Novelis has supplied approximately 100,000 m² of aluminium façade materials for six construction projects across the UK, highlighting the metal's growing role in architectural design, infrastructure modernisation and urban regeneration. The materials have been used across developments in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London, covering applications ranging from transport infrastructure and residential refurbishment to commercial and mixed-use buildings. The projects demonstrate the versatility of aluminium in modern building envelopes, with Novelis supplying architectural materials designed to combine durability, aesthetic flexibility and performance. Aluminium supports diverse architectural applications Commenting on the projects, Michael Hahne, Vice President Commercial of Novelis...
Bahrain’s aluminium wire exports continued to gain momentum in the second quarter of 2026, with shipments rising significantly compared with the corresponding periods of 2025 and 2024. The country exported 80,895 tonnes of aluminium wire in Q2 2026, taking its total shipments during the first half of the year to 143,518 tonnes. The export data covers aluminium wire under HS code 7605, excluding stranded wire, cables, plaited bands and similar products, electrically insulated wires and strings for musical instruments. Export volume registers strong Y-o-Y growth Comparing the quarterly figures, Bahrain’s aluminium wire export volume increased by 23.76 per cent Y-o-Y in Q2 2026, against 65,366 tonnes shipped during Q2 2025. The latest quarterly volume also marked a considerable rise from Q2...
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Bahrain's manufacturing industry accounts for 15 per cent of its real GDP, the second largest sector in the nation's non-oil economy, said Dr Jarmo T Kotilaine, Chief Economist, Economic Planning and Development, Bahrain Economic Development Board. This comprises upstream and downstream aluminium industry, he told the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) on the sidelines of Arabal 2014. There is also a lot of industry outside of manufacturing because of industries such as Alba. If one were to look at the battery envelope calculation, Alba would be about three per cent of GDP," the chief economist said. Factoring in real numbers downstream aluminium could make for three percent of the manufacturing GDP, he added. Turning to the interest evinced by Asian downstream players in setting up plants in...
The new I-CAR course, Vehicle Technology and Trends 2015 (NEW15), is now available industry-wide. This course brings the excitement of the auto show to the classroom and provides a preview of the latest trends expected to impact the collision repair inter-industry. Vehicle Technology and Trends 2015 provides information on upcoming vehicles and technology trends that will impact repair processes, including structural design innovations, system changes, and new materials and electronics throughout new and redesigned vehicles. The course also provides a glimpse into some of the aluminum-intensive vehicles coming to market that will require new training on aluminum repair. “I-CAR is committed to equipping the industry with training that provides the knowledge needed to perform complete, safe...
Aluminum consumption will remain weak in China in 2015, but robust exports will support overall consumption, Shanghai Metals Market predicts. “Exports of Chinese aluminum semis are expected to be strong in 2015, as the SHFE/LME aluminum price ratio will favor outbound shipments,” said Wang, SMM’s aluminum analyst at 2014 SMM China Metals Summit in Shanghai. The growth of aluminum semis exports offset the decline in domestic end-users consumption during the second half of 2014, Wang noted at the summit in Shanghai. Operating rates across China’s aluminum semis industry, including extrusion, plate/sheet, strip and foil, wire & cable and aluminum alloy ingot, ranged between 60-70% in 2014, according to SMM data.
Toyota along with Alcoa Inc "will use more aluminum instead of steel in the bodies of luxury automobiles starting in 2017 to reduce their weight, which translates to better mileage," according to Nikkei Asian Review. The report indicated that the "automaker will make the switch for the hoods, bumpers, doors and fenders of its Lexus vehicles when they are remodeled. It currently uses aluminum for the hoods and other parts of its Prius hybrid and some Lexus models." "Toyota plans to invest several billion yen to set up assembly lines exclusively for aluminum parts at a plant outside Nagoya and elsewhere. "The move is expected to shave up to 100kg from the weight of a vehicle. If a 1- to 1.5-ton gasoline-powered car is lightened by 100kg, its fuel efficiency is estimated to improve by about...
Kaiser Aluminium is in a tight spot registering a high short interest at 17.59% of the floated shares. Each of its share is trading at $73.15 that is curiously 10.4% above the 53-week low and 10.4% lower that the 52-week high. However, there is good news in the near future as massive unwinding of the short positions could result in a swift price hike. The company posted a gain of 0.22% or 0.16 points. The shares opened at $72.86 and closed at $73.15, suffering some minor fluctuations throughout the day. The total volume of shares at the end of the day stood at 92,734. The company has put a market cap of $1,301 million with a total number of outstanding shares at 17,792,000. Considering the Kaiser’s 52-week high is $81.62 and the 52-week low is $65.56, the current performance of the...
Sapa has updated and published the fifth edition of its aluminium extrusion Design Manual. While the paper version remains the most popular in the industry, interest in the new electronic “app” is growing. Since Sapa added its Design Manual in Apple’s app store and on Google Play in February 2014, nearly 1,300 users have followed up and downloaded the app. The company’s aim has been to develop a new channel to reach customers, architects, designers, engineers and the students who are eager to learn more about aluminium and aluminium profiles. The Design Manual also is available in a “light” version on Sapa’s extrusion-specific web sites. This version has proven popular as well, with 7,500 unique users recorded through the end of October. Sapa updates Design ManualThe app is accessible in...
Novelis Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Phil Martens will present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2014 Leveraged Finance Conference in Boca Raton, Florida on Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 10:10 a.m. ET. Mr. Martens will give an overview of Novelis, discuss the company's strategy and future growth prospects as well as provide some financial highlights pertaining to its second quarter of fiscal 2015 results. The presentation will be webcast live at Novelis website, under Presentations and Events. The webcast will be archived and available at the same location approximately one hour after the conclusion of the live event.
BHP Billiton, in the process of exiting the aluminium business, has sold of its Bayside casthouse to Isizinda Aluminium ahead of its demerger planned in 2015. Isizinda Aluminium is owned by two bodies in a 60-40 partnership. Bingelela Capitals, which is a KwaZulu-Natal broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) vehicle, hold 60% of the stakes while Pietermaritzburg-based aluminium producer Hulamin holds the other 40. The BHP Billion Hillside smelter will be supplying liquid aluminium to the casthouse and from there it will be sold to Hulamin. This is BHP’s first endeavor of selling liquid aluminium according to Graham Kerr, CEO-elect of BHP's proposed demerged vehicle. "Not only will it secure our rolling slab supply from Bayside for the next five years and beyond but it will also see...
General Motors is also joining the aluminium bandwagon but quietly unlike Ford Motor Co., who has spent millions of dollars for the complete restructuring of its assembly plants. Ford has come up with rivets and industrial adhesive to join its aluminium parts but General Motors is adopting a new welding system for the joining task. General Motors will keep the existing production lines and simply spot weld the aluminium sheets for the doors, hoods and tailgates using the same robots and welding guns that are used for steel. The special technique of aluminium welding adopted by GM is being called a breakthrough in manufacturing technology by Richard Schultz, MD of a consulting firm in suburban Detroit named Ducker Worldwide. Mark Reuss, the global product chief of GM says that they have no...
Ford revealed the EPA label ratings for the F-150 at an event in Dearborn, Mich. Friday. There are multiple variations of the truck, depending on engine, cab configuration and whether the truck is 2- or 4-wheel-drive. Each change creates a different fuel economy figure. Overall, the trucks achieve between 5% and 29% better fuel economy compared with the current model. “It’s a significant achievement in 2015 to be able to reduce the curb weight by as much as we have,” said Raj Nair, the global product development chief. “There is still is a lot of upside available” in terms of further increasing fuel economy. He said Ford is likely to introduce a hybrid F-150 by 2020 and Ford is working on a 10-speed transmission withGeneral Motors Co. that will be used on the truck in the next few years....
Sapa’s HVAC&R Applications Manual is the first in the industry with documented test results and technical argumentation supporting aluminium as the preferred metal to meet the future demands and legislation of the HVAC&R market. The objective of the new 88-page manual is to educate the manufacturers of HVAC&R heat exchangers in the correct use of aluminium solutions and the metal’s basic material properties. Sapa offers support in the design process and is the leading producer of aluminium round tubes, manifolds and multi-port extrusions, or MPEs, for all-aluminium heat exchangers used in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration market. The HVAC&R Applications Manual describes some of the most important aspects related to using aluminium in HVAC&R heat exchanger...
Lightweight metals leader Alcoa today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Firth Rixson, a global leader in aerospace jet engine components. The Company closed the transaction, which was announced on June 26, 2014, after receiving all of the required global regulatory approvals and arranging financing for the deal. Firth Rixson strengthens Alcoa’s robust aerospace portfolio and positions the Company to capture greater profitable growth from its expanding value-add business. The transaction doubles Alcoa’s average revenue content on high-growth engine programs. Accelerating Alcoa’s transformation to a multi-material enterprise, the acquisition increases its offerings made of nickel-based superalloys, titanium, stainless steel and advanced aluminum alloys, produced using the...
Bonnell Aluminum, a subsidiary of Tredegar Corporation (NYSE:TG), today announced its plans to expand and upgrade its anodizing capacity to serve the commercial-architectural construction market. In response to increased demand for anodizing products, the Company expects to invest approximately $5 million to expand and modernize the anodizing line at its Carthage, Tennessee facility. The Company anticipates that the upgraded line, which is planned to be fully operational in the second quarter of 2015, will increase the plant’s anodizing capacity by an additional thirty-five percent. “Not only will we increase capacity to better service our customers’ anodizing requirements, but the upgrade in equipment will further enhance our quality and consistency,” commented Ira Endres, Vice President...
Sapa won its first major contract with the France-based rail transport powerhouse in 2007, and has continually increased its business with Alstom since. The latest award calls for 40 train sets, with deliveries through 2018. Reaching speeds of 320 km/h, Alstom’s Euroduplex is the only double-deck, very high-speed train with the best capacity on the market, the highest level of comfort and a guarantee of maximum safety. The main customer for Euroduplex is the French National Railway Company (SNCF). Sapa is providing more than half of the structural profiles used in the train’s car body shells. Its Lichtervelde site in Belgium is handling the shipments to Alstom’s manufacturing center for very high-speed trains in La Rochelle, France. Sapa is responsible for: • Complex/structural extrusions...
With an exclusive developing agreement expiring in just two weeks, City Manager Curt Mitchell announced Monday that the status of a proposed aluminum plant is still “unlikely” but a scaled-down version of the project could be built. “It’s very unlikely the project will proceed as originally planned,” Mitchell reported to the City Council. “The property options also expire on Nov. 30 and we are being reimbursed for our actual expenses for the purchase of those land options.” City officials unveiled the plan in March to construct a 964-acre aluminum plant just south of the defunct Sun & Sky Golf Course. The City Council approved the framework of a redevelopment agreement with Newport Beach-based Scuderia Development to build the 2.95 million-square-foot facility for China Zhongwang Holdings...
Celebrating its fiftieth year in North Texas, Kaiser Aluminum received a six-figure birthday present from the Sherman Economic Development Corp. Tuesday morning. The SEDCO Board of Directors voted unanimously to enter into a $232,000 agreement with Kaiser to help offset the cost of a $5.8 million upgrade that will add seven jobs to its south Sherman facility. “We’ve been working with Kaiser Aluminum for several years on their plans and growth — they’ve been in the market for a very long time, and we’ve not yet had the opportunity to help them in their growth plan,” said SEDCO President Scott Connell. “It’s a great company that’s been here a very long time, and we’re excited for their future growth plans.” Kaiser Aluminum operates 12 North American plants and has significantly expanded its...
The financial director of Armenian Rusal-Armenal Vahe Suvalyan, disclosed their plans of increasing the foil output of the company by 5.5% compared to last year, to around 29,000 by the end of this year. Suvalayan further revealed that there are plans of a similar increase in the next year as well. He also said that a company cannot make any major breakthroughs without substantial investments, during the discussion with the minister of economy regarding the mining sector problems. The minister, Karen Chshmarityan had questioned Suvalayan about problems faced by the company to which the latter replied citing power supply interruptions which lead to quality issues in the production. The minister has assured Suvalayan about new electric supply standards that are currently in the process of...
Constellium N.V. today reported results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2014. • Shipments up 4% versus prior year • Revenues up 8% to €927 million and Adjusted EBITDA up 13% to €72 million • Strong performance in P&ARP driven by 82% growth in Body-in-White shipments and in AS&I led by 23% growth in automotive structures • A&T impacted by aerospace capacity constraints and extended maintenance • Body-in-White projects progressing as scheduled • Recent Wise Metals acquisition expected to close in January 2015 • Q3 2014 EPS at €0.11; EPS excluding unrealized losses on derivatives at €0.31 Constellium reported that results for the third quarter of 2014 significantly improved over last year, led by strong performances in our Packaging and Automotive Rolled Products segment (P&ARP)...
