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.
CBAM implication may cause ripple effect in the aluminium trade
A preliminary agreement between the European Parliament and Council on a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to combat carbon leakage would have implications for the aluminium trade. The provisional agreement of a transitional phase might be in place by October, but it still needs to be confirmed and approved by EU member states and the European Parliament. The CBAM is intended to strengthen the EU's Emission Trading System (ETS) and contribute to the bloc's aim of reducing carbon emissions by 55 per cent by 2030 and leading to net zero by 2050. CBAM is how the European Commission describes it “landmark tool to put a fair price on the carbon emitted during the production of carbon-intensive goods entering the EU and to encourage cleaner industrial production in non-EU countries”....
Aluminum-intensive vehicles should be part of LMDV fleets: Alumobility
A recent study reveals that aluminium-intensive Last-Mile Delivery Vehicles (LMDVs) offer considerable benefits for lightweight and cost-savings in addition to lowering carbon footprint, according to Alumobility, a global association dedicated to advancing the adoption of aluminium by automakers. As e-commerce expands, the logistics sector plans to deploy substantial LMDV fleets and choose aluminium as the best material to meet market demands while meeting cost, sustainability, and performance goals. Alumobility is a global ecosystem of leading aluminium producers and downstream technology partners that supports automotive manufacturers in creating lighter, safer, more innovative and more sustainable vehicles. The non-profit association was founded to focus on technical studies to advance...
Aluminium usage in cars spikes as electrification takes off in the automotive sector
According to a recent study commissioned by European Aluminium, the voice of the aluminium industry in Europe and completed by Ducker Carlisle, a global consulting and M&A advisory company with an unrivalled continuum of insights, benchmarking, and strategy solutions has found that the average quantity of aluminium used in European cars rose by 18 per cent from 174 kg in 2019 to 205 kg in 2022. The report predicts that this trend will continue, with the average amount of aluminium in a car rising from 205 kg in 2022 to 237 kg by 2026 (+15.6 per cent) and 256 kg by 2030 (+24.9 per cent). According to the survey, the automotive industry's move towards lightweighting and electrification is generating a large growth in aluminium content. Electric vehicles, in particular, add to this...
Nexans launches France's first low-carbon power grid cable
The Paris headquartered global cable and optical fibre company Nexans is introducing the French market's first low-carbon distribution grid cables. The Group has reduced the greenhouse gas emissions of its low- and medium-voltage cables by 35 per cent to 50 per cent, depending on the product, by using a holistic approach throughout the value chain and the cable life cycle. Nexans has played a crucial role in the electrification of the planet and has been committed to electrifying the future. This deal is based on an assurance to manufacturing the cables using low-carbon aluminium, recycled plastic, as well as renewable or decarbonized energy sources. All participants in the chain will have access to the CO 2 data of these cables, allowing them to keep track of and reduce their carbon...
Key highlights from the global aluminium value chain, April 2023
Global non-ferrous metal prices, including aluminium, witnessed a downfall in April 2023. Despite the fall of aluminium inventories in LME warehouses and also China, prices still remained on the downtrend. The resumption of the Chinese economy during the latter part of the year 2022 anticipated positivity to the industrial market, but the economic slowdown of the Chinese market has resulted, to an extent, in the downfall of the prices. The production cut in China's Yunnan province continues due to the hydropower crisis, as the region has not received sufficient rain as it used to. Weather experts have forecasted this might continue for the year. Inflation and the fear of recession in the Western world might also cause low demand. Sustainability remains a crucial subject in the global...
Iconic Italian auto brand Alfa Romeo launched its PHEV version
The century-old iconic Italian luxury and high-performance car manufacturer Alfa Romeo is on the path of rapid transformation, with bold plans for the classic Italian brand – which observed its 113th anniversary in 2023, to be entirely electric by 2027, following the road to a zero-carbon future. The Tonale SUV debuted in 2022, driven by a 1.5-litre petrol engine with mild-hybrid technology. However, Alfa has now released a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version, significantly boosting the Tonale's performance. The PHEV is a significant feature when considering the possibility of increased efficiency and pure electric driving. A six-speed automatic gearbox with huge aluminium metal paddle shifters. A 180hp 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine powers the new Tonale's front wheels. A 90kW electric...
Non-ferrous metal prices entered the negative territory in Week 17
In the 17 th week of 2023, non-ferrous metals prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) stayed negative. However, despite modest transactions, the market started to decline. All major non-ferrous metal stocks at LME-registered warehouses decreased by up to 2.9 per cent week over week. But copper increased by 24.4% to 64,550 tonnes. The dollar index, which evaluates the dollar's value concerning a basket of six foreign currencies, was at 101.67, remaining steady from the previous week. In March, people's income in the United States increased by 0.3 per cent or $67.9 billion, and their disposable income increased by 0.4 per cent or $71.7 billion. People spent slightly more money, with personal consumption rising by less than 0.1 per cent or $8.2 billion. The price of goods and services...
Moving towards net zero, automakers emphasize sustainability: Technology Professional
A senior executive from one of the American multinational auto majors stated that the conflict would be more about talent than technology. He quoted the lines while discussing using engineering skills in a disruptive period with rising industry player competition. In a recent interview, one of the top Indian technology executives who has been in the industry for almost four decades and attached to the country’s major automaker said whatever technological progressions in the previous decade will be and have been avant-garde in the automobile sector. He added that the coming ten years would be much more challenging but would be stuffed with opportunities and an exciting phase for the global auto sector. While talking about the customer’s viewpoint, he said customers are growing more...
Azizi Developments ropes formwork specialist Peri for the Beachfront project
The leading and award-winning developer based in Dubai, UAE, Azizi Developments has partnered with Peri, the German manufacturer and supplier of formwork and scaffolding systems, for its Beachfront 1 project, which is regarded as a crucial component of its upscale waterfront Riviera project. Beachfront 1 is a three 14-story complex in MBR City that offers 252 studios, 84 one- and two-bedroom residences, and 19 retail spaces for 439 units. PERI has one of the world's most comprehensive ranges of formwork systems, not to mention a wealth of expertise in the formwork business. PERI, a family-owned company, has been in the market for over 50 years and has always been a trendsetter regarding formwork technology. According to the latest AlCircle industry-focused report, ' Global Aluminium...
Honda to launch dedicated EV platform by 2025, good news for the aluminium sector
The Japanese multinational automobile conglomerate Honda has officially announced that they are developing a specialized electric vehicle platform. The future EV platform is planned to give birth to a mid to large-size model, with a global delivery date of 2025. During a recent presentation on the company's future objectives, the senior executive of the auto giant shared this excellent news. Electric vehicles (EVs) have brought big-time attention to the global aluminium industry. Each EV uses about 250 kg of aluminium worldwide on average. The EV sector is very much for metal aluminium since it is not only one of the most affordable materials but also one of the lightest. It helps lower the structure's overall weight while preserving strength. For instance, the Tesla car models use about...
Rio Tinto acquires Platina Scandium Project in Australia
The global mining and metal giant Rio Tinto has entered into a binding agreement to acquire the Platina Scandium Project, a high-grade scandium resource in New South Wales, from Platina Resources Limited for $14 million. The project, located in central New South Wales close to Condobolin, includes a long-life, high-grade scalable resource that has the potential to produce up to 40 tonnes of scandium oxide annually for a projected 30 years. Scandium is one of the best elements for strengthening aluminium while improving flexibility and heat and corrosion resistance. As a result, it is employed to make high-performance aluminium alloys for various uses that call for lightweight, robust, and heat-resistant materials, such as 3D printing, aerospace, automotive, heat exchangers, sporting...
Negative trends continue in non-ferrous metal prices
The London Metal Exchange (LME) for non-ferrous metal prices kept falling, as recorded on April 25, 2023. The three-month contract for aluminium futures fell 1.9 per cent to $2,335/t. To $2,600/t, zinc prices decreased by 2.6 per cent. Lead prices dropped 1.7 per cent to $2,106/t. The price of nickel decreased by 5 per cent to $23,341/t. The price of copper futures dipped 2.3 per cent to close at $8,528/t. In March 2023, the year-on-year (y-o-y) increase in Australia's monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 6.3 per cent, a decrease from the 6.8 per cent rise witnessed in February 2023. This figure was also lower than the market anticipation of 6.5 per cent. The drop represented the third consecutive month of declining annual inflation and marked the "slowest growth rate" since May 2022....
Constellium to supply closed-loop recycling for Megane E-TECH Electric, a move toward sustainable automotive aluminium solutions
On April 27, 2023, Constellium SE, the global leader in developing and manufacturing high-value-added aluminium products and solutions and aluminium recycling, announced its agreement with Renault Group to establish a closed-loop recycling process for the all-new Megane E-TECH Electric. Lightweight and fully recyclable aluminium is the material of choice for the automotive fleet's electrification. Constellium is well-positioned to support this transition with advanced products and solutions. Renault Group has created a closed-loop recycling mechanism that directs manufacturing scrap from the stamping process back to Constellium, resulting in a lower CO 2 footprint. Based on best practices at Renault Group to avoid combining 5xxx and 6xxx alloys and compact scrap for optimal logistics, the...
Chinese automaker Geely's EV brand Zeekr turn to join the Gigapress club
The Chinese multinational automotive company Geely's EV brand Zeekr is the latest to use Tesla's "Gigapress" die-casting method to reduce the cost of electric cars. Jiang Kehong, the Chief of Zeekr's manufacturing technology, said, "Chinese carmaker had started using massive aluminium die casts to make a large rear underbody section of its Zeekr 009 six-seat, multipurpose van (MPV)." "The technique had helped Zeekr eliminate almost 800 welding points, cut defects, made the car lighter, and boosted its structural stiffness, improving the ride of the MPV which went on sale in China this year. In the future, Zeekr will use giga-casting technology on more models." Zeekr's switch to the Gigapress method coincides with Chinese rival Xpeng's adoption of a new vehicle platform technology that...
China's aluminium production rose by 3% y-o-y in March despite production cuts in Yunnan
The aluminium production in China for the rest of the months of 2023 might need to be clarified. Although, when compared to the same month last year, China's primary aluminium output escalated by 3 per cent in March. The growth was more sedated than in earlier months. However, this did provide some relief, as the future of output and the price of aluminium globally appears less promising. The Yunnan province of China , which produces around 12 per cent of China's total aluminium capacity, has seen a string of power outages that have hampered production. In fact, due to insufficient rainfall since September 2022 of the previous year, Yunnan has had problems with its electricity output. The aluminium smelters in the region are still constrained by these power problems, which decelerate...
Aluminium grain refiner MQP crowned best importer-exporter at the 2023 BizX Awards
Following a year of phenomenal development, MQP, the specialist in high-efficiency grain refiners, which lower costs and eradicate flaws like razor streaks in aluminium alloys, has won a worldwide business award. At the 2023 BizX Awards at London's ExCel, TV sports commentator Gabby Logan gave the Best Import/Export award to Midlands-based MQP. It's been a year of spectacular success for the family-run Solihull firm, which has raised tonnage by more than 30 per cent and earnings by more than 600 per cent in 2022. The award was presented to MQP for the efficient way it transports its aluminium grain refiner, a crucial component necessary in casting sheets and billets for anything from kitchen foil to automobile roof panels in order to prevent cracks and flaws. John Courtenay, the Chairman...
Recycleye and MSS partner up to revolutionize waste sorting
Recycleye, a pioneering British technology business, and MSS Inc., a prominent US optical sorting equipment manufacturer, have established a North American strategic alliance to combine their capabilities and offer innovative technologies to the waste sorting and recycling sectors. The dependable MSS, Inc. optical sorting system has incorporated Recycleye AI technology to create a formidable new family of products announced today as MSS Vivid (Visually Verified Identification) AI. This novel method is distinctive among the available AI identification and extraction options. It blends potent Recycleye AI vision systems with reliable MSS air ejection system capabilities to sort material at the maximum volume. Recycling equipment can run at incredible belt speeds, process more waste, and...
Going green, BMW to use 50% recycled materials for future cars
The German multinational manufacturer of luxury vehicles, BMW Group, has announced a new initiative called "Car2Car", which eyes to increase the number of recycled materials utilized in new models to 50 per cent. According to reports, the German automaker is working to escalate the quality of secondary material obtained from "end-of-life" automobiles. BMW is collaborating with numerous partners from the recycling industry and the scientific community to accomplish this. In addition, the luxury automobile manufacturer received 6.4 million euros from Germany's Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action. However, the funds will be used to investigate how materials such as aluminium, steel, copper, glass, and plastic may be repurposed more sustainably. A total of 500 end-of-life...
