Across Europe, aluminium extrusion has become closely woven into some of the region’s biggest industrial and construction markets. From automotive and transport to buildings and industrial applications, extruded profiles are finding demand across a wide range of sectors. This is reflected in Europe’s position in the global market: the region accounted for 12 per cent of global aluminium extrusion capacity, making it the second-largest regional contributor after China. At the same time, Europe represented 10 per cent of global aluminium extrusion usage, out of total global usage of 35.35 million tonnes . With production capacity and usage shares relatively close, Europe’s extrusion capacity and consumption are broadly at par. If we break down Europe’s 10 per cent share of global aluminium...
Taber Extrusions has launched a $70 million expansion in Russellville featuring North America’s largest aluminum extrusion press, with production scheduled to begin Wednesday and 70 new jobs expected at the facility. The company marked the grand opening of the expanded facility Tuesday, unveiling the new 10,000-metric-tonne aluminium press. Taber Extrusions has operated in the Russellville community for more than 50 years, making the latest investment a significant addition to its long-standing local presence. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders attended the ceremony and said the project would strengthen manufacturing employment in the River Valley while supporting the US industrial base. "This will be another major employer for Russellville and the entire River Valley. It will further...
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Norsk Hydro’s Chief Financial Officer Eivind Kallevik has attributed the slowdown in German auto and construction sector for the missed result expectations in the second quarter. This has lowered aluminium demand and dragged the sale of Hydro in this quarter. Share prices for the company however rise on reports of increased production. This was further worsened by lower aluminium prices, alumina and aluminium production curtailment and the effects of a cyber-attack. Oslo-based Norsk Hydro missed expectations in the second quarter Tuesday after it reported a drop in underlying profit to 875 million Norwegian krone ($101 million). Hydro CFO said that demand weakness was acute in Europe and particularly in the biggest European economy Germany.The German central bank's monthly report...
In Europe, as flexible packaging market is expected to grow from $28.22 billion in 2016 to $ 41 billion by the end of 2021 at a CAGR of 7.76%, the United Kingdom emerges as a large consumer of aluminium foils. According to the global export-import data, the United Kingdom in 2016 imported 66,025 tonnes of aluminium foil, which in 2017 grew 46 per cent to 96,586 tonnes. In 2018, the country’s import volume remained flat at 96,448 tonnes, while this year is expected to see a growth of 4.2 per cent to 100,499 tonnes. Unique characteristics like strength, formability, and barriers properties are playing the most important role in consistently stimulating the use of aluminium foil. It is largely used in flexible packaging, container applications, automotive and heat exchange components,...
Gränges, a leading global supplier of rolled aluminium products for heat exchanger applications and other niche markets, reported sales volume of 92.9 ktonnes (99.1) in the second quarter of 2019. Net sales dropped to SEK 3,188 million (3,443). Adjusted operating profit stood at SEK 257 million (301), while adjusted operating profit per tonne amounted to 2.8 kSEK (3.0). Profit decreased to SEK 171 million (214) in the second quarter of 2019. Gränges’ CEO Johan Menckel said: “The softer market conditions that we experienced in the first quarter continued in the second quarter of 2019. Lower market demand resulted in a sales volume decline of 6 per cent to 92.9 ktonnes. The adjusted operating profit declined by SEK 44 million to SEK 257 million and included costs for the US expansion...
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) put sanctions against a network of front companies and agents on July 18, 2019, who are involved in the procurement of aluminium materials for sanctioned elements of Iran’s nuclear program. The sanctioned individuals and entities are based in Iran, China, and Belgium and have acted as a procurement network for Iran’s Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA), which plays a crucial role in Iran’s nuclear program developed by Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). TESA was already sanctioned by Treasury s on November 21, 2011. This global network is comprised of seven entities and five individuals. “Treasury is taking action to shut down an Iranian nuclear procurement network that leverages Chinese- and...
Apex Aluminum Extrusions, a premium North American aluminium extruder, has appointed Tony Da Silva, MBA, P.Eng., as Vice President of Engineering. He will report directly to Bill de Koning, Chief Operating Officer of Apex Aluminum Extrusions. Bill de Koning said: “Tony has proven himself to be instrumental in the growth and expansion of aluminum extrusion factories. Tony has successfully implemented capital expansion projects in the tens of millions of dollars: his knowledge, experience in combination with his hands-on capabilities makes me very confident that Tony will bring continued success to our team and to our assertive growth objectives.” With 170,000 square foot aluminium extrusion facility the company delivers custom extrusions, mill finish aluminium and anodized aluminium. Tony...
Global automotive parts manufacturing company Nemak, headquartered in García, announced on Tuesday, July 16, that it planned to close down its aluminium casting plant at Windsor by mid-2020. This decision is a result of the early phase-out of an export programme with a customer in China, according to Nemak. Armando Tamez, CEO of Nemak, said in a media release, "Given our outlook on capacity utilization and volumes in Windsor, we have made the decision to end production at this facility." About 90 per cent of the 400,000 cylinder engine blocks produced annually in Nemak’s Windsor plant was destined for Cadillac vehicles at GM's Shanghai plant. So, the early phase-out of the export programme is expected to reduce Nemak's use of the plant to less than 10 per cent of capacity. Currently, the...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, demand for photovoltaic-use (PV-use) aluminium extrusion is likely to stay strong across China in the second half of the year, as the National Energy Administration (NEA) released on Thursday, July 18, the remaining quotas for residential solar qualifying for a 2019 subsidy, which was at 1.27GW. The NEA revealed on its website that some 2.23GW installed capacity of PV projects was eligible for national subsidies till June-end of 2019. The total approved quotas for the year is 3.5GW. The rooftop market performed well in the first half of the year, recovering from the sluggish trend on China’s announcement of its plan to curtail subsidies on May 31, 2018. Customs data showed China’s export of PV modules in June came in at 5,974.36MW after registering an...
South Korea's imports of aluminium including scrap from the US stood at 105,000 tonnes in the first four months of 2019, 31 per cent higher than the corresponding period of 2018. Imports were 27,300 tonnes in April as compared to 22,100 tonnes in April 2018. Aluminium semi-finished imports from the US came in at 11,500 tonnes in January-April 2019. That was up 4.5 per cent from 11,000 tonnes in the same period of 2018. In April, aluminium semi-finished imports from the US registered 2,740 tonnes, a drop of 1.4 per cent from 2,780 tonnes in the same period last year. Imports declined by 10.4 per cent from March’s import volume of 3,060 tonnes. Imports of aluminium scrap were 93,400 tonnes in the first four months of 2019, from 69,000 tonnes in the first four months of 2018. This records an...
Gränges’ production plant in Shanghai, China, has been certified against Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s (ASI) Performance Standard for responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium. The facility produces aluminium strips and plates for the auto industry. Shanghai plant is set up for direct chill casting, hot rolling, cold rolling, and finishing, with a current production capacity of 120 thousand tonnes. Johan Menckel, Chief Executive Officer at Gränges, said: “Achieving this ASI certification is an important milestone in our sustainability commitment and ambitious sustainability agenda and it is a great recognition for our sustainability efforts. The certification verifies that our aluminium products are produced responsibly and sustainably and it is a first step...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, inventories of aluminium billet in China have recorded further decline this week, as stocks in Foshan of Guangdong province has dipped significantly. Across five major consumption areas, the stocks of 6063 aluminium billet have decreased by some 400 tonnes over the week to stand at 81,100 tonnes, as of July 18. On last Thursday, July 11, the stocks hovered at 81,500 tonnes after declining from 83,200 tonnes week-on-week. In Foshan, Guangdong, and Nanchang, Jiangxi, the billet inventories have registered a drop from 47,900 tonnes last week to 41,700 tonnes and from 6,400 tonnes to 5,100 tonnes, as of July 18. In other major markets like Wuxi, Jiangxu; Changzhou, Jiangsu; and Huzhou Zhejiang, the inventories have, however, increased today by 3,400...
Taiwan’s exports of total aluminium including scrap to the US came in at 27,500 tonnes in the first four months of 2019, 290% higher than the corresponding period of 2018, according to the latest Mineral Industry Survey report from US Geological Survey. In April, aluminium exports to the US stood at 7,630 tonnes, an increase of 132% from 3,290 tonnes in April 2018. Taiwan exported 27,100 tonnes of aluminium semi-finished products to the US in January- April 2019, from 6,280 tonnes exported in January- April 2018. This records an increase of 331.53% or 20,820 tonnes year-on-year. Exports of semi-finished products increased by 142% in April compared with the same period last year. Exports to the US stood at 7,560 tonnes in April 2019, from 3,120 tonnes in April 2018. On a month-on-month...
According to a regulatory filing on Monday, Braidy Industries still lacks about US$300 million in private investment to fund construction of its Kentucky aluminium rolling mill. The filing also says that half of Rusal’s US$200 million investment in the mill is dependent on Braidy’s ability to raise US$300 million from other investors and secure construction financing. Braidy says in the statement that it has “received indications of interest from prospective investors in excess of this ($300 million) amount, (but) these prospective investors currently are not committed to make any investments.” Braidy Industries chairman and CEO Craig Bouchard expressed optimism about the project in a statement: "Our progress building one of the largest mills in the world has gone faster than any project...
Following the recommendation from commerce ministry’s investigation arm Director General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), the Government of India may reportedly apply a provisional anti-dumping duty between US$ 28.67 per tonne and US$ 199.53 per tonne on imports of aluminium and zinc coated flat products from China, Vietnam, and Korea. The ministry recommended this after conducting a thorough probe, through which it could conclude that there had been a significant increase in imports of the good from these three countries in absolute terms. Aluminium and zinc coated flat products are used in infrastructure projects, solar power plants, roofing, and white goods. DGTR also stated that these products came into India at below their normal values because of which the domestic industry suffered...
Montenegrin aluminium company Uniprom has reportedly opened a silumin alloys production unit worth 10 million euro or $11.3 million at its local aluminium smelter KAP. The news arrived after the government officially announced about the opening of the manufacturing unit on Monday, July 15. At this new unit which will have dozens of employees, Uniprom will produce aluminium alloys in the form of small ingots, said the government in a statement. "The new factory will make a product that can go directly to the halls of automotive or aviation giants. Every new product in Montenegro is a step towards new jobs," Prime Minister Dusko Markovic said during the opening ceremony. In March 2019, the owner of Uniprom Veselin Pejovic had declared that the company was investing about 26 million euro in...
Henan Zhongfu High Precision Aluminum Products Co., Ltd has become a new Production & Transformation member of Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI). The company, established in 2013, is a high end aluminium alloy new material manufacturer and is wholly owned by Henan Zhongfu Industrial Co.,Ltd. Henan Zhongfu High Precision Aluminum Products Co., Ltd’s produces aluminium can body stock, can end stock, can tab stock and aluminium foil stock for food, beverage and other product sectors. It is mainly dedicated to world class quality of aluminium strip and sheets. “We are very glad to join ASI. We will make proactive efforts to implement and support ASI Standards to achieve sustainable development of aluminium production,” said General Manager, Wenchao Ma. Zhongfu Industrial Co., Ltd.,...
Bahrain, one of the leading aluminium exporters to the US, accounted for 4% of all aluminium imports by the US during the first four months of 2019. Bahrain exported 71,000 tonnes of aluminium (crude metal and alloys and aluminium semi-finished products) to the US in January-April, from 64,900 tonnes exported in January-April 2018. That was up 9.4% year-on-year. Aluminium exports by Bahrain stood at 18,700 tonnes in April 2019, down 12% from 21,200 tonnes in April 2018, according to the latest Mineral Industry Survey report from US Geological Survey. Crude metal and alloys export increased 12.98% or 5,800 tonnes year-on-year in the four-month period. Export rose from 44,700 tonnes in January-April 2018 to 50,500 tonnes in January-April 2019. In April, exports to the US stood at 12,500...
Hebei Sitong New Metal Material Co., Ltd. has joined Aluminium Stewardship Initiative as a Production & Transformation member, ASI announced on Thursday, 11 July 2019. The company, founded in 1998, focuses on R&D, production and sales of functional intermediate alloy, new materials and aluminium alloy wheel lightweight in China. “Our company believes that membership in ASI will help promote and enhance the confidence of our customers and stakeholders; we also believe that membership in ASI will help our company to establish and improve responsible production, purchasing and material management in the metal supply chain,” the company said. Hebei Sitong New Metal Material Co., Ltd. has passed the certification of AS9100D aerospace quality management system, IATF16949 automobile quality...
Aluminium bar rods and profiles market has been fairing high across the globe over the past few years, thankfully due to massive infrastructural advancements and refurbishment. By 2020 global aluminium extrusions market for the building and construction sector are likely to account for almost 74 percent of the overall market share to continue its dominance as the key revenue generator. The global export-import data reveals that amidst the uptrend of aluminium bar rods and profiles market, France’s import of the product is seeing a continued year-on-year rise. Its import from Spain, which is one of its key aluminium bar rods and profiles suppliers, is also growing both in terms of volume and cost. Let us now see how France’s aluminium bars rods and profile import from Spain is trending...
