A major police operation in India’s Uttar Pradesh has exposed an inter-district network allegedly involved in stealing electricity transformers and selling their internal metal components, including aluminium wire and copper binding, to scrap dealers. Police in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, have busted an inter-district transformer theft gang and arrested eight people, including a scrap dealer accused of purchasing stolen materials. The operation led to the recovery of aluminium wire, copper binding, transformer coils and cash allegedly generated through the sale of stolen electrical components. The gang reportedly operated across several districts, including Kanpur Dehat, Unnao, Lucknow and Fatehpur. A joint team comprising Chaubeypur police, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit and West...
Ford has produced more than 5,000 large aluminium unicastings at its Shelbyville Technical Center as it advances manufacturing preparations for the Fathom midsize electric truck, scheduled to launch in 2027. The castings are being used for process testing and prototype assembly at the company's Louisville Assembly Plant. The Fathom will feature two large aluminium unicastings that replace 146 individual structural parts, significantly simplifying the vehicle's architecture. Ford says the approach reduces vehicle mass and improves overall energy efficiency, while introducing a different method of assembling vehicles through its new Universal Production System. The two large structures form the front and rear sections of the vehicle. By consolidating numerous components into fewer castings,...
Grow with
AL Circle
Hydro has planned to shut down its loss-making precision tubing Pune plant with immediate effect as of June 20, 2020. The company announced that its business area Extruded Solutions has decided to close the Hydro Precision Tubing Pune plant in India. The basis for continued operation is not present. The facility, which employs 61 people, has made losses last year. The unit is expected to make a loss also in 2020 due to negative outlook for this plant. “The long-term market outlook is negative for PT Pune, as most products are used for the combustion engine market where demand for Pune products is declining,” the company said. Hydro Precision Tubing remains committed to the precision tubing markets globally. It will continue to have a strong footprint in Europe, Asia and North- and South...
The economy of Poland is the sixth-largest in the European Union and the largest among the former Eastern Bloc members of the EU. The biggest industries in Poland are agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and tourism. Poland’s aluminium alloy import during 2017-19 has been recorded with a volume of 1.34 million tonnes and the revenue expended stood at $2.432 billion. The aluminium alloy import projection for 2020 has remained at 498,202 tonnes and the expenditure stood at $0.853 billion. However, when the analysed import volume and expenditure being added with the previous three years it reflects $3.295 billion. The major exporting nations for Poland’s import of Aluminium alloy are Austria, Bulgaria, Bahrain, India, Hungary, Netherlands, China, etc. In 2017 the aluminium alloy importation...
Middle-East’s largest downstream facilities, a Bahrain based international aluminium rolling mill, Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill, GARMCO, has commenced on a transformative role in shaping the climate agenda through the GARMCO Green Initiative that sets the stage in steering the company’s vision for a sustainable future in a tangible direction. The GARMCO Green Initiative is the culmination of years of best practice in eco-friendly processes and provides the template for the company’s new strategic direction of being a champion of environmental causes. As an outcome of it, GARMCO has been in the leader-space of developing some of the most high-quality products from recycled aluminium, and also ensuring that energy efficiency is at the heart of the way production processes are conducted....
South African Aluminium supplier and exporter Hulamin, whose customers include Tesla, has sent warning signal on 19 th June’20 that it has entered into a loss in its year to end-December. The company had already stated earlier that declining sales took a chunk out of its profits of a business classified by fixed costs. The group announced that it expected to report a headline loss per share of between 70c and 80c, and up to 187.9% decline from the prior comparative period. Hulamin declared previously: “They experienced unusually challenging conditions in 2019, amid weak market conditions both locally and internationally.” This resulted in Hulamin Rolled Products sales volumes declining 10% to 204,000 tonnes. The group said in a trading update in March. “Due to the high fixed manufacturing...
The latest data released by the US Geological Survey shows a significant surge in the United Arab Emirates’ aluminium crude metal and alloys exports to the United States in March 2020, following a dip in February. According to the data, the aluminium crude metal and alloys exports from the UAE to the US soared from 10,300 tonnes in February to 20,400 tonnes in March, an increase of 10,300 tonnes or 102 per cent month-on-month. But when compared to the same period last year, the UAE’s exports to the US plunged by 99.96 per cent from 53,200 tonnes. In January 2020, the export amount was 31,000 tonnes, meaning the United States’ imports from the UAE declined 67.42 per cent month-on-month in February 2020. In January also, the UAE’s aluminium crude metal and alloys exports to the US stood...
The US Aluminium Association's Common Alloy Aluminium Sheet Trade Enforcement Working Group filed antidumping and countervailing duty petitions against 18 countries on 9 th March’20. This occurs just after 13 months the US Department of Commerce published AD and CVD orders on imports of common alloy sheet from China. The announcement stated: "The domestic industry's antidumping petitions allege that common alloy aluminium sheet from Bahrain, Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Oman, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, and Turkey was dumped in the United States at margins ranging from 15.90% to 151.00% of the value of the imported common alloy aluminium sheet. Domestic producers also filed countervailing duty petitions alleging...
Alcomet, a Bulgaria-based company that is principally engaged in the production of aluminium rolled and extruded products, will supply electric car parts to Germany-based automobile manufacturer, SeeNews reported. The company will start producing parts this summer from its facility in Shumen, notheastern Bulgaria. But mass manufacturing will commence next year, Bulgarian public radio BNR quoted Alcomet owner and supervisory board chairman Fikret Ince as saying on Wednesday June 17. The company has planned to expand manufacturing capacity, creating employment opportunities for 50 people. Alcomet will provide components for the electric car's drivetrain and batteries. "We are talking about qualified workforce, that will manage special machines under computer control," Ince said. Alcomet...
Constellium has been awarded a Platinum rating from EcoVadis, placing the company in the top 1% of companies assessed worldwide. Platinum is the highest rating awarded by EcoVadis, a leading provider of business sustainability ratings. “We are proud of this Platinum rating from EcoVadis as it is validation of our steadfast commitment to sustainability,” said Jean-Marc Germain, CEO of Constellium. “Being ranked among the top 1% is a notable achievement and a tribute to all the work done by our teams. We have long placed sustainability at the core of our business, and this recognition will inspire us to go further.” Constellium, engaged in several major international programs fostering transparency and sustainability performance, follows the most rigorous and transparent standards in the...
Extruded aluminium manufacturer Capral is continuing to function without major interruptions, in spite of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The virus has created economic insecurity and uncertainty globally; however, the company has managed to evade most of the impacts. This has been exhibited in Capral’s result for the first quarter’20, which were aligned with the firm’s budget and guidance. Some minor impacts began to reflect in March’20 when demand for the company’s aluminium products started to slow down. This conflicted with the execution of COVID-19 limitations and social distancing policies in Australia. Yet Capral was largely capable to alleviate these initial issues through several cost-saving measures. These included 20% reductions in staff salaries with reduced working hours and use...
Manaksia Aluminium Company, is a manufacturer of aluminium rolled products in coil and sheet form, has released the financial results for the year ended 3lst March, 2020. Net profit stood at INR 2.62 crore in the quarter ended March 2020 as against INR 1.96 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2019. That is up 33.67% year-on-year. Sales declined 11.62% to INR 63.53 crore in the quarter ended March 2020. The company had reported sales of INR 71.88 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2019. Net profit came in at INR 5.84 crore for the full year as against INR 7.33 crore during the previous year ended March 2019. This marks a drop of 20.33% year-on-year. Sales increased 2.06% to INR 281.30 crore, from INR 275.61 crore during the previous year ended March 2019. The company’s...
AMAG, a leading Austrian premium supplier of high-quality aluminium cast and flat rolled products for highly varied industries, has received JIS certification (Japanese Industrial Standards). The company becomes the first European aluminium producer to qualify for the “JIS Mark”. AMAG will now expand its product portfolio for the Japanese market. In future, the company is now able to provide aluminium sheets and plates for projects that require mandatory certification. “In Japan, more than anywhere else in the world, quality is the key to successful business relations. We are therefore especially proud to have met the high demands imposed on companies seeking JIS certification,” said Gerald Mayer, AMAG CEO. AMAG purchased a tensile testing machine to meet the particular requirements of...
Rusal, a leading global aluminium producer, has announced the beginning of a new foundry complex, having a production capacity of 120 thousand tonnes of alloys per year, at the Boguchansky aluminium smelter. The new foundry will produce high silicon aluminium alloy with increased strength, which is commonly used in the automotive industry for manufacturing wheels, engine units, and various automobile spare parts. Demand for this alloy is strong in Japan, Indonesia, Turkey, South Korea, Germany, and the United States. Rusal for this fully automated foundry complex has invested over 600 million rubbles. The foundry produces ingots through continuous casting technology that eliminates the formation of any slag inclusions and other defects, unlike in traditional casting methods. Evgenii...
The cast aluminium facility of Wheels India is set to go on stream in September 2020. The INR 120 crore cast aluminium plant will cater to the export demand. Wheels India expects strong demand from the windmill and railways segments. The new unit will have an annual production capacity of 7.50 lakh wheels. “We have not held up the capital expenditure plans as we see robust demand in the cast aluminium business. There is export demand and we will be able to serve this demand from this new plant", Company Managing Director Srivats Ram told reporters via video conferencing. "Despite the (COVID-19 enforced) lockdown for two months, if we maintain last year's levels in the windmill and tractor segment, I believe that is a positive development", he said. "Existing customers may look at...
Inventories of aluminium billets in China have declined this week ending on Thursday, June 18, as shipments from warehouses increased while arrivals decreased in contrast, found Shanghai Metals Market. SMM data shows, aluminium billets inventories today have declined by 2,500 tonnes across the five major consumption areas in China to stand at 71,500 tonnes, following a build-up of 900 tonnes last week, on June 11. The chart below indicates the current status of aluminium billets inventories across China in more details: As the above chart shows, the decline in aluminium billets inventories has not touched upon the major Chinese markets, except Foshan, where the inventories have plunged by 6,400 tonnes to stand at 33,300 tonnes. In Wuxi and Nanchang, the billet stocks have rather increased...
Manohan Aluminium in Fiji Islands has managed to run normal operations during the COVID-19 epidemic. The 40 years old aluminium extrusion and downstream supply company has been employing about 60 people and is continuing with construction projects around the island nation. The COVID-19 breakout has forced many businesses to lay off their workers as a measure for cost-cutting. Raj Mahohan, MD, Manohan Aluminium said: “We have retained all their employees.” “At this time, we have the Coronavirus. We never lay off anybody, we never cut anyone’s wages and we continue as normal. In this industry, it is very critical and difficult to train people. The thing is that, as I said it’s not about the profit. It’s over the last 40-years we built assets and we are utilizing that to keep our staff...
Kyrgyzstan is a Central Asian country which is landlocked with mountainous terrain. It is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west and southwest, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east. Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Russia-backed Eurasian Economic Union. Its economy is heavily dependent on gold exports and remittances from Kyrgyzstani migrants working in Russia and Kazakhstan. FocusEconomics panellists forecast GDP contracting 1.8% in 2020, which is down 4.0 percentage points from last month's estimate. For 2021, the panel sees GDP growth at 5.7%. The country’s import of aluminium Bar Rods and Profiles during 2018-19 has remained flat, as the import volume stood at 5749 tonnes and the expenditure remained at $16.76 million. However, the estimated import for...
Alcomet, a Bulgaria-based company that is principally engaged in the production of aluminium rolled and extruded products, published a net loss in the first quarter of 2020. The company reported a net loss of 772,000 levs ($446,000/395,000 euro) in Q1, from a net profit of 3.6 million levs last year. Alcomet said in an interim financial statement that its operating revenue stood at 95.2 million levs in the first three months of the year, down from 97.9 million levs in the first three months of last year. Sales of extruded products increased by 5.8% year-on-year to 6,626 tonnes in Q1. Rolled products sale came in at 11,276 tonnes, down 2.3% year-on-year. Total sales rose to 17,902 tonnes, from 17,805 tonnes last year. Despite the commissioning of new production plants, production remained...
According to the latest data released by the US Geological Survey, the United States in March 2020 exported 69,900 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and bars, bringing the total export amount in the first quarter of the year to 207,000 tonnes. Year-on-year, the United States’ aluminium semis exports in March 2020 was down by 7.78 per cent from 75,800 tonnes. Also, the total exports in Q1 2020 recorded a downtrend compared to 226,000 tonnes of the total exports of aluminium plates, sheet and bars by the US in Q1 2019. In February 2020, the US aluminium semis exports were 68,600 tonnes, meaning the exports in March dropped by 1.86 per cent month-on-month. The exports in February remained flat compared to 68,200 tonnes of exports in January 2020. The exports in January, however, registered...
