AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
Meiji exits China dairy business after losses top over USD 47.2 million
Meiji Holdings is exiting its dairy business in China after agreeing to sell its drinking milk, yoghurt and business-to-business (B2B) operations to Shanghai AustAsia Food in a deal worth up to RMB 320 million (USD 47.2 million), marking a strategic shift towards higher-priority businesses, including chocolate. The transaction includes Meiji's dairy operations under Meiji (China) Investment, Meiji Dairies Tianjin and Meiji Dairies Suzhou. Before completion, Meiji will transfer the businesses into a newly established subsidiary, which will then be sold to Shanghai AustAsia Food, leaving the Japanese company with no ownership in the operations. The deal is expected to close on December 31, 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. China losses drive portfolio...
Middle East conflict reaches Indian supermarket through Diet Coke, squeezing aluminium can supply
The effects of the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict are now being felt beyond global shipping lanes, reaching supermarket shelves in India through a higher-priced Diet Coke. Supply disruptions affecting aluminium cans have prompted Coca-Cola to change its packaging strategy, illustrating how geopolitical tensions can quickly ripple through consumer goods supply chains. According to a Reuters report, commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for aluminium cans and related raw materials, was disrupted as the conflict intensified. The tighter supply forced Coca-Cola to source larger aluminium cans from Southeast Asia, increasing procurement costs. To manage those costs, the company has reportedly replaced its widely sold 300 ml Diet Coke cans priced at INR 40 with 330 ml...
Ardagh Metal Packaging raises 2026 EBITDA outlook after 14% Q2 growth
Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) reported stronger second-quarter earnings, supported by improved profitability in Europe despite a slight decline in global beverage can shipments, and raised its full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance. The company posted revenue of USD 1.71 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, up 18 per cent from USD 1.46 billion a year earlier. On a constant currency basis, revenue increased 16 per cent, reflecting higher input cost pass-through to customers and favourable volume and product mix. EBITDA exceeds guidance Adjusted EBITDA increased 14 per cent year on year to USD 240 million, exceeding the company's guidance range of USD 210-220 million. On a constant currency basis, adjusted EBITDA rose 13 per cent, primarily due to improved input cost recovery. Following...
Sonoco Q2 sales reach USD 1.9 billion as metal packaging demand improves
Sonoco Products Company reported higher second-quarter sales as gains in its industrial packaging business and improving metal packaging demand helped offset inflationary pressures and softer volumes in parts of its consumer packaging operations. The global packaging producer posted net sales of USD 1.9 billion for the quarter ended June 28, 2026. GAAP net income declined to USD 105 million, or USD 1.05 per diluted share, from USD 493 million, or USD 4.96 per diluted share, in the same period last year, when results included a USD 425 million gain from the sale of its Thermoformed and Flexibles Packaging and Trident businesses. Excluding one-off items, adjusted net income increased 10.6 per cent year on year to USD 151 million, while adjusted diluted EPS rose to USD 1.51. Metal packaging...
Primetals Technologies to supply seven TCS packages for Lidao New Energy's battery aluminium foil project
Primetals Technologies will supply rolling mill technology to Lidao New Energy for a new battery aluminium foil production facility in Wuhe County, Bengbu City, Anhui Province, China. The plant will produce battery aluminium foil for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, energy storage systems and other new energy applications. Under the contract, Primetals Technologies will provide seven TCS packages for foil rolling mills, Air Bearing ShapeMeter (ABSM) rolls and ISV spray systems to improve flatness during production. The project will also be the first commercial application of the company's ISV Electric (ISV-E) and ISV Electric Compact (ISV-EC) spray systems. According to the company, the fully electric ISV-EC system is designed specifically for aluminium foil rolling and...
CBAM pushes Brazilian aluminium and steel exporters to accelerate emissions certification
Brazilian aluminium and steel exporters are stepping up efforts to measure, verify and certify product emissions as the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) begins to influence trade with Europe. What was initially viewed as a future compliance requirement is now affecting pricing, contracts and sourcing decisions, particularly for companies supplying the European market. According to Rafael Della Barba, climate risk and decarbonisation coordinator at WayCarbon, Brazilian exporters have responded differently to the new framework. Some steel producers started preparing in 2023, well before mandatory compliance, while others postponed investments and are now working to understand their emissions exposure. Under CBAM, exporters must calculate emissions at the individual...
Kaiser Aluminum's stock story strengthens: EPS soars to $ 1.21, institutions own 99.3%
Jennison Associates LLC disclosed a new investment in Kaiser Aluminum after acquiring 6,271 shares during the first quarter, valued at approximately USD 756,000, according to its latest filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its stake in Kaiser Aluminum by acquiring an additional 294 shares during the period, taking its holding to 366 shares valued at approximately USD 42,000. Institutional investors now own 99.29 per cent of Kaiser Aluminum's outstanding shares. Several investment firms also adjusted their positions in the company over recent quarters, while analysts currently maintain a consensus "Hold" rating with an average target price of USD 165.50. Dividend maintained Kaiser Aluminum declared a quarterly dividend of USD 0.77...
Senior US officials to mark Century Aluminum's Mt. Holly expansion, boosting primary aluminium output by 10%
Update on the July 27 ribbon-cutting ceremony: Century Aluminum CEO Jesse Gary will be joined by US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Senior Counselor to President Trump Dr Peter Navarro and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson as the company celebrates the expansion of its Mt Holly aluminium smelter. The inauguration time has been updated to July 27, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, US Senator Tim Scott and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster will join Century Aluminum President and CEO Jesse Gary on July 27 to mark the expansion of the company's Mt Holly aluminium smelter in South Carolina, highlighting the project's significance for the US aluminium industry. The expansion is expected to increase total US primary aluminium production by...
40% of US aluminium hydroxide imports come from Brazil, industry warns
Aluminium hydroxide, a key raw material used across industries ranging from water treatment and aluminium refining to defence manufacturing and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, should remain exempt from US tariffs to safeguard domestic manufacturing, according to industry representatives. The material is produced from bauxite before the calcination stage used to manufacture alumina and plays an essential role in numerous industrial processes, including the production of wire and cable insulation, roofing membranes, sealants, automotive components, pharmaceuticals and food products. It is also used in refining high-temperature metals such as rare earths, copper, nickel and zinc. Limited domestic supply raises import dependence The US currently has only one aluminium hydroxide...
US aluminium scrap recovery continues to strengthen into 2026 with a 14% jump Y-o-Y
US aluminium scrap recovery continued to strengthen at the start of 2026, with recycled metal production rising by double digits year on year, while primary aluminium output remained largely unchanged, according to the latest US Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Industry Survey. A total of 318,000 metric tonnes of aluminium was recovered from scrap in January 2026, up 14 per cent from the same month last year compared to 297,000 tonnes and 3 per cent higher than the revised December 2025 figure. Of the total, 179,000 metric tonnes came from new scrap and 138,000 metric tonnes from old scrap. Meanwhile, primary aluminium production totalled 58,000 tonnes during the month. Average daily output stood at 1,860 metric tonnes, unchanged from December 2025 and 1 per cent higher than January 2025....
Chalco shares jump 6.3% as stake increase and bauxite outlook lift sentiment
Shares of Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco) rallied during the latest trading session after investors responded positively to plans by its parent company to increase its shareholding, alongside improving aluminium market fundamentals. The company's Hong Kong-listed shares gained 6.28 per cent to close at HKD 8.63 (USD 1.10), with trading volume reaching 93.09 million shares. Despite the latest rally, the stock remains 29.09 per cent lower for the year to date. Stake increase boosts investor confidence Market sentiment strengthened after Chinalco announced plans to increase its stake in Chalco by up to USD 300 million, signalling confidence in the company's long-term prospects. The share price also received support after JPMorgan placed a buy order for more than 2 million shares,...
Carbon and graphite products remain critical to efficient aluminium smelting; Tokai COBEX among leading suppliers
Carbon and graphite products are essential components in aluminium smelting, ironmaking and several metallurgical processes. Among the companies serving these industries is Tokai COBEX, a Germany-headquartered manufacturer with production facilities in Poland and France and a sales and technical service office in China. The company's portfolio includes cathode blocks for aluminium electrolysis cells, blast furnace (used for the production of pig iron) linings, carbon electrodes, Söderberg paste and speciality graphite products. These materials are designed for applications requiring high electrical and thermal conductivity, resistance to heat and corrosion, and long operational life. For the aluminium industry, Tokai COBEX supplies a complete cathode product range, including amorphous,...
Global aluminium deficit may widen beyond 900Kt amid Hormuz shipping disruptions
Norsk Hydro has warned that the global aluminium market could face a deeper supply deficit if disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continue, with prolonged constraints expected to tighten the availability of both raw materials and finished metal. Hydro President and CEO Eivind Kallevik said logistics through the Strait of Hormuz have deteriorated since hostilities between the United States and Iran resumed, affecting inbound raw material supplies and aluminium exports from the Gulf region. The Middle East accounts for nearly 10 per cent of global aluminium production, making continued disruptions a significant risk to the market. Hydro currently estimates the global aluminium market will record a 900,000-tonne deficit, but Kallevik said a prolonged conflict could widen the...
US aluminium tariff changes signal lasting policy shift, ING says
Recent changes to US aluminium tariffs are likely to become a permanent feature of the country's trade policy rather than a temporary measure, according to analysts at ING, who say the changes point to a broader shift towards long-term protectionism. In a recent market note, ING's commodities team said the latest tariff adjustments reflect the US administration's continued focus on strengthening domestic aluminium production and improving supply security. Analysts believe these goals suggest that the current tariff regime will remain in place for the foreseeable future, contrary to expectations that trade restrictions could eventually be eased. Higher US aluminium prices expected to persist ING said the continued tariff regime is expected to keep US aluminium prices above international...
58.7% aluminium oxide grade boosts May Queen South bauxite project
Australasian Metals has returned encouraging results from bulk sampling at its May Queen South Bauxite Project in central Queensland, with composite samples confirming strong aluminium oxide grades ahead of the next phase of metallurgical testing. The company collected three bulk samples, each weighing more than 50 kilograms, from bauxite outcrops along a 20-metre strike. Each bulk sample consisted of 10 individual samples weighing between 5 kg and 6 kg. Analysis returned composite aluminium oxide grades of 39.5 per cent, 42.0 per cent and 43.8 per cent, while individual samples recorded grades of up to 58.7 per cent aluminium oxide. Australasian Metals said the latest results are consistent with bulk sampling undertaken at the project in 2015, providing additional confidence in the...
Aluminium losses narrow 48% as Steel Dynamics Q2 revenue jumps 33%
Steel Dynamics posted stronger second-quarter results for 2026, supported by higher steel prices, record shipment volumes and continued progress at its new aluminium flat-rolled business. The company reported revenue of USD 6.1 billion, up 33 per cent from the second quarter of 2025 and 17 per cent higher than the previous quarter. Net income climbed 79 per cent year on year to USD 534 million, while adjusted EBITDA reached USD 921 million. Diluted earnings per share came in at USD 3.69, slightly below analysts' expectations of USD 3.76, although revenue exceeded market forecasts by around 9.5 per cent. Aluminium business moves closer to profitability Steel Dynamics' aluminium division continued to gain momentum as production ramped up at its Columbus, Mississippi, flat-rolled mill....
Crown lifts 2026 outlook on aluminium can demand
Crown Holdings delivered higher second-quarter earnings as growing demand for aluminium beverage cans drove stronger shipment volumes across its global operations, encouraging the packaging manufacturer to upgrade its earnings outlook for 2026. The company reported diluted earnings per share of USD 2.23 for the quarter ended 30 June 2026, compared with USD 1.56 a year earlier. Adjusted diluted earnings per share rose 16 per cent to USD 2.49, while global beverage can volumes increased 5 per cent year on year. Net sales climbed to USD 3.668 billion, up from USD 3.149 billion in the second quarter of 2025. The increase reflected higher beverage can shipments worldwide, the pass-through of USD 395 million in higher material costs and favourable foreign currency movements worth USD 32...
Hydro Q2 EBITDA rises 14.5% as aluminium business gains strength
Norwegian aluminium producer Hydro delivered stronger financial results in the second quarter of 2026 as firmer aluminium prices, higher product premiums and improving recycling performance offset weaker energy production and currency headwinds. The company reported adjusted EBITDA of NOK 8.923 billion (USD 927.39 million), up from NOK 7.790 billion (USD 809.6 million) in the corresponding period last year. Adjusted earnings per share increased to NOK 2.2 (USD 0.23) from NOK 1.7 (USD 0.18), while free cash flow reached NOK 4 billion (USD 415.5 million). Hydro's 12-month adjusted return on average capital employed (RoaCE) stood at 10.9 per cent. Slovalco restart strengthens European capacity A key development during the quarter was the announcement on July 1 that Hydro will restart 75,000...
