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...
Grow with
AL Circle
Absolute Balustrades introduces a cost-effective and low maintenance alternative to timber balustrades with the new Hampton style balustrades in aluminium. Constantly innovating to provide their clients with high quality balustrade solutions, Absolute Balustrades has designed the new aluminium balustrades to replace maintenance-heavy timber balustrades. The Hampton style balustrades, highly popular in WA, feature a timeless architectural design, and have been influencing housing trends for over 50 years with their understated elegance and relaxed decor. Given that timber is more susceptible to the elements than any other material, timber balustrades require a lot of maintenance, especially in the harsh Australian climate, and particularly in coastal areas, where the combination of salt...
Following the announcement of its recent expansion, National Aluminium Products Company SAOG ( NAPCO ), one of the leading extruders of aluminum profiles in the GCC, has unveiled its plans to increase its exports by accelerating its production. The company, which has a current production capacity between 18,000 and 20,000 metric tonnes, aims to diversify its products along with the markets through a phased growth strategy in sales and marketing. The move is attributed to an increase in demand for NAPCO 's products due to its excellent quality and history of reliability. NAPCO 's exports in the first half (H1) of 2014 experienced a significant growth in percentage and quantity compared to the same period in 2013. In addition, there was an increase of 15 per cent in its production for the...
China exported 320,000 mt of aluminum semis in July, up 15.1% YoY and 14.3% MoM, China Customs data revealed. Extrusion exports increased 34.92% YoY and 4.32% MoM to 72,500 mt in July. Foil exports also grew 15.81% YoY and 12.73% MoM to 78,800 mt. Exports of plate/sheet and strip totaled 151,700 mt, up 5.86% YoY and 21.17% MoM. Falling SHFE/LME aluminum price ratio favored aluminum semis exports. Besides, Chinese aluminum semis has become more competitive internationally as rising premiums in the global market have left little room for overseas semis producers to cut prices.
While aluminium is expected to be relied on heavily to meet new fuel efficiency standards for vehicles, multi-material solutions, engineering plastics and advanced composites will also play a key role, according to a WardsAuto survey sponsored by DuPont. CAFE standards 64% of the nearly 900 respondents said that the US 2017-2025 CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards) could get more stringent as a result of the upcoming mid-term reviews. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards require, on an average industry fleet-wide basis, 163 g/mile of CO2 in model year 2025, which would be equivalent to 54.5 mpg (4.3 l/100 km) if this level were achieved solely through improvements in fuel efficiency. The EPA in April released a report on vehicle greenhouse gas emissions that...
The Philip Morant School and College in Colchester, Essex, is using transom door closers from Alpro Architectural Hardware. The Alpro closers have been fitted on doors manufactured by Essex-based IDF Aluminium Ltd which help to hydraulically control the opening and closing of an aluminium door. Features include dual closing speed to allow flexibility, three levels of spring strength and 90-degree hold open facility. Builders and glaziers benefit from the ability to adjust the latching and closing force according to the weight and height of individual doors as well as type of usage. Fine-tuning to accommodate the exact needs of a pupil and staff user base is all-important in a school application. Transom closers are hidden within the transom header bar of a door making them the preferred...
Longkou Nanshan Aluminum Rolling New Materials Co. is planning to build a 40,000-tpy high-precision multi-functional aluminum foil project in Longkou, Shandong. The project will take three years to construct, Shandong Nanshan Aluminum Co. – its parent company – said in its report filed to the Shanghai Stock Exchange today. The 772.77 million yuan ($ 125.34 million) facility will yield 825.64 million yuan in revenues and 42.46 million yuan in profits annually, it added.
By the end of this fiscal year, India’s aluminium production capacity is going to rise to about 4.36 mt, a huge leap from 1.71 mt in 2012. The local demand however is less than half that number so the big guns in the industry, like Sesa Sterlite Ltd and Hindalco Industries Ltd, who have grown exponentially, are doing extensive research and development along with marketing to explore and establish new markets. Both Hindalco and Sesa Sterlite have teamed up with government agencies and companies to boost the weak domestic demand by finding new uses for aluminium in industries like transport, aerospace, defense and rural development. According to company and mining ministry data, Sesa Sterlite’s current aluminium production has jumped from 745,000 tonnes as recorded two years ago to 2.6 mt....
AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. announces that AMG Engineering's ALD Thermal Treatment ("ALD") North America unit has been awarded the 2014 GM Supplier Quality Excellence Award. The Supplier Quality Excellence Award, given to a small percentage of GM's suppliers, recognizes those suppliers for their innovative technology, superior reliability, excellent collaboration for new developments, and consistent outstanding quality for the range of products it provides to General Motors during the past year. The award, which is given to specific supplier locations, is focused on improving collaboration with suppliers who have achieved excellence in quality during the previous year. Dr. Markus Holz, CEO of ALD Vacuum Technologies stated: "We are obviously very pleased to have earned this...
The Nigerian roofing sheets manufacturer, First Aluminium plc announced a surge in the profits by 57% in the first half of 2014 despite facing numerous obstacles that are also faced by other members of the industry. The net income for the half year was recorded at N21.32 million from N13.54 million in the same period last year. The net margin which indicates the efficiency and profitability of a company has risen from 3.3% in half year 2013 to 4.80% but according to the analysts, this rise is low in comparison to other sectors. The company is suffering from such low margins due to the high rates of import duties as well as high energy costs. Raw materials brought into the company hikes up the cost of production while dependence on a resource as dear as diesel oil also proves to be...
China Hongqiao Group Limited filed its interim report for the first half of 2014 at the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, reporting 27.5% YOY fall in net profits to 2.04 billion yuan ($0.33 billion) due to falling price of aluminium products. The prime cause behind this decline in net profits is accounted to the drop in the average price of aluminium products, from 12,354 yuan per tonne in H1 2013 to 11,184 yuan per tonne (VAT tax excluded) in H1 2014. However, due to growing demand in the industry, the revenues of the company have risen by 28.6% in H1 2014 up to 17.37 billion yuan. The company had to subsequently increase its aluminium products capacity by 27.7% going up to 3.14 million tonnes this H1 compared to 2.46 million tonnes of last year’s H1. China Hongqiao will continue...
Canyon have introduced the Endurace AL – an aluminium-framed version of the German’s firm’s ‘comfort’ bike, first launched back in May. We’re at Eurobike and Canyon used the cycling industry’s annual mega-show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, to unveil the Endurace AL, which is now available in the UK in three builds, ranging from £899 to £1,199, and as a frameset only for £489. It’s been a busy year for Canyon, who have already had two major launches in 2014, first with the Endurace CF, before the Koblenz-based company’s latest aero machine, the Aeroad CF SLX, was unveiled ahead of the Tour de France. That leaves the Endurace AL as the latest machine to break cover and we stopped by the Canyon stand at Eurobike to take a closer look. The aluminium Endurace AL effectively replaces the...
Constellium N.V. today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2014. Highlights of results include: • Shipments up 2% versus prior year • Revenues of €920 million and Adjusted EBITDA of €81 million • Record performance of P&ARP segment • Body-in-White finishing plant breaks ground in Bowling Green, KY Constellium reported solid results for the second quarter of 2014 reflecting a record performance in our packaging and automotive rolled products segment and a strong performance in our automotive structures business. Our aerospace segment is significantly higher than the first quarter of 2014, but is below our performance level from the same period in 2013. Revenues for the second quarter of 2014 were €920 million, slightly higher than €916 million in the second quarter of...
Kobe Steel, Ltd.'s U.S. joint venture, Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products, LLC (or KAAP), has increased its production capacity of aluminum forged products for automotive suspension systems by 50 percent. Based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA, KAAP began construction of a $66-million expansion of its manufacturing facility in spring 2013. Construction was completed earlier this month and the new facility has gone into mass production. KAAP's production capacity of 280,000 pieces per month has increased to 420,000 pieces per month. This expansion, together with Kobe Steel's other manufacturing locations in Japan and China, gives the Kobe Steel Group a combined production capacity of 1 million pieces per month of aluminum forged suspension parts. Car production in the United States, the...
In the first six months of the year, the Jiangsu Asia-Pacific Light Alloy Technology Co. enjoyed a year-on-year rise in profits by 28.98% amounting to 93.92 million Yuan according to their semi annual financial report. The rise in profits is accounted to an increasing demand in the automobile sector and capacity expansions. During H1 2014, business revenues were calculated at 1.09 billion Yuan, up by 13.28%. The revenues were largely derived from the pipe/tube, extrusion and bar segments. Each of these sections experienced hiked annual revenues by 12.25%, 23.97%, and 39.45%, respectively. An investment of 55.92 million Yuan in the R&D Department during the report period shows the company’s commitment towards technological innovation in new products. Currently an 80,000 tpy expansion...
Sapa’s new Silflux Academy aims to improve the company’s progressive flux-coated products in order to continue providing customers with the best choice on the market. The initial three-day session, arranged at Sapa’s precision tubing plant in Denmark, brought together internal experts from China, Brazil, Europe and the United States. In addition to increased understanding and knowledge, the program provided participants with insight into the many parameters throughout the total production that can influence the success of the coating process, in particular the flux-coating process. Sapa flux coating for aluminium heat exchangersSilflux is a new type of braze coating that does away with the requirement of having one of the components made from clad material. It simplifies the heat...
The aluminum-bodied Jaguar XE Compact Sports Sedan is all set for its London release on September 8 and the company has just released the technical details of the new launch. The aluminium-intensive architecture is the central focus in the design which has been developed around the same riveted and bonded aluminium platform that one finds on the Jaguar XJ, XK and F-TYPE. The key features of the new model include high strength, rigid body and an integral link rear suspension integrated into the advanced chassis design. There are many aluminium components to the machine made of both hollow-cast and forged aluminium, like the F-TYPE design inspired, double-wishbone front suspension mounted on a subframe with cast aluminium suspension towers.
Alcoa, clean technology company Phinergy and HEIG-VD University, today debuted a zero-emissions electric demo boat powered by an aluminum-air battery at Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland. Alcoa and Phinergy announced earlier this year that the companies are collaborating on new materials, processes and components to commercialize the aluminum-air battery for various applications, including electric cars, electric boats and stationary energy. The aluminum-air battery used in the electric boat demonstrator contains 15kg aluminum which provides about 25 hours of additional navigation time, for a given navigation profile. Without the aluminum-air range extender, using the same navigation profile, the range of the vessel would be only five hours. Martin Briere, President of Alcoa Global Primary...
EAFA, the European Aluminium Foil Association, announced that entries for the Alufoil Trophy 2015 competition are now open until 21 November 2014. The Alufoil Trophy recognises and rewards the use of aluminium foil and aluminium closures in all its many forms and uses. From rolls in the kitchen, through sophisticated laminates or as insulation, for use in packaging, construction and automotive products, as well as in many other industrial and decorative applications it is used daily and, in many ways, can be regarded as dispensable. The competition categories are: • Marketing + Design Entrants should deliver real improvements to graphic and structural packaging design, ergonomics and ideas that lead to greater shelf appeal at point-of-sale, as well as industrial design applications. •...
