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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Constellium N.V. today announced that it extends its long-term partnership with the Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA) to supply aluminium Auto Body Sheet for the new Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a major milestone in the 107 years of history of the famous brand. This first ever SUV produced by Alfa Romeo hit the road early 2017, and is the second vehicle produced on the newly launched FCA Giorgio platform. Constellium is the primary supplier of Auto Body Sheets both for the closures and inner parts for the Stelvio. For the hood outer, the tailgate outer upper and lower, Constellium provides Surfalex, with high surface quality and specific hemming and roping properties, particularly adapted to model designs such as the Stelvio. Constellium also provides its high performing...
Driven by environmental factors Chinese aluminium extruders in Guangdong extrusion hub have turned away from aluminium ingot to billet, leading to a spike in billet processing fees. A large number of aluminium extrusion producers in Guangdong have closed their melting and casting facilities due to widespread environmental crackdowns. This has forced aluminium extruders to opt for aluminium billet over ingot. As a result, processing fees for aluminium billet have gone up. As on Wednesday, September 27, aluminium billet processing fees were mainly between RMB270-400 per tonne. On September 27, China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection convened routine press conference. Cui Shuhong, director of Division of Environment Impact Assessment, said in the past some illegal pollution emission...
As per the latest export-import data published by China General Customs, China’s aluminium semi-finished products exports in August hit the lowest since February 2017. China’s aluminium semi-finished products export totalled 360,000 tonnes in August, down 3.2 per cent from a year ago and down 7.7 per cent from 390,000 tonnes in July. The country’s aluminium foil exports stood at 93,400 tonnes in August, down 4.9 per cent year on year due to anti-dumping policy from the US. The country exported 2.88 million tonnes of aluminium semi-finished products during the first eight months of this year, up 5.2 per cent year on year, customs data showed.
According to the latest statistics from Aluminum Association, “Index of Net New Orders of Aluminum Mill Products” for August increased 12.6% month on month. Orders for aluminium flat roll products (sheet, plate, can stock and foil) were up 10.3%, while orders for extruded products increased 24.3%. Year on year, orders increased very insignificantly. On average, orders recorded by domestic producers through the first eight months of 2017 were up 1.7% year over year. Shipments of Aluminum Extruded Products (extruded shapes, pipe & tube, and rod & bar) by U.S. and Canadian producers stood at an estimated 477.3 million pounds during August 2017, a rise of 3.3% year over year. On a month on month comparison, shipments were up 10.4% over the July 2017 total of 432.5 million pounds. YTD...
Linde Group owned Linde Gases has launched the ARCLINE PP, a novel automated welding process that produces highly efficient aluminium welds by combining the best of existing aluminium welding technologies in one comprehensive package. Linde’s technology team has designed ARCLINE PP eliminating the compromises made while choosing between Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding and Metal Inert Gas welding (MIG). While the first process ensures high quality at longer weld times, the latter gives faster weld times but lesser aluminium weld strength and integrity. According to Linde Technology, ARCLINE PP features a positively energised tungsten electrode that provides constant cathodic cleaning of the welding area, which reduces the risk of inclusions and minimises the need for pre-weld cleaning....
The global aluminium alloys market is expected to exceed USD 150 billion by 2024, reveals data published in a recent report by Market Study Report. This market is mainly dependent on the availability of aluminium along with other alloying materials. The rise in construction activities and infrastructure development in the emerging nations of Asia Pacific will account more than two-third of the overall share in 2024. Construction industry will generate revenue above USD 35 billion in 2024. The aluminium alloys market application segments are categorized into construction, transportation, packaging, electrical, machinery, and others. Some of the leading companies in the aluminium alloys market are Rio Tinto Alcan, Alcoa, United Company RUSAL, Aluminum Corporation of China, Constellium,...
Nissan Casting Australia (NCA) will produce die cast aluminium parts for the new Nissan LEAF, the next evolution of its zero-emission electric vehicle. Dandenong South in Victoria secured the contract because cheaper countries could struggle with the highly technical nature of the items, reported by GoAutoNews reported. The two key die cast aluminium parts will be supplied to Japan. The 200-strong workforce at the Nissan Casting Plant produces high-pressure die-cast aluminium final drive components, and oil pan engine and manual transmission parts, which are all exported globally, according to the company. “The Dandenong manufacturing plant produces over 2.5 million die-cast aluminium parts and 16,000 tow bars yearly, with an approximate export sales value of over $82 million annually,”...
Talum d.d. based in the Slovenian town of Kidričevo has ordered a continuous homogenizing furnace and a helical ultrasonic testing station from Hertwich. The new plant will start operation in July 2018 and will almost double the homogenizing capacity of the group. Founded in 1942, Talum started operating a newly built electrolysis in 1954, which was expanded continuously in the following years. The production has since been modernized and the product range expanded. One of the most important – and expanding – product lines of the group are aluminum extrusion billets. The semi-finished product range includes standard AlMgSi alloys. For the homogenization of these materials, the continuous homogenizing furnace, developed by Hertwich, offers a number of advantages. Compared to the...
According to the latest report from Aluminium Association, U.S. and Canada imported 863 million pounds of aluminium ingot, scrap and mill products in July 2017, up 31.8 % from July 2016. YTD imports were up 28.8 % to 5,938 million pounds, while exports were up 4.6 % to 3,625 million pounds. U.S. and Canadian producers shipped 356.5 million pounds of can stock during August 2017, down 4.7 % from the August 2016. On a month on month comparison, shipments rose 2.3 % over July 2017. YTD shipments through August 2017 stood at 2,753.5 million pounds, down 2.7 % from the same period of 2016. YoY, producer shipments of can stock to U.S. markets decreased 5.0 % to 302.1 million pounds, while exports were off 3.0 % to 54.5 million pounds. Shipments of Aluminium Foil by U.S. and Canadian producers...
Constellium N.V. announced that it has extended its long-term contract with aircraft manufacturer Pilatus to support its new executive jets aircraft program. With this agreement Constellium will supply an increased volume of aerospace plate to Pilatus. Under this contract, Constellium will supply Pilatus with aerospace plates from its manufacturing plant in Issoire (France) to support the delivery of more than 80 PC-24 Super Versatile Jets as part of Pilatus’ efforts to develop a new executive jet segment. “This contract further strengthens our longstanding relationship with Pilatus” said Ingrid Joerg, President of Constellium’s Aerospace and Transportation business unit. “It also demonstrates Constellium’s expertise in providing leading solutions for the aerospace market, thanks to a...
Aluminium processors based in Gongyi of Henan in China have got notices for production cut during the winter heating season (Nov. 15, 2017-Mar. 15, 2018), according to Shanghai Metals Market. Local aluminium processors ordered to cut production by 30 per cent, 50 per cent, 80 per cent and 100 per cent in heavy-polluting days during the winter heating season. Earlier report stated that the local 13 aluminium smelters shall cut capacity by over 30 per cent based on the number of electrolytic cells during, according to the Industrial Enterprise Off-Peak Production Implementation Program in Autumn and Winter 2017-2018.
The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) has learned through a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report that “the U.S. Department of Justice is alleging that a California company evaded $1.5 billion in tariffs by conducting an illegal effort to smuggle banned aluminum into the U.S.” The article by the WSJ goes on to say, “The civil complaint signals that U.S. authorities are deepening an investigation into a long-running international aluminum scheme that allegedly involves Fontana, Calif.-based Perfectus Aluminum Inc. The complaint, part of a proceeding to seize assets, alleges that Perfectus Aluminum is controlled and effectively owned by Liu Zhongtian, founder and chairman of Chinese aluminum giant China Zhongwang Holdings, Inc., one of China’s biggest aluminum producers and exporters.” In late...
Norwegian aluminium components producer Sapa is investing £9.6m to reopen the aluminium factory, which was shut in 2014, in Bedwas, Wales. The plant would supply lightweight aluminium for hybrid black cabs produced by the London Electrical Vehicle Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese automaker Geely. Barnaby Struthers, Sapa’s business development manager in Britain, said, “Our plant is geared up to support the booming automotive industry in the UK and we see the trend absolutely continuing towards aluminium as a solution for their lightweighting challenges.” “This was the first plant we had to sacrifice, but it is also the first one to be reopened,” John Thuestad, Sapa’s head of extrusions for Europe, told Reuters. “The auto sector is only 15 percent of our (global) business, but...
From the past week the downstream aluminium industry has seen many investments, new agreements and announcement of quarterly reports by some of the companies in the downstream industry. Let’s explore the top stories covering the downstream products vertical for the week that went by: RUSAL invests USD7.6 million in casting alloys quality improvements UC RUSAL announced the completion of the modernization of Befesa-2 line for standard alloyed ingots production at the Irkutsk Aluminium Smelter (IrkAZ). Magna inaugurates new high-pressure aluminium casting facility in Alabama Magna is expanding operations to add aluminium casting capabilities at its Kamtek facility in Birmingham, Alabama. The $60 million facility will initially manufacture lightweight aluminium front shock towers for a major...
According to a report published by Reuters, China Zhongwang and Cleveland’s Aleris Corporation decided to extend their merger agreement through September 29, representatives of the two companies said. The agreement was scheduled to expire September 15. "We remain in discussions with Zhongwang USA on the pending acquisition of Aleris," Aleris spokesman Jason Saragian said in an email. “To allow those discussions to continue, we have decided to extend our merger agreement through September 29.” In 2016, Aleris Corporation, a global aluminium rolled products producer, announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Zhongwang USA LLC, a company majority-owned and led by Mr. Liu Zhongtian.
Gränges, a leading global supplier of rolled aluminium products for heat exchanger applications and other niche markets, has planned to spend USD 110 million for the expansion of its aluminium rolling operation in Huntingdon, Tennessee. “The expansion in Huntingdon marks the next step in our strategic growth plan for the North American market. Gränges has built a strong reputation in the aluminium rolling industry, and this expansion allows us to further support our customers’ growth”, says Gränges CEO Johan Menckel. The expansion includes investment in buildings, casters, cold rolling mills, annealing furnaces and slitters. The company’s Huntingdon capacity will increase from about 160 ktonnes to nearly 200 ktonnes per year. This is the second major investment in Huntingdon since 2000....
Hind Aluminium Industries, manufacturer of aluminium alloy and electrical grade wire rods, reported 26.10 per cent decline in its standalone net profit to INR 2.52 crore for the first quarter ended on 30th June, 2017 as compared to INR 3.41 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016. The company’s sales fell 11.78 per cent to INR 141.55 crore in the quarter ended June2017 as compared to INR 160.45 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016. The company posted a 55.23 per cent decline in its standalone net profit to INR 0.77 crore in the quarter ended March 2017 and sales fell 32.56 per cent to INR 138.47 crore in the quarter ended March 2017.
COIL, the world leader for aluminium anodising, is expanding anodised aluminium production capacity, and has inaugurated a new advanced line at its Bernburg site in Germany. Line 6 will have an annual production capacity of 15,000 tonnes. The company made an investment of €24.1 million in these new strong value-added facilities. The facility will enable the company to meet the growing demand for thick-gauge anodised aluminium. Line 6 will handle aluminium coils up to 2 m wide and 3.5 mm thick for all the finishing and colour ranges. Tim Hutton, COIL's Chief Executive Officer, said: "Our business has developed significantly over the last three years. We needed to increase our capacity to support this growth. The effective strengthening of our Bernburg plant in Germany and the...
