AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
Caustic soda plant setup in India: How aluminium growth is reshaping demand, costs and opportunities
Caustic soda may not be the most visible ingredient in aluminium production, but without it, the journey from bauxite to alumina would look very different. The chemical, also known as sodium hydroxide, is a crucial reagent in the Bayer process, where it helps dissolve alumina-bearing material in bauxite and separate it from impurities. The dissolved material is then processed to recover alumina, which ultimately feeds aluminium production. That makes caustic soda more than just another industrial chemical. Its availability, price and efficient use can influence the economics of alumina refining and, by extension, the wider aluminium value chain. As India expands its alumina and aluminium capacity, the requirement for this chemical is also becoming increasingly important. For companies...
Ball Foundation raises skilled manufacturing scholarship investment to $300,000
The Ball Foundation and SKILLED Nation have extended their scholarship partnership for a third year, with 60 students set to receive $2,500 awards in 2026. The Ball Foundation and SKILLED Nation have extended their scholarship partnership for a third year, bringing the foundation’s cumulative investment in the program to $300,000. Through the Ball Foundation SKILLED Scholarship, another 60 students will receive $2,500 awards in 2026 to support education and training for careers in advanced manufacturing and other technical fields. More than 100 scholarships will have been supported over the three years of the partnership. “Three years and $300,000 reflect The Ball Foundation’s sustained commitment to creating real opportunities for students pursuing skilled careers,” said Alvin Townley,...
Sampat Aluminium shareholders approve four resolutions with 100% votes at 27th AGM
Sampat Aluminium shareholders unanimously approved the company’s FY26 financial statements and three other resolutions at its 27th Annual General Meeting held on September 26, 2026. Sampat Aluminium Limited passed all four ordinary resolutions at its 27th AGM, with 54,69,800 votes cast in favour and no votes against. The meeting was held through video conferencing, while remote e-voting was available from September 23 to September 25, 2026. The resolutions covered the adoption of the company’s audited standalone financial statements for the financial year ended March 31, 2026, the reappointment of Sanket Sanjay Deora as Managing Director, the appointment of M/s Utkarsh Shah & Co. as Secretarial Auditor, and the ratification of remuneration for the Cost Auditors for FY27. All four...
Nautor Swan’s 43.5-metre aluminium supermaxi takes shape ahead of 2028 delivery
Nautor Swan has unveiled new details and official renderings of its 43.5-metre Swan Alloy 44, the Finnish yacht builder’s first aluminium supermaxi, with construction now underway in the Netherlands. The yacht is being built at Gouwerok Shipyard, where hull and deck construction are currently in progress. Once this stage is completed, the vessel will move to Viareggio, Italy, for final outfitting, launch and delivery, which is scheduled for 2028. The project will also become the largest yacht ever built by Gouwerok Shipyard and its first all-aluminium supermaxi. Although construction is taking place outside Finland, Nautor Swan’s team will continue to oversee key aspects of the programme, including its design philosophy, performance studies and supply-chain coordination. The Swan Alloy 44...
US-Canada tariff tensions drive 84% rise in aluminum prices for Texas fabricator
A Texas metal fabricator says the cost of aluminum has risen sharply as trade tensions between the US and Canada add pressure to cross-border supply chains. Lance Thrailkill, CEO of All Metals Fabricating in Allen, said the company has seen aluminum prices increase by 84% since March last year, with much of its aluminum sourced from Canada. The higher material costs are affecting both the company’s margins and what its customers pay. Thrailkill mentioned, “Fortunately, we’re able to pass a lot of that on to our customer base, but oftentimes also we do get squeezed in terms of margin, so you might be able to maintain the same profit amount, but your margin goes down, so that is not ideal.” Thrailkill noted that the company has had to adjust how it manages its aluminum inventory as prices...
Vedanta Aluminium wins Odisha Pollution Control Award for Jharsuguda township
Vedanta Aluminium has received the M.K. Rout Pollution Control Appreciation Award 2026 from the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB). The award was given in the Industrial Township category for Vedanta Meadows, the company’s residential township for employees in Jharsuguda. Vedanta Meadows was designed with a focus on environmental responsibility and incorporates sustainable design features, extensive green spaces and systems for environmental management. The township provides residential facilities for employees and their families. C Chandru, CEO of Vedanta Aluminium, Jharsuguda, said sustainability remains central to the company’s growth plans in the region, with initiatives covering natural resource conservation, biodiversity, green spaces and environmental awareness. Join the...
Hydro highlights need for stronger aluminium scrap safeguards under EU waste rules
Hydro is calling for stronger measures to keep more aluminium scrap in Europe and support investment in the region’s recycling capacity. The company made the call during European Commission Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné’s visit to Hydro’s aluminium recycling plant in Clervaux, Luxembourg. The facility processes post-consumer aluminium scrap from vehicles, buildings and infrastructure and has an annual capacity of 115,000 tonnes. Discussions during the visit covered aluminium scrap exports, the EU Waste Shipment Regulation and the policy conditions needed to support recycling in Europe. Rising scrap exports pressure recyclers The EU is considering a 15 per cent levy on aluminium scrap exports to retain more recyclable metal within Europe. The proposal comes as EU scrap exports...
Green Science Alliance more than doubles aqueous aluminium battery capacity
Green Science Alliance has more than doubled the initial capacity of its aqueous rechargeable aluminium-ion battery, reporting a rise from approximately 103 mAh g⁻¹ to at least 210 mAh g⁻¹ after introducing a low-cost conductive carbon rubber sheet as the cathode current collector. The development, led by Dr Ryohei Mori, could help address cost and manufacturing challenges associated with aluminium-based batteries. The company said the improved cell maintained its reported capacity for at least 25 cycles, with testing still under way. The result marks progress for aqueous rechargeable aluminium-ion batteries (AAIBs), which have attracted research interest because aluminium is abundant, comparatively inexpensive and recyclable. However, their commercial development continues to face...
US-Mexico trade review faces delay, with automotive rules and metal tariffs in focus
The United States and Mexico have postponed their fourth round of trade talks until October, extending uncertainty for North American manufacturers as both governments continue discussions on tariffs affecting automobiles, steel, and aluminum. Mexico’s Deputy Economy Minister for Foreign Trade, Luis Rosendo Gutiérrez, said the meeting would not take place as planned in September because of scheduling conflicts, including Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States and the upcoming G20 trade ministerial. A new date has not been announced. Although the formal negotiating round has been delayed, technical coordination between Mexican officials and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative continues. Mexico is seeking relief from U.S. Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum,...
Hydro expects €28m as Cloud Snurran wind farm sale advances
Hydro expects to receive approximately EUR 28 million in compensation following the sale of Swedish wind farm Cloud Snurran AB, bringing a settlement linked to a long-term power purchase agreement closer to completion. The compensation stems from an agreement signed in July 2025 for the voluntary termination of Hydro’s long-term power purchase agreement with Cloud Snurran. Under the settlement, the final payment depends on the realised value from a future sale of the wind farm and an agreed value-sharing mechanism. Hydro expects to receive the compensation after the sale is completed. The final amount remains subject to customary closing adjustments. To learn about the market potential of aluminium dross, explore "ALuminium Dross Processing: Generation, Recovery & Strategic Roadmap"...
NALCO pays record ₹11b dividend to government as Angul Aluminium Park draws investor interest
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has paid INR 11 billion (USD 114 million) in dividend to the Government of India for FY26, marking the company’s highest-ever payout. The company declared a total dividend of INR 21 billion (USD 219 million) for FY26, including one final dividend and three interim dividends. This represents a 230 per cent payout on equity shares with a face value of INR 5 (USD 0.052) each. The dividend cheque was handed over to Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy at an investor roadshow in Kolkata on September 28, 2026. NALCO reported a profit after tax of INR 58 billion (USD 604 million) for FY26. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade...
Rio Tinto to market RevoCast’s low-carbon aluminium billet from new British Columbia facility
RevoCast’s newly commissioned aluminum billet facility in British Columbia is set to supply more low-carbon extrusion material to North American manufacturers through a new agreement with Rio Tinto. The Langley plant, which began operations in August 2026, can produce more than 80,000 metric tons of 6xxx-series aluminum billet annually. Under the agreement, Rio Tinto will exclusively market the billet, which combines low-carbon primary aluminum produced using hydropower at Rio Tinto’s Kitimat operations with recycled aluminum processed by RevoCast. The partnership will give manufacturers access to billet with recycled and low-carbon content while supporting regional supply chains and greater circularity in British Columbia’s construction sector. To know the global production, demand and...
LME aluminium cash bid slips to $3,248 as live warrants fall 4.5% on September 28
LME aluminium prices eased on September 28 after rising in the previous session, with cash and forward contracts moving lower. The Asian Reference Price also declined, while a sharp rise in cancelled warrants pushed live warrants lower. The cash bid slipped 0.15 per cent to USD 3,248 per tonne from USD 3,253 per tonne , while the cash offer fell 0.17 per cent to USD 3,248.50 per tonne from USD 3,254 per tonne. Three-month aluminium prices followed the weaker trend. The bid dropped 0.41 per cent to USD 3,251.50 per tonne from USD 3,265 per tonne, while the offer was down 0.46 per cent to USD 3,252 per tonne compared with USD 3,267 per tonne. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036:...
Prysmian and Rio Tinto bring low-carbon aluminium cables to Amazon data centre
The Ohio project marks a real-world application of ELYSIS-produced aluminium, linking Rio Tinto’s smelting technology with Prysmian’s cable manufacturing. Prysmian and Rio Tinto are bringing low-carbon aluminium into the data-centre supply chain through a project for Amazon in Ohio, where Prysmian will supply electrical cables made using aluminium produced with ELYSIS inert-anode technology. The project connects Rio Tinto’s aluminium production technology with Prysmian’s cable manufacturing capabilities, providing a specific application for the companies’ work on lower-carbon materials. Prysmian says the cables will be manufactured at its facility in Sedalia, Missouri, and that the project is the first known use of inert-anode-smelted aluminium in a data centre. ELYSIS technology is...
From ACs to TVs, appliance prices in India to rise up to 8% from October 1 as input costs climb
Indian appliance makers are raising prices ahead of the festive season as higher metal, crude-derived and freight costs put pressure on manufacturing expenses. Prices of air conditioners, LED televisions, washing machines and other home appliances in India are set to increase by 5 per cent to 8 per cent from October 1, as manufacturers pass on rising input costs to consumers ahead of the festive season. The increase marks the industry’s third round of price hikes in 2026. Manufacturers have cited higher prices for copper, aluminium, steel and crude oil derivatives, along with increased freight costs and currency volatility linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis. Several companies, including Blue Star, Godrej Appliances, Haier, Daikin and Super Plastronics, have announced or confirmed...
Aluminium rises to $3.63 as Gulf supply disruptions tighten global market
Aluminium prices gained 0.43 per cent as reduced Gulf production and low exchange inventories supported the market, while Chinese output and capacity restarts could limit further gains. Aluminium prices settled 0.43 per cent higher at INR 348.65 (USD 3.63) as tight physical supply conditions supported the market. Disruptions linked to the US-Iran tensions have affected aluminium availability from the Gulf region, with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) production falling 44 per cent year-on-year in July. Low exchange inventories have added to supply concerns. London Metal Exchange (LME) stocks remained near a 36-year low, while inventories on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) declined 4.7 per cent from the previous week. However, expectations of improving supply have limited the market’s...
RUSAL seeks buyers for Windalco after 1.57 Mt of bauxite, 396,000 tonnes of alumina output
Russia-based aluminium producer RUSAL is exploring a potential sale of its Windalco bauxite and alumina operations in Jamaica, signalling a possible reshaping of its Caribbean footprint. The reported move also extends to its bauxite interests in Guyana, although both potential transactions remain at an early stage and may not ultimately proceed. Windalco becomes part of RUSAL’s potential asset reshuffle Windalco comprises the Ewarton alumina refinery in St Catherine, bauxite mines and the Port Esquivel shipping terminal. According to RUSAL’s 2025 annual report, the Jamaican operation produced 1.565 million tonnes of bauxite and 396,000 tonnes of alumina in 2025. The alumina output represented less than 6 per cent of RUSAL’s total alumina production of 6.858 million tonnes during the year....
India aluminium extrusion sector targets 10% growth with ₹750b revenue amid working capital pressure
India’s aluminium extrusion industry is preparing for strong demand growth of around 10 per cent annually over the next five years, supported by data centres, renewable energy, construction, electric vehicles, semiconductor plants and packaging. At the same time, manufacturers are working to manage higher raw-material and energy costs and the resulting working-capital requirements. Jitendra Chopra, president of the Aluminium Extrusion Manufacturers Association of India (ALEMAI), said the downstream sector, which includes around 400 MSME and medium-sized units, generates about INR 750 billion (around USD 8 billion) in annual revenue and provides around one million jobs. Chopra also stated the sector could create more employment and attract additional investment if manufacturers are able to...
