
Kaiser Aluminum is seeing stronger demand across aerospace, defence, packaging and semiconductor-related markets, with customer bookings extending into 2027. However, the aluminium producer’s latest results highlight a challenge: converting rising shipments and record conversion revenue into stronger profitability as planned outages, lower scrap utilisation and startup costs weigh on margins. The company reported third-quarter 2026 shipments of 300 million pounds, up from 270 million pounds in the same period last year, while conversion revenue climbed 25 per cent year-on-year to a record USD 439 million from USD 351 million. Net sales reached USD 1.21 billion. Despite the growth, adjusted EBITDA increased by only USD 3 million year-on-year to USD 84 million. A USD 29 million unfavourable...
The US aluminum industry is placing renewed emphasis on workforce safety, domestic production, and material recovery, with the Aluminum Association’s sold-out Casthouse Safety Workshop in Charlotte, North Carolina, highlighting the importance of safe molten aluminum handling. The program trained more than 120 industry workers and has been running for over 30 years, with the Association describing it as a global benchmark for casthouse operators and supervisors. The workshop comes as the industry continues to focus on strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities and supply chains. Alongside workforce training, the Aluminum Association has called for bipartisan permitting reform to accelerate investment in US aluminum production, arguing that faster approvals could help unlock the...
Grow with
AL Circle

Steel Strips Wheels has placed its aluminium wheel and aluminium knuckle project at the centre of its next growth phase, with construction and commissioning activities progressing at its Bhuj facility in Gujarat, India. The company is investing around INR 5 billion (USD 52.4 million) in the project, which will add an annual capacity of 1.2 million aluminium wheels and 1.1 million knuckles. The expansion plan is part of a broader strategy to solidify the company's position in the platform of higher-value automotive components while reinforcing demand growth from both conventional and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers. The new facilities are expected to achieve utilisation levels of 70 per cent or more around FY28. Explore the relevance of red mud in the sustainable aluminium industry in...

The downstream and end-user segments of the aluminium industry delivered a diverse mix of developments, ranging from corporate earnings and infrastructure-led demand growth to changing electric vehicle sales patterns and new manufacturing technologies. Aluminium processors benefited from stronger prices in several regions, automakers continued increasing the metal's role in vehicle design, and innovations in casting and packaging highlighted how aluminium applications are evolving beyond traditional markets. At the same time, supply-chain concerns and regional demand shifts underscored the challenges facing some of the industry's largest consumers. Earnings diverge across downstream aluminium companies Recent corporate results showed that while higher aluminium prices supported several...

Aluminium rolled and extruded products manufacturer Constellium’s FY2025 chart pinned robust financial results, reinforced by firm demand across its packaging, aerospace and industrial product segments. The company reported notable gains in revenue, profitability and cash generation, improving operating efficiency and returns on capital despite economic uncertainties. However, Constellium’s opposition to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) framework by the European Union indicates concerns that Europe's aluminium sector remains burdened by high energy and carbon costs. Commenting on the financial performance, Ingrid Joerg, the CEO of Constellium , stated, “Constellium delivered near-record results in 2025 despite the uncertain macroeconomic and end-market environment, including...

Hindalco Industries is aiming to generate over INR 10 billion (USD 119 million) in revenue from its aluminium window business within the next three years. The business operates under the Eternia brand, which manufactures aluminium window systems for residential and commercial buildings. According to the company, Eternia has recorded nearly 65 per cent compound annual growth over the past three years. Hindalco said the growth target will be supported by a wider partner network, increased production capacity and growing demand for aluminium windows in India. The company estimates that India's windows and facade market is worth around INR 400 billion (USD 4.19 billion). It added that the premium segment is growing at nearly 15 per cent annually. Satish Pai, Managing Director of Hindalco...

The European Commission has proposed a new law to increase the use of European-made aluminium, steel and clean-tech products in projects receiving public funding. Known as the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), the proposal covers sectors including aluminium, steel, cement, batteries, solar power and electric vehicles. Under the draft rules, a portion of the aluminium used in public procurement projects would need to be both low-carbon and produced within the European Union, while certain clean-tech products would face new sourcing requirements. The legislation would also seek to reduce dependence on a single overseas supplier for clean-tech products and key components. In certain public procurement projects, no more than 50 per cent of the value of a clean-tech product or its key...

Establishment of the new trade centre at Geelong is another way of consolidating Capral Aluminium’s presence in regional Victoria. This marks a significant development for the company as it seeks to extend its reach to serve the needs of regional Victoria. This is just one more step taken by the company in investing in the Australian manufacturing industry. The Geelong aluminium trade centre has been established to improve access to a comprehensive range of aluminium products for local businesses, manufacturers, fabricators and tradespeople. Customers will benefit from a wide selection of aluminium extrusions, sheet, plate and rolled products, supported by expert local assistance and Capral’s extensive national supply network. The expansion also builds on Capral’s earlier efforts to...

Giga-casting technology has rewritten the economics of automotive aluminium, but the deepest disruption is not in the press hall. It is in the alloy chemistry, the scrap loop, and the macroeconomic positioning of every foundry that supplies the automotive sector. After Part 1 which highlighted aluminium giga-casting revolution in foundries , Part 2 of this series examines the metallurgical science that makes aluminium giga-casting possible, the demand that is about to be created, the closed-loop scrap economy that will redefine secondary metal markets, and what foundries in Germany, China, North America, and India must do to survive the transition. The alloy revolution inside the machine Standard ADC12 cannot be used in giga-casting. Understanding why requires a short look at alloy...

Automotive industry executive Vineet Sahni has joined Victura Group as Chief Executive Officer, a few weeks after stepping down as CEO and director of Fiem Industries. Headquartered in Faridabad, Victura Group manufactures precision components, sub-assemblies and systems for automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in domestic and international markets. Its product portfolio includes sheet metal stampings, sheet frames, exhaust system components, forged and machined parts, pressure pipes, aluminium castings and other engineered products used in passenger vehicles, two-wheelers, commercial vehicles, electric vehicles and off-highway equipment. Sahni brings more than two decades of experience in the automotive components industry. Over his career, he has held leadership positions at Fiem...

India’s cable and wire industry is expected to report revenue growth of 28-30 per cent in FY27, supported not only by infrastructure demand but also by tighter global supplies nd increasing prices of aluminium and copper, according to a report by Crisil Ratings. The sector is expected to benefit from an investment pipeline of INR 10-12 trillion (USD 105-126 billion) across power transmission, renewable energy, real estate, data centres and smart meter projects. The growth forecast comes after the industry recorded more than 20 per cent volume-led growth in FY26. Crisil’s analysis covers 17 cable and wire manufacturers that account for nearly 70 per cent of the organised sector’s revenue of around INR 1 trillion (USD 10.5 billion). Organised companies contribute nearly two-thirds of the...

New Zealand has opened a safeguard investigation into imports of certain aluminium extrusion products, according to a notification circulated by the country to the World Trade Organization Committee on Safeguards on May 28, 2026. The investigation was initiated by New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and relates to aluminium alloy profiles, bars and rods manufactured using extrusion processes. The products under review fall under tariff classifications 7604.21.00 00B, covering hollow profiles, and 7604.29.09 00F for other aluminium extrusion products. According to the notification, the investigation covers extrusions produced from alloys belonging to the 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 series under the Aluminium Association classification system. For forward-thinking...

US President Donald Trump has signed a new proclamation revising tariffs on selected aluminium, copper and iron imports, introducing temporary changes aimed at encouraging domestic manufacturing investment while maintaining protection for key American metal industries. Under the revised framework, tariffs on certain steel and aluminium derivative products -including some agricultural machinery, residential heating systems, air conditioning units and ventilation equipment - will be reduced from 25 per cent to 15 per cent. The proclamation also widens the category of industrial products eligible for a 15 per cent tariff treatment. Mobile industrial equipment such as bulldozers and forklifts imported from countries covered under US trade agreements will now qualify for the lower rate. At the...

Maan Aluminium is entering a phase where improving technical momentum is colliding with softer earnings performance, leaving investors with a divided outlook on the stock’s near-term direction. The company’s latest quarterly numbers reflected a visible slowdown in profitability. For Q4 FY25-26, profit after tax (PAT) stood at INR 17 million (USD 178000), down 55.5 per cent compared with the average of the previous four quarters. PBDIT dropped to INR 16.4 million (USD 172000), while the operating profit-to-net sales ratio weakened to 0.64 per cent, marking one of the softer quarterly performances seen in recent periods. Despite the weak earnings trend, technical indicators continue to present a mixed picture. Weekly and monthly MACD indicators remain bullish, signalling underlying medium-...

Worldwide Aluminium turned profitable in the March 2026 quarter, despite registering a fall in income for that particular period. The company registered a standalone net profit of INR 400 thousand (USD 5 thousand) in the March 2026 quarter, as against a net loss of INR 0.3 million (USD 0.004 million) in the corresponding quarter last year. The profits were not much, but they showed some improvement in the company’s performance . Sales, however, fell by a considerable margin on a quarterly basis. Revenue recorded a fall of 37.38 per cent to reach INR 183.8 million (USD 2.21 million) from INR 293.5 million (USD 3.53 million) reported in the same quarter last year during FY2024-25. Read our latest e-Magazine ALuminium LeaderSpeak 2026 for current market insights from industry's leading...

Tesla started it. BYD, Toyota, Volvo, Hyundai, NIO, and Xiaomi are racing to match it. The machines at the centre of this aluminium giga-casting revolution - some weighing 410 tonnes and injecting metal at pressures exceeding 1,500 bar-are making the conventional automotive die casting industry structurally obsolete. Giga-casting technology is not a trend. It is a permanent restructuring of how the world builds cars, and every aluminium foundry, alloy producer, and equipment maker on Earth now operates in its shadow. A plant manager in Bavaria Klaus Hartmann has run an 800-tonne HPDC unit south of Munich for fourteen years. His machines produce structural brackets and subframe nodes for a German OEM. Twenty-two parts per platform. His line runs three shifts. His margin sits at seven per...

Remote-controlled demolition machines are becoming more common in foundry operations as companies look for ways to improve workplace safety and reduce physically demanding maintenance work. According to Brokk, robotic demolition systems allow workers to operate equipment from a safer distance instead of carrying out hazardous manual tasks directly inside foundry environments. The company said the technology can help reduce the risks linked to handheld equipment, which often exposes workers to heavy vibration, dust, falling material and injury hazards. Fracture injuries remain one of the more common problems faced by operators using traditional handheld demolition tools, with workers reportedly missing an average of 32 days of work after such injuries. Brokk said remote-controlled machines...

Press Metal Aluminium Holdings posted a record net profit of MYR 624.5 million for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026 (Q1 FY2026), up 35.2 per cent from MYR 461.77 million a year earlier, extending its streak to a third consecutive quarter of record earnings. The aluminium smelter said stronger aluminium prices, higher sales volumes and lower input costs supported the earnings growth. Quarterly revenue rose 5.2 per cent to MYR 4.1 billion, driven by improved delivery volumes and firmer realised aluminium prices . The group declared a first interim dividend of 2.5 sen per share, payable on June 30, representing a payout ratio of 33 per cent. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, profit before tax increased 9.6 per cent, supported by firmer metal prices despite the ringgit strengthening...

General Motors has once again recognised Bethel Automotive Safety Systems (WBTL) for its manufacturing standards, awarding the company the 2025 Supplier Quality Excellence Award for its aluminium chassis components. The distinction marks the fifth occasion since 2017 that the Tier 1 supplier has secured the accolade, reinforcing its long-standing relationship with the US carmaker and its premium and mass-market vehicle programmes. The award ceremony took place on May 22, 2026, and acknowledged WBTL’s performance during the 2025 calendar year. WBTL supplies aluminium steering knuckles and control arms for a range of vehicles across the Cadillac, Buick and Chevrolet portfolios. During the year alone, WBTL delivered approximately 4.935 million lightweight chassis parts to GM production lines...

Restoration of the flood-affected plant of Novelis located in Sierre, Switzerland, by the Swedish-Swiss technology firm ABB, is an example of industrial resilience. Operations at the Swiss plant were restored within 60 days after sustaining severe weather damage from a flood, threatening the plant’s automotive aluminium supply chains. Novelis’ Sierra plant faces the flood Torrential rainfall and melting snow led to major flooding across the Sierre district in western Switzerland in June 2024. As a result, the Sierre plant or the integrated aluminium production facility of Novelis, processing over 200,000 tonnes of aluminium annually and supplying high-quality aluminium sheet products to automotive manufacturers, was severely affected by the floodwaters. Hence, with the primary...