difficult ventures
European aluminium scrap suppliers need to expand their customer base to maintain healthy business levels as manufacturing industries slow against recessionary forces driven by the COVID-19 epidemic. However, it will be a difficult venture with so many consumers facing uncertain futures. Murat Bayram, Director and Head of European Non-Ferrous business at EMR Ltd. said: "Space is limited on the yard and if the metal isn't flowing out anymore, you have to do something," director of European Metal Recycling's (EMR) European non-ferrous business. We will see problems on the aluminium side, not only in autos but in aerospace and others too." The lockdowns imposed in Europe due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reflected scrap generation decline as factory activities remained suspended and third-party...
