ABB has secured two orders from China’s Southwest Aluminum to supply integrated automation and digital technologies for two six-high aluminium cold rolling mills, supporting the manufacturer’s wide-strip production expansion and upgrade. The projects involve a 2,500 mm two-stand mill and a 3,000 mm single-stand mill, with both lines expected to be fully commissioned and operational by the end of 2027. Chongqing-based Southwest Aluminum is a subsidiary of the Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco). The orders build on the longstanding cooperation between ABB and the aluminium producer, with the latest projects focusing on process stability, control precision and production performance. Explore insights and forecasts for the aluminium flat rolled products (FRP) market from our...
India-based PG Foils Limited plans to establish a downstream aluminium manufacturing facility in Bahrain, focusing on electric vehicle (EV) battery foil and pharmaceutical foil production. The proposed investment is expected to expand the kingdom’s aluminium downstream capabilities and strengthen its manufacturing base. Bahrain’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce signed a letter of intent with PG Foils for the project. The agreement was signed by Industry and Commerce Minister Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro and PG Foils Joint Managing Director Sahil Shah during the fourth edition of the Gateway Gulf expo, which opened on November 1 in Manama. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report – Aluminum Foil Market Report Forecast Till 2035 Hosted by the Bahrain...
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Malaysia's Press Metal Aluminium Holdings is set to expand its aluminium business by acquiring Leader Universal Aluminium Sdn Bhd (LUA). For this, the company has signed an agreement with HNG Capital Sdn Bhd for RM96 million. Leader Universal Aluminium (LUA) is wholly-owned by HNG Capital, and is the largest aluminium and alloy rod producer in Malaysia and South East Asia. LUA manufactures high quality EC aluminium and alloy rods. The company said that the proposed acquisition provides the group a platform equipped with technical expertise and additional capacity to expand into the aluminium rod market. “The board is confident that the Proposed Acquisition will bring synergy to the Group’s aluminium business and will enhance the contribution to the Group’s value-added products,” the...
AMAG Austria Metall AG, a leading supplier of high-quality aluminium cast and flat rolled products for aerospace, automotive, sports, lighting, mechanical engineering, construction and packaging sector continued its growth track in FY2017. The company commissioned its new cold rolling mill and finishing plants and reported historically best operating results while laying the foundation for further organic growth. Total shipments increased 4 % to 421,700 tonnes in FY2017, driven by rising demand for aluminium products worldwide. Revenue rose 14% from EUR 906.2 million in 2016 to EUR 1,036.2 million, primarily driven by higher shipment volumes and rising aluminium price. The same factors have also lifted the EBITDA 15 % to a record level of EUR 164.5 million and net income after taxes...
Bahrain is one of the fast growing countries in the Middle East that is shifting to the non-oil sector for revenue generation. Full-year non-oil growth in Bahrain for 2018 is seen exceeding the 4% mark recorded in 2017, according to the latest Bahrain Economic Quarterly published by the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB). The kingdom reached an annual pace of 3.6% for the first three quarters of 2017 — improving on the 3.2% recorded in 2016 as a whole and making Bahrain the fastest-growing economy in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Bahrain along with producing primary aluminium is focusing on expanding its downstream products. The country produces aluminium powder and flakes for surface treatments and for 3D printing. Let us analyse the patterns for Aluminium Powder and Flakes...
Malaysia’s Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd announced results for the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2017 (4QFY17). The company recorded net profit of RM150.19 million in the fourth quarter, up 14 per cent from RM131.78 million a year ago. Image Source: Press Metal Press Metal’s revenue increased from RM2 billion in Q4 2016 to RM2.14 billion in Q4 2017. The company recorded an increase of 7.2 per cent. “Our smelting plants continued to operate at full capacity and higher revenue was mainly contributed by the higher metal price during the current year quarter under review,” according to Press Metal. For the financial year ended Dec 31, 2017 (FY17), net profit increased 24.65 per cent from RM483.57 million to 602.79 million. Revenue increased from RM6.65 billion to RM8.17 billion,...
On Tuesday February 27, the U.S. Commerce Department made a final determination that imports of aluminium foil from China are being sold in the United States at less than the fair market price as the producers are getting government subsidies from Beijing. The statement confirmed that antidumping and countervailing duties would be levied on a number of Chinese firms. Dumping margins would be ranging from 48.64% to 106.09%and anti-subsidy rates would be about 17.14% to 80.97%. “This Administration is committed to trade that is fair and reciprocal, and we will not allow American workers and businesses to be harmed by unfair imports,” said Secretary Wilbur Ross. The duties are subject to similar findings by the International Trade Commission (ITC), which is expected to be announced by March...
Patrick Industries, Inc. announced complete acquisition of the business and certain assets of Aluminum Metals Company, LLC, based at Elkhart, Indiana. AMC is a manufacturer and distributor of aluminium products including coil, fabricated sheets and extrusions, in addition to roofing products for recreational vehicles (RV) and industrial and marine sector. AMC's full-year 2017 revenues stood at about $38 million. Commenting on the acquisition, Todd Cleveland, Chief Executive Officer of Patrick said, "Consistent with our strategic growth initiatives in conjunction with our capital allocation and acquisition strategies, the acquisition of AMC allows us to capitalize on its value-added manufacturing capabilities, products, and expertise as a high quality supplier of a variety of customized...
According to the latest report from Aluminum Association, shipments of Aluminum Extruded Products (extruded shapes, pipe & tube, and rod & bar) by U.S. and Canadian producers stood at an estimated 204 thousand tonnes during January 2018, up 3.6 per cent over the volume in January 2017. On a month on month comparison, shipments increased 25.7 per cent over the December 2017 revised total of 162 thousand tonnes. Preliminary shipments for 2017 totalled 2.4 million tonnes, up 2.7 per cent over the volume shipped in 2016. Estimated shipments of Aluminum Drawing Stock, Bare Wire and Rod & Bar by U.S. and Canadian producers stood at 50 thousand tonnes during January 2018, slightly off from the January 2017 total and on a month on month comparison, the volume increased 24.3 per cent over the...
Notion VTec, a manufacturer and seller of high precision components for consumer electronics, digital imaging, and automotive industries, announced RM5.7 million of new investment in its aluminium extrusion technology. The company has received the grant assistance from the government. Image source: Notion VTec The investment will allow the company to save on the raw material costs and quality control for its production line products. “We are getting the facility ready and should be able to get returns on this of about 20% in five years,” Notion VTec executive chairman Thoo Chow Fah said. Thoo Chow Fah told The Edge Financial Daily that he expects to see the automotive segment to grow by 30% to 40% in 2018. The company hopes to grow its revenue by 20 per cent in 2018 and 2019. Notion VTec...
Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Design & Development Centre, Nagpur in association with Corporate Monitor, Kolkata inaugurates a 2-day Seminar on “Development of Aluminium Alloys & downstream products for Defence, Aerospace & other strategic applications” at JNARDDC, Nagpur today. The event was inaugurated today by Dr. Tapan Kumar Chand, CMD Nalco, along with Dr. Anupam Agnihotri, Director, JNARDDC, Lokesh Srivastava, COO AL Manufacturing Solutions and representative of Ministry of Mines, representatives from the primary aluminium majors and downstream sector, representative from DRDO and aeronautical sector. The Theme session hosted presentations from Defence, Aeronautical sector, Railways and on the undergoing Aluminium Park. National and International Session on downstream...
Constellium published results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2017. Revenue stood at €5.2 billion, up 10% compared to last year due to higher aluminium prices. The company reported adjusted EBITDA of €431 million in 2017, an increase of 14% from 2016 on improved results from the A&T and the AS&I segments. Shipments of 1.5 million metric tons, up 1% compared to 2016 on higher shipments in AS&I partially offset by lower shipments in P&ARP and A&T. Net loss of €31 million, which includes the effects of the refinancings and U.S. tax reform. For the fourth quarter of 2017, the company’s shipments increased to 350 thousand metric tons on higher shipments in AS&I. Revenue and adjusted EBITDA were €1.2 billion and €100 million respectively. In Packaging & Automotive Rolled...
Indian aluminium sector is growing fast and is rising up to a whole new world of opportunities. With both demand and consumption of the metal in positive territory, and bullish price trends, the time is perfect for producers to move beyond their traditional strengths in electrical, transport and building segments and shift gears to the emerging applications offered by the defence and aerospace domains. Aluminium alloy requirements in the Indian defence sector are substantial.( Make in India focus: DMRL developing aluminium alloy technologies for critical defence applications ) Many applications have traditionally used aluminium alloys with improved mechanical properties. There is however, a serious need for regular supply of high purity aluminium with state of the art processing...
Maxion Wheels, the world’s largest wheel manufacturer, held a ground breaking ceremony (Bhoomi Poojan) at the site of its aluminium wheel plant in Khed City, Pune. The ceremony was attended by company dignitaries, customers, suppliers and associates on February 19. Pieter Klinkers, CEO of Maxion Wheels said: “With our new Pune passenger car aluminium wheel plant, Maxion Wheels becomes the first global light vehicle aluminium wheel producer in the Indian market. We responded to our growing global customers’ requests, and made the investment to join them in the world’s fastest-growing economy.” The facility will manufacture four million aluminium wheels annually. The aluminium wheel plant will produce low pressure die cast aluminium wheels with a high-end wheel finish. Start of production...
Aluminium alloys have emerged as the most preferred material for a variety of space and defence applications due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, high corrosion resistance, high stress corrosion cracking resistance, high weldability, easy fabricability and excellent recyclability. According to a spokesperson of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India’s defence applications require about eight to ten thousand tons of speciality aluminium alloys per annum and this requirement will increase as more DRDO programmes attain the production status and as the Indian armed forces modernize with time. Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), a research wing of DRDO, has emerged as the centre for taking up development-cum-production orders from various DRDO...
SMS Group GmbH has won a contract from ElvalHalcor, to supply a new four-stand tandem aluminium hot finishing mill for its Oinofyta plant, near Athens. ElvalHalcor is one of Europe’s leading producers of wide aluminium sheet that is currently investing EUR 150 million to upgrade equipment, technology and infrastructure. The investment, announced in December 2017 was funded by the European Investment Bank. The investment is a part of company’s five-year plan to more than double its flat rolled aluminium products capacity. With the installation of new four-stand tandem mill, the future spectrum of hot rolled strips will range from 1.8 mm to 12.7 mm in thickness and up to 2.6 m in width. This will secure ElvalHalcor’s position as a leading producer of high Quality wide aluminium sheet. This...
Leading aluminium producer UC RUSAL has announced the signing of a cooperation agreement with plants, machinery and services provider, SMS group, Germany. The agreement entails coming together of both the companies to develop innovative continuous casting equipment for aluminium wire rod production based on RUSAL’s proprietary technology of continuous casting, rolling and extrusion. RUSAL’s technology produces special grades of aluminium wire rods in a novel manner that ensures high quality against all industry benchmarks. According to the agreement, SMS group and UC RUSAL will develop a pilot equipment line already installed and field-tested at IrkAZ smelter. They will then proceed to sell the equipment commercially using SMS group’s network. RUSAL’s technical director Victor Mann said,...
Canadian Minister for Infrastructure and Communities, Amarjeet Sohi who is accompanying Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau on his 8-day tour in India, said yesterday in Kolkata that there is ample opportunity for Indians to participate in the North American nation’s ambitious 10-year infrastructure roadmap. Canada has been importing small quantities of aluminium bar rods and profiles from India over the years. In 2016, its total aluminium bar rods and profile import from India stood at 644.34 tonnes (approximately five per cent of the total aluminium bar rods and profile import). The three-year (historic) and 2018-estimated aluminium bar rods and profiles import by Canada has trended as below: It is clear from the above graph that Canada’s import of aluminium bar rods and profiles- a key...
According to the latest report from Aluminum Association, shipments of Aluminum Foil by U.S. and Canadian producers were slightly up YoY to 34 thousand tonnes during January 2018. Compared to the previous month, shipments increased 18.5 per cent over the December 2017 total of 29 thousand tonnes. Preliminary shipments for 2017 dropped 1.6 per cent to 433 thousand tonnes from the volume in 2016. Shipments of can stock by US and Canadian producers totalled 159 thousand tonnes during January 2018, up 1.3 per cent over January 2017. Month on month, shipments increased 12.8 per cent over the December 2017 revised total of 141 thousand tonnes. Preliminary shipments for 2017 dropped 2.9 per cent to 1.83 million tonnes from 2016. Compared to January 2017, producer shipments of can stock to U.S....
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced the Department’s findings from the 232 investigations into the impact on national security from imports of wrought and unwrought aluminium on Feb 16, and he outlined recommendations for the president to impose tariffs or quotas on aluminium imports. Aluminium industry representatives applauded the report and expected the president would take a final decision that will help support continued growth of the U.S. aluminium industry. Century Aluminum Company President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Bless issued a statement today in response to the release of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Section 232 report. “We strongly support today’s release by the Department of Commerce of the Section 232 Aluminum Report. The report demonstrates this...
