AlCircle News Edited By "Sarnali Chakraborty"
Sarnali Chakraborty is a content writer with 2 years of experience. She has written articles on various genres like technical, creative, medical, to name some. Here in Alcircle she will be curating articles on the metal industry, writing newsletters and other online and offline content.
India-based plastic recycler Ganesh Ecosphere champions renewable energy with new solar facility
In a bold step to slash soaring power costs and fast-track its green journey, Ganesha Ecosphere, one of India’s leading plastic recyclers, has commissioned a 5 MW rooftop solar power system at its Telangana facility. Executed by Solluz Energy, the project will feature Trina 595 Wp solar modules, Sungrow inverters, and sturdy aluminium mounting structures for long-term performance. By tapping into the solar energy sector, the company will offset a large chunk of its energy demand, translating into annual savings of INR 51.5 million (USD 590,179) and a swift payback period of just 3.5 years. The system is projected to generate substantial cost savings while reducing the company’s carbon footprint and strengthening its commitment to renewable energy. It will also ease reliance on grid power,...
Insolation Green scales up with solar cell plant & aluminium frame manufacturing unit
Insolation Green Energy, a fully owned arm of Insolation Energy, has kickstarted construction on a game-changing renewable project in Madhya Pradesh. The company is setting up a massive 4.5 GW solar cell plant alongside an 18,000 metric tonne aluminium frame manufacturing facility in the Power and Renewable Energy Equipment Zone at Narmadapuram. Spread across 45 acres and backed by a bold investment of INR 16 billion (USD 182.7 million), the project is set to strengthen India’s green energy ambitions. It also marks a new milestone for the company, its fourth manufacturing facility and the very first to rise beyond its home turf of Rajasthan. Manish Gupta, Chairman and Whole-Time Director at Insolation Energy, highlighted that the new facility will be a game-changer, substantially boosting...
AL Circle x Marlene Johler: Europe’s aluminium scrap faces a critical test
In conversation with Marlene Johler, the Head of Sustainability & Public Affairs at Hammerer Aluminium Industries GmbH and also a lecturer of circular economy at the Technical University Vienna. She speaks about Europe’s aluminium recycling ecosystem. She highlighted that once a global benchmark for circularity and efficiency, the system is now under strain. Johler insists scrap is not just waste; it’s strategic gold. Without it, Europe cannot hope to meet the EU Green Deal’s climate targets or maintain industrial sovereignty. Other nations like India, Malaysia, China are already restrict exports to protect their industries, while Europe’s safeguards remain toothless. To know more about the industry and what Marlene Johler has to say, read the full interview. AL Circle: How would you...
H1 2025: Hulamin reports loss of 8c per share owing to its struggling extrusion business
South Africa’s aluminium supplier Hulamin has slipped into the red, battered by a stronger-than-expected rand, surging energy costs, and a flood of cheaper imports squeezing margins. Adding to the blow, the company revealed plans to offload its struggling extrusions division, which racked up a R66.8 million (USD 3.67 million) loss in the first half of 2025. The shutdown strategy limited Hulamin’s ability to pass rising costs on to customers, forcing the company to build up a stockpile of finished goods to keep the market supplied. CEO Mark Gounder said this was the company’s top priority in the first half of the year managing the planned downtime without severely denting profitability. Even so, Hulamin reported a loss of 8 cents per share for the first half of 2025, with the bulk of the...
Mozal retreat clouds outlook, but Worsley Alumina & GEMCO may reignite South32’s growth story
South32, one of the world’s most prominent diversified miners, finds itself at a critical juncture. The company is caught between the looming silence of its Mozal Aluminium smelter in Mozambique and the fresh promise of growth from its Australian assets. Together, these developments illustrate the challenges and recalibrations shaping the future of one of the sector’s most closely watched players. The decision to suspend operations at Mozal after March 2026 is a sobering one. For months, the company wrestled with the question of whether Mozambique could guarantee the competitively priced and reliable electricity supply that smelting demands. With no resolution in sight, South32 conceded that running Mozal under the proposed tariffs would render the operation “internationally...
Tight aluminium supply fuels Maybank’s bullish call on Press Metal
Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd continues to benefit from supply constraints, easing input costs, and its low-carbon edge. Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) Research has reaffirmed its “buy” rating on the company, lifting its target price (TP) by 12 per cent to RM6.34 per share from RM5.64, valuing it at 25 times earnings for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2026 (FY26). Operational performance & market overview Maybank IB Research noted that plant utilisation rose to 96–97 per cent in the second quarter of 2025 (2Q25), following the full restoration of operations at Samalaju in March 2025 after the September 2024 fire incident. While geopolitical risks could temper demand, the research house highlighted that slower supply growth of 1–1.5 per cent in 2025, compared to 3.2 per cent...
Mercedes-Benz & TSR come together to recover & reuse circular metals like aluminium into new cars
What if the cars of yesterday could power the cars of tomorrow? As the global race for raw materials accelerates and sustainability becomes the defining measure of progress, the automotive industry is rethinking how cars are built and unbuilt. Leading this reinvention, Mercedes-Benz and TSR Group are turning end-of-life vehicles into a treasure chest of resources, where aluminium, steel, copper, plastics, and glass will be recovered, refined, and used into the vehicles of the future. At the heart of this effort lies an ambitious urban mining pilot project of Mercedes-Benz and TSR Group GmbH & Co. KG, a partnership that was announced in 2024 with a strong focus on building a sustainable circular economy for end-of-life vehicles. “Our vision of sustainable mobility requires us to...
China escalates ongoing tariff battle with Canada by seeking WTO consultations
China has formally sought dispute consultations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Canada's surtaxes and quotas on aluminium and steel products, the WTO announced on Wednesday, August 20. According to the WTO notice, the contested measures include a surtax applied through tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on certain steel imports from non-free trade agreement (FTA) partners, including China. Beijing is also challenging a surtax imposed on goods containing steel or aluminium of Chinese origin. "We will not hesitate to act when our industries are threatened by unfair practices. These measures are a direct response to China's overcapacity and non-market behaviour, which are undermining Canada's steel sector and threatening Canadian jobs," said Huzaif Qaisar, a spokesman for Trade Minister...
LME aluminium rises to $2,570.5/t after 3-day fall, owing to demand hopes from China
After three consecutive days of decline from Monday to Wednesday, LME aluminium prices rebounded on Thursday, August 21, rising by USD 4 per tonne (0.15 per cent) and USD 3.5 per tonne (0.13 per cent). Why did the price increase? The growth was supported by expectations of stronger demand from the top consumer, China. Market participants also kept a close watch on US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming speech for cues on the policy outlook. According to analysts at broker Guosen Futures, anticipation of a seasonal demand recovery next month may have further lifted aluminium prices. Earlier in the week, efforts to broker an end to the geopolitical crisis had raised hopes of increased supply from Russia, putting downward pressure on aluminium prices at that time. LME price Both...
Q2 2025: Hind Aluminium reports strong revenue momentum with sales jumping 324%
Hind Aluminium, a maker of aluminium and alloy conductors and aluminium wire rods, has recently announced its financial results for the quarter ending June 2025 (Q2). The results highlight a positive shift in the company’s evaluation, with its score improving to 4 from 3 over the past three months. The company reported a sharp rise in Profit After Tax (PAT), which stood at INR 8.71 crore (USD 1.05 million), an impressive year-on-year growth of 216.73 per cent. This performance significantly outpaces the previous twelve-month period, when PAT was INR 3.00 crore (USD 360,000). A significant surge of 123.33 per cent was also recorded from INR 3.90 crore recorded in Q1 2025. Remarkably, Hind Aluminium has already exceeded its full-year PAT of the prior fiscal year within just the first six...
Steel city of India to showcase aluminium-structured pandal for 2025 Durga Puja
The festive drums have already started rolling. With only 38 days left to the much-awaited celebrations of the year, preparations for Durga Pujo have already begun in full swing. Pandals are rising like dreams in every corner, artisans are giving life to the goddess with strokes of devotion, and amidst this wave of anticipation, Agrico is stepping into the spotlight with a celebration like no other. This year, the local Durga Puja Committee in Jamshedpur has unveiled its grand plans for a one-of-a-kind pandal that will gleam with the brilliance of shining aluminium sheets, adding a modern, reflective twist to the age-old tradition. The foundation ritual, held at the Agrico Club House ground on Tuesday, August 19, was graced by committee president Y.P. Singh, general secretary Bhupendra...
Saudi’s mining sector, including bauxite & phosphate set to become nation’s 3rd economic pillar
Saudi Arabia’s mining sector is fast emerging as a cornerstone of the kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030 transformation. With SAR 246 billion (USD 66.4 billion) in committed investments and untapped mineral wealth estimated at USD 2.5 trillion, the industry is poised to become the nation’s third economic pillar, complementing oil and petrochemicals. But to unlock its true potential and remain competitive on a global scale, the sector must go beyond expansion. It must embed cost discipline, operational transparency, and financial resilience at its core. A new report from Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), Optimising Cost Control in the Industrial Sector , highlights how a culture of cost excellence could redefine the future of mining in Saudi Arabia. The report introduces a four-part strategy designed...
Easing alumina price & tariff delay to boost Press Metal’s Q2 earnings: RHB estimates
RHB Investment Bank Bhd (RHB Research) reportedly expects that Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd is projected to post a higher net profit for the second quarter (Q2) of 2025, supported by lower alumina prices. The core earnings are expected to grow Q-o-Q to between RM480 million and RM520 million, though this remains slightly below its earlier projections. During Q1 2025, the company's revenue stood at RM 3.89 billion. If we compare Y-o-Y, during Q2 2024 , Press Metal's revenue closed at RM 3.95 billion, representing a significant boost during Q2 2025. The improvement is attributed to the decline in alumina prices to USD 350 per tonne, which has reduced its alumina-to-aluminium cost ratio to 14 per cent, compared to the three-year historical average of 18 per cent. "However, this may be...
No plastic, only aluminium cans – says Fayette County officials
Every aluminium can has a second life waiting to be written. When recycled, it can be back on store shelves in as little as 60 days, saving energy, cutting waste, and keeping valuable materials out of landfills. Now, Fayette County is giving residents a simple way to be part of that cycle of renewal. Fayette County has rolled out a brand-new aluminium can recycling trailer, now parked at the corner of McDonough Road and Highway 54 in Fayetteville, right across from the fleet maintenance department entrance. Thanks to the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation, which provided the trailer at no cost, recycling aluminium cans is now as simple as a quick drop-off. Every can collected helps protect the environment while fuelling a cause that truly changes lives. The initiative is part of the...
How Australia’s alumina & ammonia companies like Rio Tinto, South32, & Orica, are plotting net-zero pathways
A new study by Market Forces has shed light on Australia’s industrial gas consumption, revealing a striking concentration of demand among a handful of facilities. According to the findings, just 10 industrial sites are responsible for more than half (50.9 per cent) of the country’s total manufacturing gas use, with alumina and ammonia leading the way. The remaining 49.1 per cent of demand is driven mainly by the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) sector, underscoring its dominant role in Australia’s energy landscape. Five ASX-listed giants, Rio Tinto, South32, Orica, Dyno Nobel, and Wesfarmers, operate six of these major gas-consuming plants. Their reliance on gas drives both operational costs and climate exposure. At the same time, these companies have begun mapping decarbonisation pathways,...
LME aluminium hits 2-week low as US widens 50% tariff; Alumina price inches up to $370.98/t
The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium prices continued its decline on Tuesday, August 19, reaching its lowest level in over two weeks, following the US decision to expand the 50 per cent import tariff. As per the price graph, both cash bid price and official settlement price dropped further by USD 14.5 per tonne or 0.56 per cent and USD 14 per tonne or 0.54 per cent to settle at USD 2,571.5 per tonne and USD 2,572.5 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price also lost USD 9 per tonne or 0.34 per cent to clock at USD 2,573 per tonne and USD 2,574 per tonne. December 26 bid price and December 26 offer price dropped to USD 2,623 per tonne and USD 2,628 per tonne, after clocking a fall of USD 7 per tonne or 0.26 per cent. LME aluminium 3-month Asian Reference Price dwindled by...
Ontario’s $1B tariff relief fund to shield businesses hit by Trump’s aluminium & steel tariffs
Ontario has introduced a USD 1-billion relief fund to support businesses hit by aluminium, steel, and auto tariffs. The initiative, called the Protect Ontario Financing Program, is part of a broader USD 5-billion tariff support package unveiled in the province’s spring budget. According to Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, the program will provide loans to help companies cover payroll, rent, and utility costs, measures aimed at preventing closures and layoffs. To qualify, businesses must be directly impacted by the specified tariffs, employ at least 10 workers, and generate minimum annual revenue of USD 2 million. Other key parameters include: Operating within the province of Ontario Having a minimum of three years of business operations and available financial statements Facing...
Nexus bids farewell to its 45-year-old metro trains, recovering valuable metals like aluminium & copper
The Tyne and Wear Metro trains, long-standing icons of the network, are being retired and recycled, just as the system celebrates its 45th anniversary. Nexus, the operator, is bidding farewell to these trusty "workhorses" as a brand-new fleet is ushered in. Nexus is the Passenger Transport Executive for Tyne and Wear, responsible for planning, delivering, and promoting public transport across North East England. At a specialist site near Bishop Auckland, the ageing carriages are dismantled, stripped open to recover valuable metals. Aluminium, in particular, takes centre stage here; it’s lightweight, endlessly recyclable, and key to creating more sustainable transport systems. Alongside copper and steel, the salvaged aluminium will be exported through regional hubs to destinations...
