AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
China exports record 448,000 electric vehicles in May as ASEAN accelerates electrification
China's electric vehicle (EV) exports reached a record USD 9.2 billion in May 2026, up 49 per cent from a year earlier, as demand from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continued to grow, according to data released by energy think tank Ember. The figure exceeded the previous monthly record of USD 9.1 billion set in April 2026. During May, China exported about 448,000 electric passenger vehicles, including around 279,000 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 169,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The increase comes as several Southeast Asian countries step up transport electrification through incentives, lower import duties, charging infrastructure development and new regulations aimed at reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels. ASEAN Imports Reach New High...
Growing demand for premium beverages boosts aluminium can market in Thailand
Thai Beverage Can Ltd (TBC) said demand for aluminium beverage cans in Thailand is likely to continue to grow as consumers choose functional drinks, energy drinks and premium beverages. The company posted a 37 per cent YoY increase in sales volume in the first quarter of 2026, reflecting stronger demand amid ongoing uncertainty in global markets. TBC Chief Operating Officer Pavin Chayavivatkul said changing consumer preferences are supporting the shift towards canned beverages. A recent consumer survey by PwC Thailand also found that buyers are placing greater emphasis on health, food safety and product quality. Although aluminium cans currently account for a relatively small share of Thailand's beverage packaging market, the company believes there is significant room for growth. Around...
Canyon Resources advances Minim Martap project as locomotives arrive in Cameroon
Canyon Resources has announced the delivery of locomotives to its Cameroonian subsidiary, Camalco Cameroon S.A., marking further progress in the development of the Minim Martap Bauxite Project's mine-to-port logistics network. The milestone follows the company's decision to increase its stake in Camrail, Cameroon's national rail operator, from 9.1 per cent to 26.9 per cent. According to Canyon, the larger holding will strengthen oversight of bauxite transportation, support rail infrastructure upgrades and improve the overall logistics chain for the project. The newly delivered locomotives will undergo a six to eight-week commissioning, testing and operator training programme before rail transport between the Inland Rail Facility and the Port of Douala begins in the third quarter of 2026....
LME aluminium price graph: Aluminium prices ease further as exchange inventories continue to decline
LME aluminium prices edged lower on June 25 compared with June 24, with both cash and three-month contracts recording modest declines. Meanwhile, LME warehouse stocks continued to fall, while live warrants remained unchanged. The LME cash bid price slipped to USD 3,130 per tonne on June 25 from USD 3,148 per tonne on June 24, marking a decline of 0.57 per cent. The cash offer price also eased by 0.57 per cent to USD 3,132 per tonne from USD 3,150 per tonne. Three-month aluminium prices followed a similar trend. The three-month bid fell from USD 3,160 per tonne to USD 3,144 per tonne, representing a decrease of 0.51 per cent, while the offer price declined from USD 3,160.50 per tonne to USD 3,146 per tonne, down 0.46 per cent. Longer-dated contracts moved slightly higher. The December 2027...
Tajikistan, Azerbaijan discuss alumina-for-aluminium trade partnership
Tajikistan and Azerbaijan are discussing a potential industrial cooperation arrangement under which Tajikistan would import alumina from Azerbaijan while supplying aluminium to the Azerbaijani market, according to Tajikistan's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Ilhom Abdurakhmon. The proposal was discussed during the latest meeting of the Azerbaijan-Tajikistan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation in Baku. During the meeting, both sides expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the aluminium sector. Tajikistan is ready to purchase alumina from Azerbaijan to support its aluminium production industry, while Azerbaijan's growing demand for aluminium could provide an export market for Tajik producers. Ambassador Abdurakhmon said favourable logistics and market conditions...
Metro Mining appoints Rudi Cohrssen as General Counsel and Company Secretary
Metro Mining Ltd has announced changes to its executive leadership team, appointing Rudi Cohrssen as its new General Counsel and Company Secretary, effective July 1, 2026. Cohrssen is qualified as a lawyer in Australia, South Africa and Namibia. He joins Metro from the Victorian Bar in Melbourne, where he has practised as a barrister across corporate and commercial law, arbitration, employment law, environmental law and natural resources law. His legal work has included representing clients in State and Federal Courts as well as various tribunals. He has also advised global resource companies on strategy, risk, commercial and corporate law, cross-border arbitration and business development. Earlier in his career, Cohrssen worked as an academic, teaching a range of legal subjects at the...
From power networks to renewables: Capral Aluminium marks nine decades in Australian manufacturing
Capral Aluminium is marking its 90th anniversary, highlighting the long-standing role aluminium has played in Australia's industrial development and energy infrastructure. Capral began in 1936 as the Australian arm of the British Aluminium Company. In the 1930s, aluminium started replacing copper in electrical networks because it was cheaper, lighter and had good conductivity. As power utilities expanded transmission lines, demand for aluminium conductors grew. The company, first called Australuco and later ALCAN, helped build Australia’s aluminium industry. By the early 1940s, its Granville plant in New South Wales made the country’s first locally produced aluminium sheet and extrusions. Those products supported wartime production and post‑war reconstruction. Aluminium use expanded with...
Samkee chosen to develop lightweight humanoid robot, aluminium die casting to play a key role
South Korean manufacturer Samkee announced on June 24 that it has been selected by a global robotics company as a development partner for a humanoid robot frame project. The project focuses on developing the upper-body skeletal structure frame of a humanoid robot. Samkee will be responsible for prototype development and delivery of the initial production batch. Following specification evaluations, the company expects additional large-scale orders. Samkee is carrying out the development work using its existing manufacturing facilities. The project includes mould production, casting analysis, post-processing reviews and evaluations of mass-production feasibility. The company noted that lightweight construction and durability are critical requirements for humanoid robots. As a result,...
Modern aluminium factories overcome engineering challenges: Pyrotek engineers help address them
Modern factories use engineering to improve efficiency, quality, safety, and reliability. The aluminium industry needs engineering to raise productivity, cut energy use, and improve metal quality. Foundries, die‑casting shops, and glass plants face similar issues with process control, heat management, equipment performance, and material handling. In the aluminium sector, engineering solutions are required at almost every stage of production. From metal melting and transfer to casting, rolling, extrusion and finishing, manufacturers depend on specialised technologies, refractory systems, thermal management solutions, component design and process optimisation to maintain consistent product quality. As many manufacturers have reduced the number of in-house technical staff over the years,...
Voltage Energy showcases aluminium-based EBOS solutions for next-generation solar projects
Voltage Energy Group showcased its latest system-level electrical balance-of-system (EBOS) solutions for utility-scale solar projects at Intersolar Europe 2026 in Munich, with a focus on pre-assembled wiring technologies engineered to support larger, higher-voltage solar installations. Among the technologies presented were LYNX PLUS and IBEX PLUS, including aluminium-based cable configurations designed to reduce weight, lower material costs and improve installation efficiency. The solutions form part of a broader system-level EBOS platform intended to simplify deployment and enhance long-term system performance. As solar projects continue to scale up in size and power capacity, developers and EPC contractors are increasingly seeking solutions that reduce installation complexity while...
Kingsland Drinks to bottle Vinca wines in 100% recycled aluminium bottles
Kingsland Drinks has expanded its partnership with organic wine producer Vinca by adding production of the brand’s wines in aluminium bottles, further strengthening the relationship between the two companies while broadening its alternative packaging offering. The beverage solutions company will now produce Vinca’s red, white and rosé wines in 75cl aluminium bottles made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium . The agreement builds on an existing partnership under which Kingsland Drinks already manufactures Vinca’s canned range of organic Sicilian red, white, rosé and sparkling wines. The move represents a strategic investment by Kingsland Drinks as it seeks to meet growing demand for sustainable, lightweight and recyclable packaging solutions in the wine sector. The company said expanding...
CANPACK secures place on CDP Supplier Engagement Assessment A-List 2025 for climate-focused efforts
CANPACK made the CDP Supplier Engagement Assessment (SEA) A-List 2025 for its work with suppliers on climate issues and cutting emissions. The annual assessment scores how companies work with suppliers on climate change, covering governance, strategy, supplier engagement, Scope 3 emissions and climate targets. An "A" rating means the company performs strongly in managing supplier relationships and embedding sustainability into procurement. The recognition highlights CANPACK’s efforts to address Scope 3 emissions across its global supply chain. It also reflects the company’s focus on transparency, collaboration and continuous improvement while working with suppliers to support sustainability goals. The result is based on information submitted through the CDP Climate Change questionnaire...
Woodside to supply natural gas to Alcoa’s Western Australia alumina refineries till 2030
Woodside Energy has signed a new gas sale and purchase agreement with Alcoa of Australia to supply 31.1 petajoules of natural gas from its Western Australian operations between 2027 and 2030. The agreement will provide gas to Alcoa’s alumina refineries in Western Australia, helping secure energy supply for one of the state’s major industrial sectors. Alumina produced at these refineries is the key raw material used in aluminium production. Woodside said the deal strengthens its long-standing relationship with Alcoa and reflects its ongoing commitment to supplying natural gas to the Western Australian market. The company noted that reliable gas supplies remain important for major manufacturing and processing industries across the state. Mark Abbotsford, Woodside’s Executive Vice President...
China and the UAE forge a clean energy partnership to accelerate solar and battery projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China are collaborating on an increasing number of renewable energy projects across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In this partnership model, UAE companies provide funding and project development support, while Chinese firms supply equipment, technology, and construction services. In late 2025, UAE-based Global South Utilities began two 50 MW solar projects in the Central African Republic and Madagascar using Chinese technology. In early 2026, Abu Dhabi’s Masdar agreed to build and operate the 300 MW Guzar solar project and battery storage in Uzbekistan, incorporating Chinese solar panels and battery systems. Masdar is exploring similar projects in Argentina, Costa Rica and Chile with local state-owned energy partners. Chinese suppliers are expected to...
From waste to energy: GeT Metal Group transforms tyres into fuel for aluminium production
South Africa-based GeT Metal Group and its subsidiary GeT Alloys have launched a waste-to-energy initiative aimed at eliminating fossil fuel use in aluminium melting operations by converting end-of-life tyres into industrial fuel. The project is designed to process around 150,000 waste tyres annually, producing approximately 1.44 million litres of industrial fuel. The fuel will replace conventional heavy fuel oil previously used in GeT Alloys’ aluminium recycling operations, helping address South Africa’s growing tyre waste challenge while reducing the carbon footprint of industrial production. According to the company, the initiative will displace about 1.44 million litres of heavy fuel oil each year and deliver greenhouse gas savings of roughly 720 tonnes of carbon dioxide. The...
Austal Vietnam marks new manufacturing milestone with aluminium-steel hybrid ferry
Austal Vietnam has broadened its shipbuilding capabilities with the completion of its first vessel combining aluminium and steel construction, handing over the newly built Dory 2 to French Polynesian operator Degage Group. The 71-metre roll-on/roll-off passenger and cargo ferry formally changed hands during a ceremony held at the company's Vung Tau shipyard on 15 June, following the successful conclusion of its sea trial programme. Designed by Austal Australia, the vessel represents a departure from Austal Vietnam's long-established focus on aluminium shipbuilding. While the hull has been fabricated in steel, the superstructure has been built from aluminium, signalling the yard's move into multi-material vessel construction. Work on the project began in 2024, before the ship was launched...
Hindalco launches aluminium bicycle component plant in Pune, expanding mobility business
With the launch of a new aluminium bicycle component manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune, Maharashtra, Hindalco Industries has set its strong foot in the mobility sector of India. This new plant is likely to serve both Indian and overseas markets with a wide range of aluminium bicycle components. It comes with rigid forks, frames, wheel rims, handlebars, and all those things that are lightweight and sustainable as mobility solutions. The newly commissioned plant has been established to serve both the Indian and overseas markets and focuses on producing a range of aluminium bicycle components . It includes frames, rigid forks, wheel rims, handlebars, and more that reflect the company’s growing emphasis on lightweight and sustainable mobility solutions. The new facility comes with...
Karnataka RTCs face rising costs as material prices surge after US-Iran tension
The three state-run road transport corporations in Karnataka are facing growing financial pressure following sharp increases in fuel and material costs linked to supply chain disruptions caused by the US-Iran tension. According to officials, prices of key inputs used in bus operations, including spare parts, petrochemical products, liquid urea, aluminium sheets, lubricants and rubber for tyre retreading, have risen by 10 per cent to 30 per cent over the past few months. Supply shortages have also affected the availability of several materials. At the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), monthly spending on materials has increased from around INR 450 million (USD 4.75 million) to INR 540 million (USD 57 million), adding nearly INR 90 million (USD 952,000) to operating costs....
