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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Bonnell Aluminium leading a group of customer-fabricated and finished aluminium extrusions manufacturers announced Wednesday, June 14 that it has started a new aluminium extrusion line at its Niles, Michigan facility under AACOA division. The new state-of-the-art expansion project, built at a total investment of US$18 million, includes a 3600-tonne aluminium extrusion press, cutting-edge handling systems and ancillary equipment, in addition to extra floor space meant to accommodate future value-added aluminium fabrication capacity. Bonnell Aluminium said that the new aluminium extrusion line would serve the automotive industry and the specialty markets with custom finished aluminium extrusions applications. Commenting on the start-up, Bonnell Aluminum President and General Manager, Brook...
Nissin Kogyo Co Ltd a Japanese, Nagano-based manufacturer of automotive parts like brakes, engine parts and knuckles says it plans to set up a new aluminium production factory in Nagano-ken. The company primarily focuses on brake technology and the development, manufacture, and sale of aluminium casting parts for the automotive sector. The growing demand for aluminium components from the automakers in Japan and China has driven the demand for aluminium for the OEMs. The company says they will set up an aluminium product factory and the project involves a capital of at 2 billion yen in total (including buildings and equipment). The company plans to start construction in August 2017 and targets to commission the plant by July 2018. The company has plants in Thailand, USA, Indonesia, the...
Kobe Steel, a Japan origin aluminium and steel product maker is expanding its capacity to supply aluminium materials to automakers in Asia and America. The company is aiming to raise aluminium and copper segment's pretax profit 70% to reach 20 billion yen ($183 million) by 2020 from the current 12 billion yen. Demand for aluminium in the automotive sector is growing as a lighter alternative to steel in order to improve fuel efficiency and to adhere to strict carbon emission norms. The company forecasts Chinese and Japanese demand for aluminium automotive panel and sheets to rise six to seven fold by 2025 from the current level. Kobe Steel is shifting their focus on aluminium as their mainstream businesses like iron and steel, construction machinery and electric power are making losses and...
In a much-awaited ruling, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) announced yesterday, June 14 that the so-called “aluminum pallets” imported from China to USA, made of 6xxx-series aluminium alloy are covered by the scope of their antidumping and countervailing duty orders. The ruling will cover all Chinese exporters and producers that export similar fake pallets to USA. The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) expressed their pleasure at the Department’s decision, which would coverall such fake semis. The DOC’s decision states: “Finally, we agree with the petitioner that the scope ruling should be applied to all extruded aluminum profiles from the PRC consisting of series 6xxx aluminum alloy which are cut-to-length and welded together in the form of a pallet, regardless of producer or...
According to a report published by Shanghai Metals Market, anti-dumping measures have affected the overseas export orders in China. Recently, aluminium processors told SMM that the measures against China have started affecting their export orders. Zhejiang Zhongjin Aluminum, manufacturer and exporter of aluminium household foil, aluminium container foil and many more, is expecting a fall in its exports over 40 per cent in July, as reported. Luoyang Longding Aluminum is adjusting product portfolio and now focuses on domestic air-conditioner foil market in order to counter falling exports. China exported 460,000 tonnes of unwrought aluminium and aluminium semis in May, customs data revealed. In May this year, India’s Finance Ministry imposed a definitive anti-dumping duty of up to USD 1.63...
The global aluminium powder and flakes market is growing steadily driven by the automotive paints and sealants and other industrial pigments sectors. During 2009-2016, the market has grown at a CAGR of two per cent reaching a volume of 589,012 tonnes in 2016. A recently published report suggests the market will grow at around five per cent CAGR over the next five years. APAC with a CAGR of over five per cent is the largest market globally. India, once a net exporter of aluminium powder and flakes, has now slowed down on its exports. It is now focusing on growing its domestic market rapidly. {newsStudioGallery} International trade data shows India exported only 3927 tonnes of aluminium powder and flakes in 2016 compared to 4087 tonnes in 2015. The value of aluminium powder and flakes...
The global demand for aluminium sheet is rapidly rising as the vehicle manufacturers are opting for aluminium in their products. Europe is the major market for automotive aluminium sheet in the world. The demand stood at 1 million tons in 2015, and is expected to reach 1.7 million tons by 2020. {newsStudioGallery} According to the recent estimate, UK registered a fall in export of aluminium plates, sheets and strips year-over-year. In 2017, the country is estimated to export less of aluminium plates, sheets and strips compared to last couple of years. In 2015, UK exported 154979 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and strips. UK exported an estimated 135447 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets and strips in 2016. The country is estimated to export 132677 tonnes of aluminium plates, sheets...
According to the recently published “Index of Net New Orders of Aluminum Mill Products” by the Aluminum Association for May, the order increased 6.3% from April 2017. Orders for flat roll products (sheet, plate, can stock and foil) were up 4.1%, while orders for extruded products increased 14.7% and orders for redraw rod were up 9.5%. Orders were up 7.6% YoY. On average, orders recorded by domestic producers through the first five months of 2017 were up 3.0 % from the same period of 2016. The domestic aluminium industry is growing creating American jobs and r investing more than $2 billion since 2013 to expand U.S. manufacturing. Subsidized production in China is threatening the industry’s continued health, but a healthy demand from automotive and aerospace is supporting the industry....
The global metal automotive sheet market is expected to grow at a moderate 3.7 per cent CAGR from 2017 to 2025, shows data in a recent market research report by Transparency Market Research. According to the report, the growth that is to be mainly driven by lightweight automotive market will result in the opening up of a whole new and solid end-use domain for aluminium. Steel, which has been dominating the segment so far, will soon witness a rising competition from the light metal, thanks to the changing preferences of the global automotive manufacturers. South Korea, along with United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, and China will dominate the market as a major consumer of automotive aluminium sheets and other rolled products. {newsStudioGallery} International trade data reveals...
The sale agreement of Aleris Corp to China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd has been one of the most critical as well as controversial announcements made during 2016. The announcement has created major concern among US lawmakers and aluminium players because of its critical after effects. About 27 US lawmakers have urged US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to reject the proposed sale agreement of American aluminium products manufacturer Aleris Corp to China Zhongwang as it may impact US security interests. In an update to Reuters, shared by Mnuchin, the lawmakers alleged that it would be a “strategic misstep” if the US$2.33 billion sale takes place. “It is critical that CFIUS [Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States] exercise extreme caution when a foreign investment transaction...
Aluminium foil is more than just a convenient food packaging material. The global aluminium foil packaging market will reach 12.45 million tons by 2020, recording a CAGR of 6.47 per cent, according to analysts at Technavio, Aluminium foil, which is a malleable material, can be moulded without losing its integrity and is suitable for any kind of customization. Aluminium packaging plays a major role in protecting, distributing and displaying goods. The U.S. has a large aluminium foil manufacturing companies and emerges as a huge market for aluminium foils as flexible packaging is one of the most profitable industries in the nation. According to the Aluminum Association, the aluminium foil market is worth about $5 billion, and about 36% of it is supplied by imports. Top key manufacturers of...
Global aluminium maker Alcoa has restarted half the capacity at its aluminium smelter in Australia's Victoria that was crippled by a state-wide blackout six months ago. The Portland smelter has been running at a third of its 300 000 t/y capacity since a freak storm prompted the poweroutage in December, causing molten aluminium to solidify in the facility's potlines and freezing production. "Getting to the half way point in our bid to restore the business has been a big task, but what I have seen up to now gives me great confidence in our ability to deliver the plan," Plant Manager Peter Chellis said in a statement. The plant's resumption has come in part due to a A$240-million ($182-million) government-sponsored rescue package that has secured its future for at least four years in a state...
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Constellium N.V. celebrates the 50th anniversary of its world-class research and technology center, C-TEC, in Voreppe, France. C-TEC, Constellium’s innovation engine, has greatly contributed to position Constellium as a global leader in aluminium transformation, by developing high value-added products and solutions for today and tomorrow. During the last 50 years, C-TEC has been the birthplace of more than 600 patent families and trademarks, including breakthrough innovations, among which: the game-changer aluminium-lithium Airware technology for the aerospace market, a new generation of advanced alloys and solutions such as Securalex HS for the automotive market, and Aeral, a new solution for the aerosol market. C-TEC also constantly monitors and evaluates the megatrends that are shaping...
The ongoing environmental protection inspections are taking a heavy toll on aluminium extrusion production in China’s major producing regions, SMM has learned. About 110 small aluminium extrusion producers in Shandong, Hebei and Foshan have shut down for corrections, affecting approximately 2 million tonnes of capacity, SMM estimates. One aluminium extrusion producer in Nanhai told SMM it is planning to relocate to nearby Qingyuan so as to avoid strict environmental protection checks.
Aluminium rolled product manufacturers and aluminium alloy processing companies in China are about to witness an explosive growth in demand for their products as rise in demand for lighter vehicles is on the forecast. According to the ambitious Made-in-China 2025 Plan, average weight of vehicles made in the country will be reduced by 5-20 per cent by 2020 through the strategic use of high-strength steel, aluminium-magnesium alloy and other composite materials in car bodies. Piggybacking this demand for lighter vehicles demand for automotive aluminium rolled products in China domestic market is set to increase by 562.5 per cent to reach a whopping 544,000 tonnes by 2020, from the current 82,000 tonnes usage in 2016. The CAGR forecasted for the period is 60 per cent. Aluminium extrusion...
According to the latest report from Aluminum Association, aluminium net shipments, including import by domestic U.S. and Canadian producers totalled an estimated 954000 tonnes during April, down 3.1% from the April 2016 total of 984500 tonnes. Shipments of aluminium mill products dropped 2.0% from the previous year to 653000 tonnes, while shipments of aluminium ingot for castings, exports and destructive uses dropped 5.3% YoY, totalling 301000 tonnes. Through the first four months of 2017, preliminary producer shipments totalled 3.9 million tonnes, slightly up from the YTD total for 2016. April inventory levels totalled an estimated 1.4 million tonnes, up 1.1% over the previous month but down 2.1% YoY.
The recent move by four countries in the GCC: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to cut diplomatic ties and discontinue all land, air and sea communications with Qatar is likely to have a series of immediate ramifications across a wide spectrum of commercial activities in Qatar and the entire of the Gulf region. As a knee jerk effect, two-way trade and investment flows will be affected the most on the bilateral front. Qatar’s aluminium extrusion export which finds a solid market in Saudi will undoubtedly be hit badly over the next few quarters. {newsStudioGallery} Overall aluminium extrusion trade data shows that Qatar exported 9627 tonnes of aluminium bar rods and profiles (one of the major extruded aluminium product categories) in 2016, down 28 per cent from 2015, when the export...
Australian Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, through its Anti-Dumping Commission (ADC), issued a document to terminate part of an investigation on alleged dumping and subsidisation of aluminium extrusions imported from VietNam and Malaysia. The ADC determined that Vietnamese producers had either not received any subsidy from the Government of VietNam for the products under investigation, or had received a negligible level of countervailable subsidy. This led the ADC to terminate the anti-subsidy investigation with VietNam. In August 2016, ADC started an investigation into dumping and countervailing duty on aluminium extrusions imported from VietNam and Malaysia. According to the Statement of Essential Facts, published by the ADC, preliminary countervailing margins for...
