India-based KEC International Limited is pushing ahead with Phase II of its aluminium conductor capacity expansion, even as a difficult second quarter dragged consolidated profit down. The Q2 FY27 investor presentation, dated November 2, lists the expansion as underway in its Cables & Conductors business, one of the few segments that grew in the quarter. The update comes over a year after KEC’s commissioning of the first phase of the plant in Vadodara in February 2025, marking an investment of about INR 600 million (USD 6.33 million). The company has not disclosed the capacity to be added, the investment or a completion date. Explore AL Circle’s report ALuminium Wires & Cables - Insights & Forecast to 2030 for insights into aluminium applications, industry developments and opportunities...
Canadian aluminum fencing supplier PrimeAlux has appointed Shapes Unlimited, Inc. as its authorised US distributor, giving American contractors, fence dealers and builders a local channel to access its aluminum fence panels, gates and privacy screens. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, PrimeAlux said Shapes Unlimited, based in North Jackson, Ohio, will manage pricing, orders and customer support for its products across the US. The arrangement allows buyers to source the company's aluminum fencing systems through a domestic distributor rather than importing them independently. Shapes Unlimited is a privately held fabricator and wholesale distributor of aluminum building products that has served the trade since 1996. Under the agreement, the company will make PrimeAlux's product range...
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The U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration extended its Dec. 7 deadline for initiating an investigation into allegations that a Chinese aluminium extruder had been evading U.S. import duties by 45 days, according to documents filed on Monday, December 7th. ITA determines it "shall require additional time" to initiate its investigation or issue its final ruling, citing "issues concerning key terms used in the scope of the Orders."
CRP Automotive now offers Rein Automotive Aluminum Stretch Bolts for BMW engine applications. These stretch bolts are designed as replacements for the “one time use” only fasteners used by BMW to mount components such as transmissions, oil pans, water pumps, power steering pumps, and alternators to their engine assemblies. Rein Automotive brand manager, Paul Swyter, explains, “BMW uses a magnesium-aluminum composite to make their 3.0 in-line six, one of the world’s lightest 3.0 liter gas engines. While this reduced weight improves performance, efficiency, and overall block strength, it comes at a price. The magnesium in the block can cause electrochemical corrosion from contact with other materials such as iron. As a result, steel bolts cannot be used in engine assembly and BMW has...
Replacement rate of copper by aluminium in cable manufacturing sector is increasing steadily. Currently, aluminium-replace-copper rate in China stands at a low level, barely at 3 – 5%. In the United States, however, the aluminium alloy-replace-copper rate or almasilium-replace copper rate stands at around 70%-75%. In Japan, too, the replacement ratio is 55%. Since, the new energy market is developing pretty fast in China, aluminium alloy cables are expected to be widely adopted in the following years. Aluminium alloy cable has been the general product used in power transmission lines in many foreign countries. According to the data obtained from countries using substantial quantity of aluminium alloy cables, the market has already entered the growth phase; it is here to stay and gain...
International Metal Technology Taiwan Exhibition and Conference (iMT Taiwan) delivered outstanding performance and visitor turnout at its inaugural staging as the country’s long-anticipated premiere exhibition dedicated for the metal sector. Held over three days from 2-4 December 2015 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre, iMT Taiwan surpassed expectations attracting 4,657 trade professionals and full attendance at the keynote industry conference. Presenting top-notch technologies and cutting-edge innovations from 172 global industry players and Taiwan’s most prominent market leaders, the exhibition opened a world of discoveries for new machinery, equipment, and other products and solutions to boost manufacturing performance and supply chain efficiency for metal businesses. Mr. Gerd Keim,...
When Cadillac rolls out the new CT6 early next year, the aluminium-skinned vehicle will have dedicated factory-certified repair facilities. Cadillac said last week that it is launching the Cadillac aluminium Repair Network to ensure the lightweight rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan, due in the first quarter, is repaired properly after a crash. aluminium vehicles require repair facilities that are sealed off from those used to fix steel-bodied vehicles, dealers need different tools to repair aluminium body panels and technicians need to learn different repair techniques. With the CT6, Cadillac joins a small but growing group of automakers producing aluminium-intensive cars and light trucks, including Jaguar Land Rover, Tesla, Ford and Audi. John Eck, Cadillac’s collision manager for wholesale...
Boyd Aluminum announced the company has expanded its fabrication capabilities with the addition of a fully functioning Computer Numerical Control machine. Set up last summer, the Emmegi Phantomatic T3 Star allows Boyd to meet the requirements necessitated by its storefront division, as well as other product lines, by matching the original CAD design, officials said. "The addition of our CNC machine allows us to meet our customers’ always changing design needs and customization preferences with a consistent high level of quality. The versatility of the CNC lets us manufacture parts that were not possible in the past. It also gives us great deal of flexibility in our new storefront systems," says Erin Olson, executive vice president. Headquartered in Springfield, United States, Boyd...
Tianjin Zhongwang announced another good news that the two cold rolling mills for wide-width aluminium plates and sheets produced the first aluminium coil in success. Till now, both of the two sets of single-stand cold rolling mills for wide-width aluminium plates and sheets have entered into the trial production stage, following the test of smelting and casting mill, hot rolling mill and the first set of cold rolling mill. There are two sets of cold rolling mills in #1 cold rolling plant in Tianjin, of which the products are mainly applied in aerospace and aviation, vessels and military, transportation and chemical vessels etc.. On 30th June, 2015, the first 6-roll cold rolling mill finished the first load trial run in success, and the testing progress is carrying out smoothly. This...
China will see a slight rebound in its aluminium semis exports in November after 6% decline in October, SMM expects. The average SHFE/LME aluminium price ratio slid further to 6.84 in November. Some export orders are due for fulfillment before Christmas holiday. Both will contribute to the growth in outbound shipments. Customs data showed that China’s aluminium semis exports fell to 283,000 tonnes in October from 300,000 tonnes in September. SMM attributes the fall to falling overseas orders and anti-dumping against some aluminium products. Aluminium extrusion exports plummeted 19.4% month-on-month to 70,329 tonnes. Pipe/tube exports dropped 14.6% month-on-month to 8,985 tonnes, and foil exports slipped 4.8% month-on-month to 74,892 tonnes. Exports of plate/sheet and strip, by contrast,...
Amtek Auto group is under stress and its latest earnings - a consolidated loss of INR 987 crore for the year ended 30 September (for the first time since 2004), against a net profit of INR 848.21 crore the previous year - aren’t good news for the lenders. Amtek Auto follows the October-September financial year. For the September quarter, its stand-alone loss is INR158.62 crore against a net profit of INR 74.37 crore a year ago. Further, the group carries a debt burden of INR 21,134 crore in June 2015: a combination of bonds, term loans, working capital loans and external commercial borrowings, or ECBs. Its total income for the year dropped to INR15,213.4 crore from INR 15,706.6 crore a year ago and the bulk of the erosion happened in the September quarter - a fall to INR 833.8 crore from...
Ball Corporation BLL declared the pricing of an underwritten public offering of $1 billion of 4.375% Senior Notes, due 2020. The company has also priced $424.3 million (€400 million) of 3.50% Senior Notes, due 2020 and $742.5 million (€700 million) of 4.375% Senior Notes, due 2023. Depending on customary closing conditions, the offering is expected to close on Dec 14, 2015. On Nov 30, Ball Corporation commenced the public offering of these dollar and euro denominated notes. Goldman, Sachs & Co.; Deutsche Bank Securities; BofA Merrill Lynch; KeyBanc Capital Markets; Mizuho Securities; and Rabobank will serve as joint book-running managers of the offering. Ball Corporation will use the net proceeds from the offering, along with borrowings under its credit facilities and cash on hand, to...
European Aluminium Congress 2015 focused on building the future with aluminium. Sapa was one of the sponsors of the two-day event, which was held in Düsseldorf and organized by the aluminium associations in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Gerold Trommelschläger, who leads Sapa's extrusion operations in the German-speaking countries in Europe, took part in one of the panel discussions at European Aluminium Congress 2015. Germany’s Minister of Economic Affairs & Energy Sigmar Gabriel opened the event EAC 2015 with glowing words about the light metal. “Aluminium is an innovative material for which there is growing demand worldwide. It is no longer possible to imagine certain branches of industry without aluminium,” he said. “It is therefore not without reason that the sector is looking...
Linamar Inc., headquartered near Toronto, is considering development of a 300-job aluminium foundry and automotive components plant near Blythewood off Interstate 77. The Canadian corporation also would acquire the existing Pure Power Technologies plant in Richland County as part of the plan to establish the foundry nearby, Linamar chief operating officer Jim Jarrell said Friday. The Linamar foundry would be jointly owned with GF Automotive, a Swiss automobile industry supplier. The company also is looking at a site near Asheville, N.C., where Linamar already has a facility. The company is weighing incentive packages from both Carolinas and should make a decision by Christmas, Jarrell said. Plans are not final yet. “Both states have rolled out the red carpet to us,’’ Jarrell told The...
Ford Motor Company is using an innovative new process to give a new lease of life to old engines that would otherwise be scrapped. The process involves the use of a special Ford-patented plasma coating technology. The process delivers a 50 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared with producing a new engine. Commenting on the new technology, Juergen Wesemann, manager, vehicle technologies and materials, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering said, “We have taken a process that was originally developed to enhance performance models such as the all-new Ford Mustang Shelby GT 350R and used it to remanufacture engines that might otherwise be scrapped. It is just one example of how Ford is looking to reduce its environmental footprint through a range of innovative measures.” Engines that...
In a recently conducted study on the current trends in aluminium usage in cars and light trucks, a number of key observations have been made on the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), aluminium strategies, including manufacturing activities and joining techniques. Following are the key findings: 1. OEMs are exploring and investing in alternate materials including aluminium to lower vehicle weight, increase fuel efficiency, reduce CO2 emission, and improve overall vehicular safety and noise and vibration levels. This is crucial as automotive OEMs are expected to reduce overall average fleet weight by at least a kg per year in an effort to meet stringent fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission goals. By 2025, out OEMs are expected to mass produce at least 1...
In the course of completing its second expansion level, the commissioning of the new Achenbach aluminium foil slitting machine for UACJ in Rayong, Thailand, was effected in spring 2015 and achieved prompt acceptance. Since then, the new OPTIFOIL® Heavyslit slits aluminium foil for producing cooling ribs for heat exchangers to the entire satisfaction of the customer. It is the only non-Japanese machine in the new plant. Following a single or double-shift operation, it slits aluminum strips of 11 – 675 mm having a thickness of 0.040 – 0.160 mm. At the beginning of next year the Achenbach aluminium foil slitting machine will be switched into three-shift operation.
Shares of Ess Dee Aluminium, the manufacturer of aluminium foil for packaging purpose, rose 2.12% to INR 312.70 at 12:15 IST on BSE after Macquarie Emerging Markets Asian Trading Pte bought 1.73 lakh shares at INR 306 per share from Standard Chartered Bank (Mauritius) in a bulk deal on the NSE yesterday, 2 November 2015. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 143.45 points or 0.55% at 25,974.40. On BSE, so far 75,000 shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 64,131 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of INR 322 and a low of INR 310 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of INR 407.70 on 5 December 2014. The stock had hit a 52-week low of INR 121 on 27 March 2015. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month...
TDK-EPC is introducing several new products. The company is releasing snap-in aluminium electrolytic capacitors from EPCOS that enable optimal contact to heat sinks. This permits link circuit capacitors to be efficiently cooled, thus significantly increasing their ripple current capability and operating life. Therefore, the new capacitors are especially suited for applications in frequency converters and professional power supplies that have very high ripple current loads and offer the possibility of base cooling. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, TDK-EPC Corporation is known for its cutting-edge electronic components, modules and systems. The product portfolio of the company includes ceramic, aluminium electrolytic and film capacitors, ferrites, inductors, and high-frequency components....
The Cadillac CT6, the first aluminium-skinned vehicle from General Motors, will have its own dedicated factory-certified repair facilities. Cadillac said Wednesday, December 2nd, that it is launching the Cadillac Aluminium Repair Network to ensure the lightweight rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan is repaired properly after a crash. Aluminium vehicles require repair facilities that are sealed off from those used to fix steel-bodied vehicles, dealers need different tools to repair aluminium body panels and technicians need to learn different repair techniques. With the CT6, Cadillac joins an elite but growing group of automakers producing aluminium-intensive cars and light trucks, including Jaguar Land Rover, Tesla, Ford and Audi. John Eck, Cadillac’s collision manager for wholesale dealer...
