AlCircle News Edited By "Staff Editor"
Tian Yuan Law Firm mediates the country’s largest A-share aluminium merger
Tian Yuan Law Firm has advised on a landmark RMB 63.5 billion (USD 8.75 billion) merger involving two subsidiaries of Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group, setting a new record as the largest merger and acquisition undertaken by a privately owned company in China’s A-share market. The deal marks China Hongqiao Group ’s broader strategy to reposition its aluminium assets within the domestic capital markets. The company is one of the key subsidiaries of Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group, a major Chinese conglomerate with extensive interests in textiles and the growing market of aluminium. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain As part of the transaction, Hontron Aluminium Industry, a Shenzhen-listed unit of China Hongqiao, will acquire...
From bottles to cans: scientific evidence strengthens aluminium’s case in wine packaging
For centuries, glass bottles have been the gold standard in wine packaging, prized for their nonreactive nature and airtight seals that preserve flavour and aroma. Yet the wine industry is now reassessing this tradition as mobility, sustainability, and changing consumer habits reshape packaging priorities. Aluminium cans, once seen as a novelty, are emerging as a serious alternative, backed not just by convenience but by science. Image for representation only Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain The preservation of wine's quality is one of the primary reasons it is typically sold in bottles. Glass is nonreactive, and the screw cap or cork creates an airtight seal that keeps oxygen from contaminating the liquid. In recent years,...
China inaugurates world’s largest open sea offshore solar plant online
With the operational launch of the 1 GW HG14 offshore photovoltaic project, China has touched a significant milestone in renewable energy expansion. This is the world’s largest open-sea offshore solar power facility, which has been fully commissioned off the coast of Dongying in Shandong province. Developed by Guohua Investment, a subsidiary of China Energy Investment Corp. (CHN Energy), the plant received its full-capacity grid connection in late December 2025. Image for reference only (source: https://assets.ratedpower.com/) Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Spread across approximately 1,223 hectares of shallow coastal waters, approximately 8 km from the shoreline, the project is situated in sea depths ranging from 1 metre to...
OMC steps up its focus on sustainable mining during the Koraput visit
Odisha Mining Corporation’s (OMC) Managing Director, Shri Sudhansu Mohan Samal, has concluded a two-day tour of key mining locations in the Koraput district, utilising the visit to closely examine production performance, safety standards, and community development efforts associated with the company’s operations. The review covered two of OMC’s important sites, the Ampavalli Limestone Mine and the Kodingamali Bauxite Mine, with discussions centred on maintaining steady output while ensuring environmentally responsible and safe mining practices. This visit is the reflection of the corporation’s attempt to align industrial growth with the broader interests of the region. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain The team of Shri Samal,...
New VALCO Governing Board sworn in with mandate to unlock Ghana's bauxite potential
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has tasked the newly inaugurated Governing Board of the Volta Aluminium Company Limited (VALCO) with converting Ghana’s bauxite resources into concrete economic value. At the inauguration ceremony, where 10 board members were sworn in, Buah framed the assignment as extending beyond corporate stewardship, calling it a “ national and historic ” responsibility. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain “Ghana is blessed with abundant bauxite resources, and your duty is to ensure these resources are converted into tangible economic benefits that will support industrial growth, create jobs, and strengthen our economy,” he stated. The minister reminded the board that...
Chongqing Jianto Aluminium comes up as a new secondary aluminium supplier for China’s NEVs
Chongqing Jianto Aluminium Co. Ltd., a Zhejiang-invested enterprise based in Fuling, Chongqing, is emerging as a key supplier of recycled aluminium to the city’s new energy vehicle (NEV) industry. Operating under the Zhejiang-Fuling cooperation framework, the company illustrates how cross-regional collaboration is significantly strengthening green manufacturing and supporting the expansion of Chongqing’s new-energy vehicles. Riding the wave of recycled aluminium demand Chongqing Jiantao Aluminium was established in Fuling in 2007 by Zhejiang entrepreneur Hu Aitao, its former general manager. Hu has lived and worked in Chongqing for more than three decades and entered the recycled aluminium business as early as 1987, long before the concept gained mainstream attention. Explore- Most...
EGA Spectro Alloys awards $100,000 donation as part of holiday programme
EGA Spectro Alloys, a post-consumer aluminium scrap processor, has reaffirmed its local community focus by announcing USD 100,000 in holiday-season donations to 30 nonprofit and charitable organisations. This initiative is part of their annual “Giving Together” programme, under which employees help determine how the funds are distributed. Each year, Spectro employees select organisations as recipients, giving staff a direct role to identify local causes for support. According to the company, this approach reflects its priority of acting as a responsible corporate neighbour and supporting organisations that address community needs. Also read: Hydro makes holiday contribution to Red Cross “‘Giving Together’ is one of our favourite traditions at Spectro,” says Luke Palen, the EGA Spectro...
Aluminium contracts in India surge past records in future trade
Aluminium prices recorded a historic milestone in the futures market with a consistent upward momentum, reflecting a strengthened buying interest on the back of robust spot demand and tightened supply expectations. On the Multi Commodity Exchange ( MCX), aluminium futures for December surged by INR 8.80 ( USD 0.098), thus making the close at 3.07 per cent high, equalling to INR 294.90 ( USD 3.27) per kilogram. The bullish sentiment was equally evident in the January series, with the aluminium contract price climbing by INR 9.05 ( USD 0.10), reflecting an increase of 3.14 per cent, thus touching a fresh lifetime peak of INR 297.20 ( USD 3.30) per kilogram during the trading session. Must read: Key industry individuals share their thoughts on the trending topics Market participants,...
Supreme Court restores arbitral award in BALCO Case, reaffirms limited scope of judicial review
The Supreme Court has set aside the Chhattisgarh High Court’s interference and restored the arbitral award in Ramesh Kumar Jain v. Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (BALCO) (2025 INSC 1457), reaffirming that courts exercising jurisdiction under Sections 34 and 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 are not appellate bodies. The Court held that judicial intervention is impermissible where it involves reappreciation of evidence or substitution of the arbitrator’s commercial assessment under the label of “patent illegality”. Image reference only (Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/ Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Background of the dispute: a contract that outgrew its paper terms The dispute traces back to 1999, when BALCO...
NALCO stocks leading the nonferrous sector with consistent earnings and 38% annual gain
National Aluminium Company is in the spotlight for its shares climbed to Rs.299.7 (USD 3.61) on December 26. With this peak, NALCO recorded a 52-week high while being the highest price the stock has recorded till date. The move came despite a subdued broader market tone and underlined the company’s sustained outperformance in the non-ferrous metals segment. The wider equity market opened on a cautious note, with the Sensex starting the session at INR 85,225.28 (USD 948.69), down 183.42 points or 0.21 per cent, and later trading near INR 85,255.94 (USD 949.08), a decline of 0.18 per cent. Despite this softness, the benchmark index remains close to its 52-week peak of INR 86,159.02 (USD 959.13), just 1.06 per cent below that level. In fact, its 50 day average is more than its 200 day...
EU’s revised 2035 stance exposes rifts in EV sector
Europe’s transition to electric mobility remains officially on track, but the destination now appears less certain. The European Commission has moved to defer its long-standing plan to phase out petrol and diesel car sales by 2035, prompting unease among electric vehicle startups and climate-focused investors. Image source: EARTH.ORG Under the revised approach, new cars would no longer need to be entirely zero-emission by 2035. Instead, manufacturers may sell a limited proportion, up to 10 per cent of hybrid or similar vehicles, provided they offset the associated emissions through carbon credits. The proposal forms part of a wider “Automotive Package” that Brussels says is intended to preserve both environmental goals and industrial competitiveness. If endorsed by the European...
Imo Government restores the historic aluminium plant after years of abandonment
The Imo State Government has officially recommissioned the Imo Aluminium Extrusion Industries Limited (ALEX) in Inyishi, Ikeduru Local Government Area, marking the full revival of one of the state’s oldest and most strategic industrial assets. At the official flag-off ceremony on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Investment, Chief Barrister Rex C. Anunobi, described the development as a major milestone in Imo State’s drive towards industrial renewal. He traced the factory’s origins to 1983, when it was established under the administration of the late Chief Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe and rapidly became a leading producer of aluminium long span roofing sheets, profiles and accessories, supplying markets nationwide. Also read: Aluminium Extrusion surge in caps, strong week at...
Chhattisgarh High Court dismisses private firm’s appeal over bauxite mining lease
The Chhattisgarh High Court has rejected an intra-court appeal filed by Keshkal G N India Bauxite Mines and Minerals Ltd regarding a bauxite mining lease in the Kanker–Bastar region of the state. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru, in an order passed on December 16, upheld an earlier single-judge ruling that had dismissed the company’s petition. The bench has observed that the firm had not violated any legally enforceable right and consequently lacked the standing to pursue the appeal. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Started in 2003, the dispute roots back to the time when Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC) signed a joint venture with the appellant company for...
Aluminium Extrusion surge in caps, strong week at Nigerian Exchange after 59% weekly rally
On the closing of Nigerian Exchange (NGX) last week, Aluminium Extrusion emerged as the standout performer after a sharp rally that placed it at the top of the weekly gainers’ table. The aluminiumstock surged by 59.35 per cent to close at N12.35 ( USD 0.0082), reflecting heightened investor interest. It was followed by Mecure Industries, which advanced 44.93 per cent to N55.00 ( USD 0.04), while First Holdco rose by 42.93 per cent to N44.95 ( USD 0.03). Guinness Nigeria also recorded a strong showing, gaining 33.01 per cent to finish at N289.70 ( USD 0.19), and NPF Microfinance Bank added 20.65 per cent to close at N3.74 ( USD 0.0025). Market breadth improved compared with the previous week. A total of 55 equities posted gains, up from 49 in the preceding week, while the number of...
Nanshan Aluminium's Southeast Asian project reaches four million tonnes of annual output
Leading alumina producer Nanshan Aluminium International Holdings Limited has fully commissioned its New Alumina Production Project in Southeast Asia, adding two million tonnes of annual capacity and doubling its total designed alumina output to four million tonnes per year. The ramp-up was completed in two stages. The first one million tonnes per year line began operations in the third quarter of 2025, followed by the second one million tonnes per year line, which entered operation on 20 December 2025. With both lines now fully operational, the project has moved from expansion to steady-state production. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain The capacity increase significantly strengthens Nanshan Aluminium’s cost position and...
NALCO sees confidence in aluminium cycle, rules out divestment
A strained global aluminium market could push prices sharply higher over the next year, even as alumina remains weighed down by surplus supply, believes the leadership of National Aluminium Company (NALCO). Image source: NALCO Brijendra Pratap Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of the state-owned producer, believes aluminium could trade close to the USD 3000 per tonne mark in the next financial year, underpinned by steadily rising consumption and structural limits on output. He has also added that demand is accelerating well beyond traditional end users, with electric vehicles, infrastructure projects, power transmission and large-scale data centres, all adding to the call on metal. The supply picture, however, is far less flexible. Singh pointed to the risk of smelter closures in...
CANPACK and Royal Swinkels join hands to launch the 2025 8.6 Tattoo Limited Edition can design
CANPACK collaborated with Royal Swinkels to introduce the latest 2025 8.6 Tattoo Limited Edition can design. The launch continues a long-running tradition of turning the 8.6 Original 50cl beverage can into a canvas for bold artistic expression. The project brings together the distinctive spirit of the 8.6 brand and CANPACK’s award-winning Quadromix printing technology. The result is a limited-edition can that is visually bold, technically precise and scalable for high-volume production. It also underlines how packaging innovation is increasingly used as a storytelling tool in the beverage sector. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Since 2016, the 8.6 Tattoo Limited Edition series has turned the 8.6 Original 50cl can into a...
GST 2.0 resets the confidence in India’s auto industry’s trajectory after a sluggish phase
As 2025 draws to a close, automobile companies in India is experiencing a massive shift from a phase of weak demand and cautious spending to one of significant momentum. Driven largely by the GST 2.0, the new wave has reshaped vehicle pricing and improved sentiments across segments. With industry veterans expecting a double-digit growth in FY26, this reveals a notable turnaround from earlier projections of drastically low expansion. The majority of 2025 in the Indian auto industry was a phase of struggle where consumer sentiment remained guarded, discretionary spending was slow to revive, and rural demand was at a consistent low. According to the data of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), total automobile sales in the first half of 2025 stood at 2,670,857 units, which...
