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...
Grow with
AL Circle
Sapa is investing in new production lines at sites in Belgium and Sweden to meet the surging demand for larger and thinner-walled aluminium products in the rail industry. Sapa is increasing from 6,500 to 8,200 tonnes the force of the large aluminium extrusion press at its plant in Lichtervelde, Belgium. The added power will enable the company to extrude 6xxx-series profiles that are up to 620 mm wide and up to 26 meters long, with an extremely thin wall thickness down to 1.6 mm. This reduces the amount of aluminium used in the section and lightens an already weight-saving solution, without sacrificing strength. The upgraded press will begin series production in January 2017. The company also has invested in a new large-scale friction stir welding machine at its Finspång plant in Sweden,...
Southwest Aluminum Co. recently made a world record by producing a huge aluminium alloy ring that is to be used in heavy-lift rockets, according to a Chinese media report. The size of the ring is 10 meters in diameter. "In the world of aerospace industry, it is the first time that a 10-meter aluminium alloy ring has been made," said Zhang Jilong, the president of the Southwest Aluminum. Manufacturing such an important component of a rocket domestically is a step towards enhancing China’s capability in deep space exploration and also in manufacturing heavy lift rocket. The ring is installed in a rocket to link different parts of the fuel tank and the inter-tank sections. "The heavy-lift rocket has a super large and thin wall, featuring low rigidity in structure and high shape precision,...
The U.S. Commerce Department is investigating whether thousands of tons of aluminium at a factory in a Philadelphia suburb are part of an alleged scheme by a Chinese billionaire to evade tariffs by disguising the metal as shipping pallets and then remelting them for other uses. The probe is part of a broader Commerce Department investigation into metals magnate Liu Zhongtian and his company, China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd., among the world’s largest aluminium manufacturers, according to federal documents and a department spokesman. Mr. Liu and China Zhongwang were subjects of a Wall Street Journal article last week detailing allegations that firms linked to Mr. Liu tried to disguise the Chinese origin of large quantities of aluminium and avoid American tariffs by routing it through Mexico....
Alcoa Samara, Russia's largest producer of fabricated aluminium products and VSMPO-AVISMA, the leading titanium producer, have joined hands to work on the technology of aluminium-titanium bonding to produce large, high-end metal alloy parts for use in aircraft manufacturing. The joint venture, named AlTi Forge, will manufacture aircraft component parts such as landing gear beams and wing pylons. Innovation in metal parts creation for aircrafts is in full swing globally. It is progressing in tandem with the development of new exotic composite materials. Alloys new to aerospace applications are being improved to enhance their heat tolerance and strength. Lightweighting also remains a top priority and is continually being improved upon. One alloy which has come at the aircraft designing...
U.S. aluminium extrusion industry has been accusing Chinese aluminium exports of posing a threat to their business and trying to take over their market. Another industry that has recently come vocal on this issue is the curtain wall extrusion industry. Another trade group from U.S., the Curtain Wall Coalition is of the view that Chinese imports are affecting the curtain wall industry to a large extent. Chinese already captured 20% of the extrusion market and they think the Chinese would eventually capture the curtain wall market. While the Chinese have focused on the West Coast, the rest of the country is NOT immune to this threat. If curtain wall extrusions are not subject to the 106% tariffs carried by our orders, they will simply overrun domestic production. The U.S. Government imposed...
Constellium N.V. and UACJ Corporation (UACJ) announced today the official opening of their new manufacturing plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to supply aluminium automotive body sheet to the North American automotive industry under their joint venture, Constellium-UACJ ABS LLC. The strategically-located 225,000 square foot facility will house an initial capacity of 100,000 metric tons. It has secured its metal supply with both partners' rolling mills. With cutting-edge equipment and technologies, the facility expects to offer a flat rolled product portfolio for a wide range of applications including closure panels, as well as body structures. The plant is currently in qualification phase, with ramp-up planned over the next two years. As of today, the line is essentially committed with...
Leading downstream aluminium products manufacturer Sapa is making major investments in new equipment and machinery capable of producing super-large, light panels for offshore and maritime industry, reported Aluminium International Today. The aluminium panels, measuring up to 18 metres in length and 3.5 metres in width will be produced by Sapa’s newly installed friction stir welding (FSW) machine at its plant in Finspång, Sweden. Commenting on the latest addition, John Thuestad, executive vice president of Sapa’s extrusion organisation in Europe said, “Our ability to join thin-walled lightweight designs into large panels will make a big difference for customers in the marine and offshore industries, where such sizes are best suited, and where cost savings are key. Reducing lead time...
The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) has joined the China Trade Task Force (CTTF), an organization aimed at addressing structural imbalances in the global aluminum market that it attributes to Chinese government policies. AEC joins Century Aluminum and the United Steel Workers as CTTF members. “China is harming the primary aluminum market in North America,” said AEC President Jeff Henderson. “We’ve seen these tactics being used in China’s aluminum extrusion industry for years. China uses their production of semi-fabricated aluminum to flood the global market with unnecessary aluminum,” Henderson explained. Over the last several years, Chinese aluminum producers have dramatically expanded capacity through a range of tactics AEC believes may not be legal, including certain subsidies,...
Ontario’s Dajcor Aluminum Ltd. is planning a C$10 million expansion to its plant in Chatham. The expansion is expected to lead to the addition of 35 new positions at the plant. The firm is receiving governmental aid in the form of a C$1 million from the province’s Southwestern Ontario Development Fund. According to Dajcor, the expansion will include upgraded state-of-the-art fabrication equipment, increasing capacity and efficiency. The expansion is expected to be complete by 2018. At present the firm’s plant has two presses: a 9″ 2800 ton press capable of up to 11″ CCD, and a 7″ 1650 ton press. According to press reports, Dajcor is considering branching out into new areas, including transit door assemblies, ventilation systems, LED light enclosures, and high-end furniture. Dajcor...
According to a recent finance.china report, Henan Mingtai Aluminum Co. made an announcement on September 5 regarding its plans to raise about 1.22 billion yuan for its upcoming automotive aluminium alloy sheet project. The large-scale, listed aluminium rolling mill company plans to raise the fund via private placement. The automotive aluminium alloy sheet project will be constructed over a period of two years and will have an annual capacity of 125,000 tonnes. On completion, the project is expected to yield 2.23 billion yuan revenues and net profit of 140 million yuan per year on average. According to a recently published Research and Markets report, the global consumption of aluminium rolled products amounted to 23.8 million tonnes in 2015, up 5.1 per cent from the same period previous...
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) is offering a loan to Quebec’s Shawinigan Aluminium in order to upgrade its facilities. The scheme was under CED’s Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP). The aluminium alloy billet maker will receive C$700,000 (US$536,460.13) repayable amount which will be utilized to install independent electrical systems which will separate this plant entirely from the adjoining Rio Tinto Alcan plant. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for CED, made this announcement recently. The Government of Canada supports manufacturing firms such as Shawinigan Aluminium, which is a world leader in the manufacture of premium grade aluminium alloy billets. The company has created a niche of its own...
According to the latest market report by Technavio, one of the top four emerging trends driving the global automotive heated seats market is advanced aluminium extrusion technology for heating seats. The other three trends observed are: • Development of climate control seats • Adoption of heated seats in low cost electric car and electric bus segment • Rising adoption of heated seats in motorcycle segment “Heated seats are a preferred device by OEMs in four-wheeler vehicles. It improves seat comfort for the rider when traveling long distances, by retaining warmth which helps to minimize strain and back pain. Such attributes make such vehicles more viable for touring purposes, especially over long distances. Hence, they are widely adopted in North America and China, where luxury car...
China is getting tougher on environmental issues in the country's downstream aluminium sector. The central environmental protection inspection team ran random checks on several aluminium processors in Henan’s Gongyi and Inner Mongolia, where they were found not to be conforming with the environmental rules and regulations. As, a result they were directed to halt operations at their aluminium processing plants, reported Shanghai Metals Market. Gongyi aluminium processors have been asked to upgrade their existing coal-fired facilities to environment friendly gas-powered ones before November 3, SMM learnt. In case they fail to complete the upgrades within the deadline set they might face stricter proceedings. Suspension of production in Inner Mongolia and Gongyi was found to have little...
Alcoa Wheel Products Europe is the main sponsor of the European Truck Festival 2016. According to the company, the festival is turning into the biggest event in the truck-field with more than 170 trucks from all over Italy and Europe with thousands of visitors. The event runs in Brescia from 17-18 September 2016. “We are pleased to start this partnership with the European Truck Festival which is now called the European Truck Festival Alcoa. After last year’s participation, we look very forward to another successful edition. We invite our customers from all over Europe to visit our stand during these days and attend the countless entertainment activities”, said Roberto Corridori, sales manager Alcoa Wheels Italy. Alcoa Wheel Products produces forged aluminium wheels for trucks, trailers...
After creating a monopoly in the market for primary aluminium, China aims to venture into the high value added segment for the metal. The most surprising and unexpected step so far was when Chinese aluminum entrepreneur Liu Zhongtian of China Zhongwang announced the acquisition of Aleris Corp. U.S. for $2.3 billion. The deal gives the owner of Asia’s largest producer of extruded aluminum a smooth access to American and European technology, as well as the market which is dominated by high profile buyers Boeing Co. and automakers such as Audi. According to Yi Zhu, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence from Hong Kong, “This was a different kind of move by a Chinese company.” “Previously, China went after raw-material assets abroad, but this is about going to the downstream, and it fits with...
Three premium Aluminium Industry Events namely, the 10th Aluminium Two Thousand Congress, the 6th ICEB - International Conference on Extrusion and Benchmark, along with Metef, expo of customized technology for the aluminium and innovative metals industry, are to be held simultaneously from June 20 till June 24 at the PalaExpo Congress, VeronaFiere in Verona, Italy. The 3-day Conference with 4 parallel sessions is entirely dedicated to different subjects ranging from markets and analysis of the aluminium industry to foundry, casting, extrusion, anodizing and painting, automation, architecture, transport industry, environmental protection & recycling, measuring, testing and quality techniques. Special focus will be on Extrusion Technologies and their analysis by FEM simulation, Special...
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) HPC4Mfg program has selected Shiloh Industries, Inc., a top supplier of light weighting, noise and vibration solutions for the automotive, commercial vehicle and industrial sector for a funding to develop innovative energy efficient casting techniques. The project is titled “Development of a Transformational Micro-Cooling Technology for High-Pressure Die Casting using High-Performance Computing". The project also involves Oak Ridge National Laboratory to work with Shiloh to design the detail boiling in casting cooling channels. There are a number of critical variables such as uniform temperature distribution, various mechanical properties and heat transfer related defects that need to be modelled accurately. These factors will have a significant impact on...
Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (Chalco) held ground-breaking ceremony for its large aluminium processing plant in Fujian province in southeast China, last Thursday, September 1. The large-scale aluminium precision processing project having a planned capacity of 800,000 tonnes per annum has been built at a total investment of 10 billion yuan. The construction of the first phase of the project is scheduled for completion in 2018. The aluminium precision project is mainly targeted at the transportation, sustainable packaging, electronic devices, and high-end printing sectors that are steadily growing across China all over the world.
