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.
Aluminium replaces Copper: Talga and Bentley Motors to develop graphene-enhanced motor parts
Talga Resources, battery anode, and graphene additives developer has made public that it has been approved for Innovate UK co-funding to support the development of an e-axle designed for Bentley Motors. The OCTOPUS project aims to deliver the ultimate single unit e-axle solution designed specifically to meet Bentley Motors' performance specifications via optimized motor and power electronics technology and materials. The project is funded under the Office for Low Emission Vehicles’ and Innovate UK’s “IDP15: The Road to Zero-Emission Vehicles” competition. Under the project Talga will develop and provide graphene materials for the high-performance electric motor windings to deliver an aluminium-based solution aimed at outperforming, and ultimately replacing, the copper windings currently...
Aluminium du Maroc: Net profit for 2019 rises by 4.7%; dividends proposal gets delayed by the next General Meeting due to “COVID-19”
Aluminium du Maroc, specializing in the design and manufacturer of aluminium alloy profiles for building and industry in Morocco, stated in their financial result that its net profit in 2019 stood at MDH 60.1 million, an increase by 4.7% compared to 2018. This change is explained by the 2019 financial result (+9.1 MDH) in clear appreciation compared to 2018 (-5.5Mdhs) and the current result which includes the disposal of the stakes in the company Alucoil Maroc. The operating income reached 60.3 MDH, down 22% compared to 2018, mainly due to the non-renewal of the reversals of exceptional provisions made in 2018, while turnover rose to 893.1 MDH, down 2% compared to the end of 2018. The Moroccan aluminium company said the in regards distribution of dividends, the unprecedented health...
The Romanian Bauxite import market remains unsettled during 2017-20
Romania is a south-eastern European country known for the forested region of Transylvania, ringed by the Carpathian Mountains. The economy of Romania is a fast developing, upper middle income mixed economy with a very high Human Development Index and a skilled labour force. The demand for aluminium in Romania has been showing a positive mark due to the auto industry, electronics, and electrical products industry, etc. The Romanian import market for has been reflecting unsettled during 2017-2019, as the total import volume stood at 4.44 million tonnes and the expenditure remained at $158.53 million. The projected import volume for 2020 stood at 1.37 million tonnes and the foreign revenue expenditure to stand at $54.36 million. When added the figures with the previous three years it...
“A3 Surfaces has designed a process that incorporates and seals an antimicrobial agent in aluminium. We were topical before COVID-19, we are even more today.” - Dr. Guy Leblanc, Vice-President and Medical Advisor - A3 Surfaces
A3 Surfaces, a start-up based in Saguenay, Quebec, developed a ground-breaking technology that can transform aluminium products into antimicrobial surfaces capable of eliminating the risks of bacterial and viral disease transmission in a matter of seconds to a few minutes. Applying this technology in hospitals, public transports and other public areas could help prevent the next pandemic. Alcircle: What’s your initial thought about the impact of COVID-19 on the global aluminium value chain? Dr Guy Leblanc : We believe the impact, in the long run, will be negligible in regard of the COVID-19. The impact on aluminium business will mainly be related to the change of paradigm in transportation (Autonomous EV) and in a more durable building with more efficient HVAC and insulation. The...
The “COVID-19” crisis: Kaiser Aluminum predicts fall in value-added revenue from the airlines sector
Kaiser Aluminium the American aluminium producer slashes its 2020 revenue forecast from the airline industry. The aluminium company has dropped its forecast for revenue from the commercial airline industry this year as a sharp decline in air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a slip down effect across the industry. The US aluminium firm is considered as an essential business organisation in the country. It forecast that its commercial aerospace value-added revenue might fall approx. 20-25% in 2020 compared with record levels last year. During the normal market scenario, commercial aerospace denotes roughly 33% of Kaiser’s consolidated value-added revenue. In 2019, the company reported a value-added revenue of $856 million. Kaiser produces value-added plate, sheet and extruded...
Longacre invests in Bristol-based aluminium foil re-winder firm “Prowrap”
Prowrap, the Bristol-based professional re-winder and manufacturer of aluminium foil has secured investment from Longacre Group. The deal incorporates Longacre will be funding both brands within the Prowrap portfolio – Procare and Wrapex – and would be maintaining the long-term future of the business in Bristol. Longacre has been investing in small and medium-sized companies across the UK and Europe has backed Prowrap’s existing management team led by CEO Nick Scoon. The deal was initiated and led by corporate finance partner Mark Naughton and director Alex Sargeant at specialist business advisory firm FRP. Headquartered in Fishponds, Bristol, Procare specialises in high-quality hair foils, innovative dispensing systems and alternative colour placement systems, and supplies to the hair...
The Italian aluminium closure company Guala Closures appoints financial advisor
Guala Closures Group, the Italian MNC has more than 4,700 employees and operates in 5 continents through 30 production plants and markets its products in over 100 countries. Guala Closures S.p.A., the world leader in the production aluminium closures for wines and one of the major global producers and distributors of aluminium closures for the beverage industry, announces that it has appointed Rothschild & Co as financial advisor to the Company's Board of Directors in the voluntary partial tender offer promoted on a part of its shares by Special Packaging Solutions Investment S.à r.l. In line with market practice for similar transactions, Rothschild & Co will provide assistance and technical- financial support to the Board of Directors of Guala Closures as regards the activities and...
Philippines Aluminium Plates, Sheets & Strips import market during 2017-19 records growth: 2020 projection reflects enterprising
The Philippines, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia situated in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of about 7,641 islands. A newly industrialized country, the Philippine economy has been transitioning from one based upon agriculture to an economy with more emphasis upon services and manufacturing. The aluminium plates, sheets & strips import market of the Philippines has shown record growth during 2017-19, as the total import volume stood at 56,333 tonnes, while the foreign revenue expended was $213.80 million. The import projection for 2020 has been analyzed much more enterprising than the previous three years, as the volume of import might reach 22,917 tonnes and the cost might increase to $106.22 million. When the 2020 import volume and cost is added to the past three years,...
Aluminium multi-hull catamaran named Seventh Heaven Fiji aims to roll-out from July’20
Seventh Heaven Fiji is a floating platform featuring a restaurant and bar along with leisure facilities on board. The floating day club will be located near Malolo Island in the Mamanuca group, when it is launched as Fiji’s latest floating pontoon with a current target of July’20. Sanjay Kumar Deo, GM, Seventh Heaven Fiji said: “The uncertainty of current times propelled them to work harder and ensure business operated as usual. Our whole team is working extremely hard in the background to ensure we are all ready to go when restrictions are lifted.” Seventh Heaven Fiji employs 15 staffs and might increase to over 40 employees when it is in full operation. The Seventh Heaven Fiji floating platform offers all the modern comforts of a home setting. Owned by a private consortium, the project...
Aluminum Association acclaims USITC’s unanimous preliminary verdict on imports of common Aluminum alloy sheet
On 22 nd April’20, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) made a unanimous preliminary determination that unfairly-traded imports of common alloy aluminium sheet from Bahrain, Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Republic of Korea, Oman, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, and Turkey are causing injury to U.S. producers. The preliminary injury determination means that the antidumping and countervailing duty cases against imports from those countries, which the Commerce Department commenced on 30 th March’20, will proceed. The Commerce Department’s preliminary countervailing duty determinations are currently due to be completed on 3 rd June’20, and the preliminary antidumping duty determinations are due to be completed on 17 th...
The “Corona” impact: ALVANCE British Aluminium smelter in Lochaber to lay-off workers
ALVANCE British Aluminium has confirmed plans to lay-off 30 to 40 of its workers at the Lochaber smelter in Fort William in response to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic. The company stated that it is closely tracking the impact of the pandemic and has been adjusting operations to address the challenges caused by the coronavirus situation, with the safety of its 140 employees as its top priority. All precautionary measures have been taken at the smelter and hydropower station to make certain that the welfare of those working on-site – including additional hygiene measures and guidelines to maximise social distancing. Alvanche said from a business perspective: “The smelter has been adjusting production to meet the demand for aluminium, which has been impacted by what it described as a...
The “COVID-19” pandemic: Motorola Solutions supports Rio Tinto’s Aluminium business for communication link-up
Motorola Solutions is supporting Rio Tinto to pursue delivery towards its consumers while safeguarding people and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The two multinational companies have joined hands to design and roll-out a back-up communications solution for Rio Tinto Aluminium’s Integrated Operations Centre (IOC), in Brisbane, Queensland. The system empowers endured critical communications amid mines during an emergency and was developed and deployed in just five days. The existing IOC provides 24/7 monitoring of all safety, production and quality aspects at remote bauxite mine sites in Weipa, Queensland and Gove, Northern Territory and is essential to coordinating Rio Tinto’s bauxite supply to Australian alumina plants and export markets. If the IOC link becomes unreachable for...
Iran looks to upsurge aluminium production to a new dimension: A new project in the southern part is bracing
A new aluminium project is to set in motion in the southern part of Iran and this will upsurge the nation’s production size to 785,000 tonnes. Reza Rahmani, Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade said: “The project has come with a price tag of more than $1.2 billion and will see 300,000 tonnes of aluminium ingots produced.” The project is located at Lamerd in Iran’s southern province of Fars and it has been completed. The minister also stated that cutting-edge technology has been incorporated into the project, considering that a whole variety of products will be exported as well. Rahmani also said: “When operational, the factory will employ 1,500 people directly and 5,000 others indirectly.” The minister was very much clear to announce that the majority of the workforce has been...
“COVID-19” effect: FIMI urge Govt. of India to abolish export duty on non-metallurgical grade Bauxite
FIMI, the mining body of India, stated that as COVID-19 has hit all sectors, so they have urged the government of India to remove the 15% export duty on non-metallurgical grade bauxite. The shipments of this grade bauxite can bring in additional revenues for the exchequer. Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) stated in a letter to Finance Minister of India, Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman: "The spread of COVID-19 pandemic has created an extraordinary and unprecedented situation in the country impacting mining of all minerals including production and exports of bauxite from the state of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Under the current critical situation, the export of non-plant grade bauxite can play a vital role in bringing additional revenue to the country’s exchequer.” The plant grade...
Chile’s Aluminium foil import market during 2017-20 remains unsettled
Chile a long, narrow country stretching along South America's western edge, with more than 6,000km of Pacific Ocean coastline. The economy of Chile is a high-income economy as ranked by the World Bank, and is considered one of South America's most prosperous nations, leading Latin American nations in competitiveness, income per capita, globalization, economic freedom, and low perception of corruption. The aluminium foil market import market of Chile has remained very much unsettled, though the total export during 2017-19 has been recorded at 82,198 tonnes, whereas $271.70 million has been expended for the import during the phase. The estimated volume of import for 2020 has been analysed at 24,001 tonnes and foreign revenue expenditure might reach to $79.72 million, when added both the...
Aluminium scrap shortage: Panic growing among European aluminium alloy producers
The aluminium scrap shortage panic has grown among the European aluminium alloy producers as they envisaged their pricing levels onwards the resumption of some automotive operations this week. As manufacturers like Volvo and Volkswagen has declared a restricted resumption of their facilities last week, significantly the alloy producers have countered by planning returns of their own. A Western European-based alloy producer said: "We restarted some production on 20 th April’20, to deliver to the auto companies that have restarted. We will have a clearer picture by mid-May. We do not yet know if we will be at 50% capacity or 80% or even 100%." Europe's automotive plants remain closed mostly, but any further resumption will bring a prompt response from alloy producers. Another...
RUSAL’s bauxite operation shut down propels Oldendorff carriers to “adieu” Guyana
Oldendorff Carriers Guyana Inc (OCGI), headquartered in Germany, declared the closure of its transhipment service in Guyana, post-Rusal’s majority-owned Bauxite Company closed down its operation. As a result of this decision, more than 130 workers were sent home. On 21 st April’20, Oldendorff Carriers Guyana Inc. said: “Unfortunately, OCGI’s customer in Guyana has decided to suspend and mothball its operation in Guyana and thus not to extend the operational contract with OCGI. Consequently, OCGI is forced to wind down operations in Guyana.” OCGI has been performing a barging and transhipments operation for bauxite exports on the Berbice River since 2005, but Oldendorff decided to wind up operations in Guyana after RUSAL sent home about 300 workers due to an unresolved labour dispute and...
Aluminij Mostar: Bosnian Aluminium smelter’s debt amounts $166 million
Isaac M. Tamir, Chairman of the T. T. Abraham Group, stated: “Mostar’s Aluminum Debt does not apply to the new Aluminum Industries Company, HZHB Elektroprivreda utility company stated that the payment of the electricity consumed debt is an integral part of Mostar’s restructuring plan." Elektroprivreda HZ HB reminds that Mostar’s debt to this company amounts to almost $166 million and that the last payment for this debt was received by Elektroprivreda HZ HB during the last year. <iframe width="500" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JxeeqCAN4GU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> Elektroprivreda HZHB stated: “Aluminum Mostar’s debt does not call into question the survival and operation of...
