AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
Alcoa focuses on community and environmental engagement in wake of mine plan review
Alcoa's planned expansion of production in Pinjarra Alumina Refinery and bauxite mining at its current Huntly Mine in Western Australia's Darling Range has provoked a series of town hall meetings with the community, which start this week. The company is responding by citing its decades-long history of environmental management and policy reforms over the past few years as proof of its commitment to best-practice operations. Image source: wikipedia Alcoa's planned expansion of production in Pinjarra Alumina Refinery and bauxite mining at its current Huntly Mine in Western Australia's Darling Range has provoked a series of town hall meetings with the community, which start this week. The company is responding by citing its decades-long history of environmental management and policy reforms...
The green metal push of Australia gains momentum with the CSIRO–HILT CRC joint alliance
In the Green Metals Innovation Network (GMIN), the Australian Government has funded a USD 10 million initiative to enhance the collaboration in industry research. It would help Australia’s ambition of achieving the lead position in the production of green metals with the Green Metals Innovation Network (GMIN). Green metals are mainly comprised of metals that are sustainably produced, like iron, steel, alumina, and aluminium. Image source: LinkedIn The 'Team Australia' approach is led by CSIRO, which is Australia’s national science agency, along with HILT CRC (Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre) and GMIN, which would help in the development of green metals in Australia’s aluminium sector. The nation’s economy in the future will mainly revolve around the...
ASI certifies Nemak S.A.B de C.V against Performance Standard V3
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) today announced that Nemak Dillingen GmbH and Nemak Dillingen Casting GmbH & Co. KG have been certified against the ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022). The certified operations produce aluminium components for the automotive industry, including engine blocks and e-engine housings. Production processes at the site include core package systems with gravity casting, heat treatment, and further processing. The ASI Certification program was developed through an extensive multi-stakeholder consultation process and is the only comprehensive voluntary sustainability standard initiative for the aluminium value chain. The ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022) was launched in May 2022 following a multi-year revision process. It defines 11 principles and 62...
ERG to start production of gallium in Kazakhstan, redefining the critical mineral supply chain
In a step to change the global critical minerals map, Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) will start producing gallium in Kazakhstan next year with an investment of USD 20 million. With the commitment to make Kazakhstan the second-largest supplier of the critical metal in the world and to respond to the West's demand for a diversified supply chain, ERG will start the project at its current alumina production facilities. Production will begin in 2026. ERG will be mining gallium as a byproduct of its bauxite ore, which it already produces at its "Aluminium of Kazakhstan" facility, among the largest of its type in the world. This synergy enables ERG to access a key source of supply without having to open up new mines, and in so doing, provides it with a major cost advantage. The firm aims to...
Oman's OAPIL achieves major ASI certification for sustainable production
Oman Aluminium Processing Industries SPC’s (OAPIL) commitment to ethical production has now been independently validated. It has recently achieved certification for the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative's (ASI) Performance Standard V3.1 (2023). This high-profile certification covers the company’s Sohar Industrial Park facility, which is a pillar of Oman's industrialisation. The scope of the certification covers OAPIL's major activities: manufacturing of aluminium rods and overhead line conductors. These are major materials used for the global power transmission sector. The factory has an annual capacity of producing 56,000 tonnes of aluminium rods and some 22,000 kilometres of overhead conductors, with clients in over 45 countries. This certification adds to the many OAPIL has already...
Clean-up effort: Coca-Cola and Samoan Recyclers report the collection of 80,000 glass bottles and aluminium cans
It has been reported that over 80,000 used PET bottles and aluminium cans have been gathered through the initiative of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) and the Samoa and Tokelau Association of Recyclers (S.T.A.R.)’s initiative, launched this month. It is a pilot project in Central Apia for about three months, where it encourages the consumers to return all the used beverage cans and bottles, for which they would be getting a return of 5 sene. It is assumed by the S.T.A.R. and CCEP that it would help to recycle the scrap from the Tafaigata Landfill. While S.T.A.R. is assigned the task of collecting the used cans, the CCEP mainly focuses on exporting the collected cans for recycling purposes. Image source: Pooraka Bottle & Can The main motivation behind this initiative is to spread...
Forging the future: VNIT and JNARDDC host landmark aluminium casting and heat treatment workshop
With a view to reducing the gap between industrial practice and academics, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) and the Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC) successfully hosted a two-day aluminium metallurgy workshop at VNIT and JNARDC campuses. The workshop was held on June 21-22 and witnessed the presence of industry professionals, researchers, and academia, reflecting an endeavour of collective unity in improving India's manufacturing capability. The workshop, 'Aluminium – Metallurgy and Advanced Techniques in Casting and Heat Treatment (AL-MATCH)', was a fusion of experience and in-depth scientific know-how. Over 75 delegates from manufacturers, foundries, and extrusion houses gathered at the two campuses in Nagpur. Though similar...
Vedanta Lanjigarh’s ‘Scrap to Sculpture’ movement turns waste into a canvas for sustainability
In the red-dust heartland of Lanjigarh, India, where bauxite is transformed into smelter-grade alumina, Vedanta Aluminium is quietly scripting a different kind of transformation, and this time, not in the refinery, but in how industry reimagines waste. At the Lanjigarh plant, a spirited scrap art sculpture competition recently unfolded. Image source: Youtube (Krishna Tech & Electri) Hosted by Vedanta Lanjigarh, a critical cog in Vedanta Aluminium’s downstream value chain, a competition invited employees and business partners to team up and repurpose industrial scrap into striking works of art. Not a mere display of aesthetic flair, each sculpture, curated and created under the leadership of departmental heads, became a living testament to the plant’s ethos that sustainability isn’t a...
“In aluminium extrusion, maintaining consistent thermal stability is essential to avoid product defects, de-stress, and increased rejection rates,” Soumo Roy, Director of Business Development at Tempcon
Soumo Roy is the Director of Business Development at Tempcon, where he leads global marketing initiatives and oversees end-to-end execution of industrial process cooling projects. An electrical engineer by qualification, he brings over 20 years of industry experience in delivering advanced cooling solutions for sectors such as steel, power, and mining. Soumo has played a pivotal role in expanding Tempcon’s international presence by driving exports and ensuring the delivery of custom-engineered systems designed around each client's specific process, load, and operational requirements. His strategic approach and technical insight continue to position Tempcon as a trusted name in the process cooling industry across India, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. AL Circle: Congratulations on the...
14.7% Y-o-Y spurt in China’s aluminium imports in May as green sector demand booms
China’s wrought and unwrought aluminium imports in May 2025 displayed a reverse pattern compared to April. In May, imports rose year-on-year but declined month-on-month, while April had shown the opposite — higher imports than the previous month but lower than the same period in 2024. According to the General Administration of Customs, China’s wrought and unwrought aluminium imports in May 2025 were 350,000 tonnes, up by 14.7 per cent in May and down by 5.4 per cent from 370,000 tonnes. In contrast, the import volume in April , standing at 350,000 tonnes, was up by 2.94 per cent M-o-M from 340,000 tonnes but down by 7.89 per cent from 380,000 tonnes. In the first five months of 2025, China’s wrought and unwrought aluminium imports totalled 1.67 million tonnes, down by 12.08 per cent from...
Toyo Seikan and Coca-Cola win top accolade for innovative lightweight can
Global beverage giant The Coca-Cola Company and leading packaging manufacturer Toyo Seikan have jointly received the Research and Development Category prize at the 49th Kinoshita Award, hosted by the Japan Packaging Technology Association. The recognition comes for their groundbreaking achievement in developing the world’s lightest, most innovatively designed can for the 185g Georgia-brand coffee, launched in April 2024. The award celebrates the duo’s success in reducing material usage by 13 per cent compared to conventional cans of the same size, reducing the can body weight from 7.0 grams to an incredible 6.1 grams. This remarkable feat was made possible by Toyo Seikan’s proprietary Compression Bottom Reform (CBR) technology, which enhances can strength while minimising aluminium use....
“Taking weight out of products is a key driver and this is something that aluminium can do, with our R&D teams working tirelessly with existing and new customers to look at where we can introduce our material into their products,” Adam Hunter, Deputy General Manager, Bridgnorth Aluminium
In this interview, Adam Hunter, the Deputy General Manager at Bridgnorth Aluminium has outlined the company’s key sustainability initiatives aimed at reducing their environmental footprint. He explained that the company already remelts all of its own production scrap, ensuring that aluminium waste from their processes is fully recycled and reused. In an interview for the e-Magazine " World of ALuminium Flat Rolled Products " , Adam Hunter has also highlighted the company’s plan to further increase the use of recycled aluminium by incorporating more scrap material into their production. Additionally, the company captures excess heat from its casthouse operations and repurposes it for other parts of the facility, improving overall energy efficiency. Bridgnorth Aluminium also partners with a...
Building tomorrow’s aircraft: Constellium unveils advanced aluminium solutions at 2025 Paris Air Show
The 2025 Paris Air Show, started on June 16 at Le Bourget, is going beyond just showcasing aerospace wonders – it marks a key point for big players in the aluminium industry. Constellium's spot at Chalet B47 highlights the event’s dual focus on cutting-edge technology and green practices. Image source: Numix Core innovation: Airware® and sustainable performance At one of the most prestigious aerospace events, Constellium is showcasing its Airware® aluminium-lithium alloy, a unique solution created to build next-generation aircraft and spacecraft. Airware® excels with its high strength-to-weight ratio, lower density, and strong resistance to fatigue and corrosion. These characteristics make it perfect to construct lighter planes that use less fuel and produce fewer emissions. For a company...
“Our global position enables us to supply a vast range of industries, including the LNG tanks industry, food packaging machines, firefighting trucks, cryogenic tanks, windmills, land army vehicles…” Vincenzo ZINNI, Niche Fusina Rolled Products S.r.L.
Vincenzo Zinni, CEO of Fusina since 2022, is steering the company toward market leadership through strategic investments and production enhancements. With a strong background in metal trading, he is focused on driving excellence, quality and reliability across key sectors such as marine, transport, silos and defence. In an exclusive interview for e-Magazine " World of Aluminium Flat Rolled Products ", Vincenzo shared his thoughts on current challenges and technologies bringing changes in the FRP sector globally. AL Circle: How do you foresee the market for aluminium flat-rolled products evolving over the next five years? What key market trends are you monitoring, and how does Niche Fusina plan to adapt to these changes? Vincenzo ZINNI: Aluminium flat-rolled products will increase in...
“Our Vortex 2.0 furnaces are always bespoke and designed to consider individual project requirements like the size of the load, production output, process parameters requirements like the temperature profile, client plant layout, etc.” Piotr Skarbiński, SECO/WARWICK
Piotr Skarbinski is the Vice President of the Controlled Atmosphere Brazing (CAB) and Aluminium Process business segment at SECO/WARWICK S.A., overseeing advanced thermal processing solutions for the aluminium flat-rolled product industry. With decades of experience, he plays a key role in driving innovation and global leadership in CAB and aluminium heat treatment technologies. In an interview for the e-Magazine " World of ALuminium Flat Rolled Products ", Skarbinski sheds light upon innovative technological advancement posing with real-time benefits in the aluminium FRP sector. AL Circle: What distinguishes SECO/WARWICK’s heat treatment systems from its aluminium processing industry competitors? Piotr Skarbinski: A few years ago, we came to the conclusion that it was possible to develop...
“Our products help our customers optimise quality, productivity, and yield by measuring and controlling them accurately throughout their processes,” Marko Sydénlammi, Global Product Line Manager Flatness Systems, ABB
Marko Sydänlammi is the Global Product Line Manager for Flatness Systems at ABB Measurement & Analytics. With over 33 years of experience across product management, operations, engineering and sales, he has worked extensively in the battery, metals, paper and converting industries. At ABB, he oversees the end-to-end growth and development of flatness systems, focusing on portfolio management, footprint analysis, and business strategy. Marko holds a Master of Science in Mechanics and Computer Science from Linköping University, Sweden. In an interview for e-Magazine The World of ALuminium Flat Rolled Products , Marko Sydänlammi talks about innovative solutions to measure flatness, thickness and tension that hold the key to enhance accuracy, reliability and longevity in the FRP sector. AL...
Viva ACP earns EPD certification, setting new sustainability standards in aluminium composite panel industry
Viva Composite Panel Pvt. Ltd., Asia’s leading manufacturer of aluminium composite panels (ACP), has reportedly secured the prestigious Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certification for its ACP products. Recognised globally under the International EPD® System, this certification underscores Viva’s commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible manufacturing. Image source: Viva ACP The certification also verifies that up to 95% of the aluminium and 90% of the polyethylene core in Vivas panels are recyclable and this emphasises the product is consistent with circular economy principles. Thus, it positions Viva as a trusted supplier for architects and developers seeking certified materials for sustainable construction projects, including those aligned with LEED, BREEAM,...
“In addition to supporting downstream industries, producers of flat rolled aluminium are also looking to improve the sustainability of their own operations,” Peter De Bruyne, Quaker Houghton
Peter De Bruyne, Global Business Director, Non-Ferrous at Quaker Houghton, has a wealth of knowledge and expertise from his career spanning three decades in the aluminium industry. He has shared through his candid interview with AL Circle for ‘The Modern World of Aluminium Flat-Rolled Products’ e-magazine on the fundamentals of rolling fluid and how he has helped shape the future of aluminium rolling, determining the strategic direction of Quaker Houghton. AL Circle: Could you provide a brief overview of the function of rolling fluids in flat rolled aluminium production? Peter De Bruyne: During the rolling process, rolling fluids serve to lubricate, cool, and remove aluminium fines from the strip surface. For cold rolling, this is usually achieved with kerosene-based oil supported by...
