
Germany and France share one of Europe’s busiest downstream aluminium corridors, and the metal flows in both directions. In the first seven months of 2026, aluminium flat rolled products (FRP), which cover aluminium plates, sheets and strips (HS code: 7606), as well as aluminium foil (HS code: 7607), crossed the border each way, amounting to a total of around USD 692 million. However, the bilateral trade flow is tilted towards Germany, which remains France’s largest FRP supplier. Nonetheless, the inter-dependence remains as the countries do exchange the same products but engage in cross-border trade of specialised high-value products and alloys, feeding the demand on either side. The trade figures for January–July 2026, as compiled from the International Trade Administration, highlight...
KAP Minerals and Cymat Technologies are exploring a partnership to produce scandium-aluminium master alloy in Ontario, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding. The partnership would use scandium oxide from KAP’s Kapuskasing critical minerals project and Cymat’s aluminium-processing technology to produce alloys for aerospace, defence and manufacturing applications. To know the global production, demand and consumption forecasts of aluminium extrusions, explore our report " The World of Aluminium Extrusions to 2035 " Scandium-aluminium alloys can improve strength, performance and weldability while reducing weight. The companies aim to use the proposed venture to establish a domestic supply chain, converting Canadian critical minerals into value-added industrial materials....
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Sapa Extrusions North America, an aluminum manufacturer producing products that range from sliding doors to stadium seats, will expand its factory in Delhi, a city of just over 3,000 residents in northeast Louisiana. Sapa Extrusions is subsidiary of the Orkla Group, based in Stockholm Sweden. Plant manager Ron Ballman said Sapa will hire 37 workers as a result of the expansion. It’s estimated the expansion will also create 65 indirect jobs in the region. The expansion will allow the company to make platforms and stairs along with enhancing its existing operations, Ballman explained. "Louisiana was a good fit for many reasons," said Ballman. "First, the extrusions were already being produced here, so product familiarity already existed. The availability of a skilled workforce was key to...

Aluminium, on the London Metal Exchange (LME), has been falling since the beginning of the year. So has been the core earnings of Hindalco Industries and in turn, the profits. The company maintains that its two businesses, aluminium and copper, complement each other well. D Bhattacharya, managing director, Hindalco Industries, says, "If the aluminium business is down then the copper business comes to the rescue and when copper prices are under pressure, aluminium performs well." This is true to an extent but the fall in profits caused by the aluminium business is not getting fully covered by copper. Hindalco's earnings before interest and tax (Ebit), for aluminium, has been falling constantly since the first quarter of the current financial year. The Ebit share for the white metal has...

JSE-listed aluminium products producer Hulamin on Monday reported a 7% increase in headline earnings to R80-million, while its turnover for the 2011 financial year ended December 31, was up by 20%, at R6.96-billion. Operating profit, before the metal price lag effect, increased by 19% to R204-million, despite additional liquid petroleum gas (LPG) costs of R13-million and the cost of closing the Cape Town extrusion plant of R7-million. The operating profit after the metal price lag effect declined by 22% to R170-million. The company’s improved performance was owing to the strong performances in both Hulamin Rolled Products and Hulamin Extrusions, with the rolled products sales volume increasing by 11%, to 208 000 t. "We are pleased that our operating performance continued to improve with...

Reliance Metal can be a renowned seller and also supplier of varied home solutions in Malaysia. Aluminium fittings and installment, specifically aluminium doors will be the forte with the company. They've got tremendous selection of styles and types of aluminium in terms of theses doors fashioned away from aluminium. They supply a standard folding door that can provide an aluminium structure with panels manufactured from an alternative material. The content may be acrylic, fiberglass or laminated glass. Even so, the level of every material is assured by the company with guarantee. Also there is a basic swing door, again created from aluminium. If someone would like a thing that features an extra style, you can elect to use a multi-folding door installed. It is a wider plus more intricate...

Innovative aluminum tube fittings and valves for air conditioning and heating systems are now available in the American market. Made of special aluminum alloy, with lead content less than 0.01 per cent, LOCUS's tube fittings and valves are installed using the threaded lok-type fitting connection method, with no welding required. LOCUS fittings and valves provide clear visual confirmation of the installation guaranteeing superior airtight sealing. Requiring less installation time than other conventional solder joint copper fittings, LOCUS products ensure the labor and equipment costs reductions. "Aluminum fittings and valves are widely used in the automotive and electronics industries due to their excellent mechanical properties, light weight, and stable price. It is time to start using...

ABB has won a contract worth $9 million from Oman Aluminum Rolling Company (OARC) to develop, implement and execute all maintenance activities at the company’s rolling mill plant in Sohar, Oman. The Greenfield aluminum rolling mill will produce flat sheet and aluminum foil with a capacity of 140,000 tonnes per annum and will primarily serve the Middle East and European markets. The projected completion of the build is expected during Q3 2013 when the plant will commence operations. “We look forward to having ABB as a partner in the new rolling facility. ABB brings experience in Oman and gives us access to their global rolling capabilities of ABB for maintenance services and rolling technology support. “The agreement is performance based and provides both parties incentives for success....

Hulamin (HLM) on Monday reported diluted headline earnings per share of 25 cents for the year ended December 2011 versus 26 cents a year ago. Rolled Products sales volumes increased 11% to 208,000 tons and turnover grew 20% to R6.96 billion, due to strong performances in both Hulamin Rolled Products and Hulamin Extrusions. Headline earnings were up 7% to R80 million. Operating profit before the metal price lag effect, increased by 19% to R204 million, in spite of additional liquid petroleum gas (LPG) costs of R13 million and the cost of closing the Cape Town extrusion plant of R7 million. However, operating profit after the metal price lag effect declined by 22% to R170 million. CEO Richard Jacob commented: "We are pleased that our operating performance continued to improve with increased...

ABB has announced a contract worth US$9 million from Oman Aluminum Rolling Company (OARC) to develop, implement and execute all maintenance activities at the company's rolling mill plant in Sohar, Oman. The Greenfield aluminum rolling mill will produce flat sheet and aluminum foil with a capacity of 140,000 tonnes per annum and will primarily serve the Middle East and European markets. The projected completion of the build is expected during Q3 2013 when the plant will commence operations. Through the ABB Full Service concept, ABB will manage, develop, implement and execute the entire maintenance function at the plant including all mechanical and electrical maintenance regimes, shutdown management, planning and scheduling and reliability maintenance. The agreement involves 55 ABB...

Alcoa Inc said late Thursday that it sent a note to its global aerospace, ground transportation and industrial customers announcing it will raise prices on some of its coil and flat products on Feb. 20. "Alcoa Global Aerospace, Ground Transportation, and Industrial & Specialty Products is announcing a price increase effective with all new orders received on or after February 20," the note said. It added that the price increase will also apply to its production schedule dates on or after May 1 for those products.

Skana Aluminum Company, 2005 Mirro Drive, is among three Wisconsin manufacturing businesses to be honored Friday in an event entitled, “Recognition of Manufacturing Success in Rural America,” to be held in Stevens Point. Skana’s aluminum rolling mill is expected to ship 30 million pounds of coil metal in 2012. The event is co-sponsored by The White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A USDA news release states Skana, along with Salm Partners, a De Pere-based meat processor, and Crystal Finishing systems, a Schofield-based aluminum fabricator, are being honored for making “exemplary strides in strengthening the nation’s manufacturing capabilities.” The three companies have received financial support from USDA Rural Development funds, which has more than a dozen loan and grant...

Sapa Group, Sweden, the leading aluminum solutions provider in the world, celebrates another milestone in its development in China – the opening of Sapa Profile (Jiangyin) Co., Ltd. Several distinguished guests are attending the grand opening ceremony; Shen Jian, Mayor of Jiangyin, Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Sapa Group, Jarle Dragvik, Managing Director of Sapa Profile (Jiangyin) Co., Ltd., and Bengt Johansson, Consul-General of the Swedish Consulate General in Shanghai. Sapa Profiles Jiangyin Co., Ltd. is the group’s first aluminum extrusions plant in China, specializing in the development, manufacturing and distribution of value-added aluminum profiles. The Sapa Group is looking to expand its business presence in Asia with Sapa Profiles Jiangyin Co., Ltd. as a base.

The expansion of Sapa’s aluminum extrusion facility in Delhi marks a boost to the local economy by way of creating 100 new jobs and an opportunity for the company to diversify its customer base and profile, Gov. Bobby Jindal said Thursday. Jindal was speaking at the ribbon-cutting of Sapa’s second facility in Delhi, which will now allow the aluminum extruder to manufacture complete products. “The expansion that we’re marking today will allow the company to compete for work in the lucrative petroleum and chemical industry sectors and to continue to diversify their product line,” Jindal said. “We know that petrochemical, the energy industries are growing and it’s great that Sapa will be able to participate in that.” Delhi has played home to Sapa’s primary aluminum plant for almost 30 years,...

TI Cycles is setting up a facility to make aluminium frame bicycles, as it seeks to beef up its performance product range. The company primarily makes carbon steel bicycles, which are starter bikes representing the lowest end of the value chain. Aluminium bikes, which are lighter and used by amateur bikers, are in the mid-range in terms of price and performance. Last year, TI Cycles entered the high-end with the launch of Montra, a range of lightweight carbon frame and alloy high-performance bicycles. The aluminium bicycle facility, on which Rs 6 crore will be invested, will come up at TI Cycles' existing plant in Ambattur, Chennai. It is expected to be ready in nine months. This, the company hopes, will also give it a toehold in the export market. “We have identified technologists who...

Somerville Aluminum Enters Partnership with Somerset Medical Center Foundation Somerville, NJ- February 15, 2012- Somerville Aluminum, a leading Central Jersey home improvement company, is proud to announce a new partnership with the Somerset Medical Center Foundation. Family owned and operated since 1950, Somerville Aluminum prides itself on a strong connection with the surrounding community. In entering this partnership, Somerville Aluminum has agreed to donate $200 in the name of the customer to the Somerset Medical Center Foundation for every home remodeling project over $2000. The Somerset Medical Center Foundation provides funding to Somerset Medical Center, the only hospital in Somerset County. The foundation was created to solicit and administer charitable funds on behalf of the...

MISUMI USA, a supplier of fixed and configurable components for plastic mold, press die and factory automation industries, announced that it will display its wide range of aluminum extrusions and accessories at ATX West 2012. The strong and durable product ranges from the company are utilized in several industries to design shelving storage units, robotic fixtures, portable enclosures, workstation frames and guards, mobile carts and lightweight machine bases. The aluminum extrusion profiles from MISUMI are lighter and easy to clean. They are offered in different sizes and finishes and are extensively used in medical manufacturing settings, clean room and food and beverage processing facilities. The aluminum extrusions can be customized and they are affordable and feasible solution for...

Aerospace and automotive demand helped boost Kaiser Aluminum Corporation’s net income to $27M for the full year 2011 compared to $14M for the full year 2010. It expects this demand to remain robust both in 2012 and in the longer term, said its president Jack Hockema. Its revenue of $644M was an increase of $88M or 16% from the previous year, reflecting strong demand for aerospace and automotive applications and a strong performance from the acquired Alexco and Nichols Wire businesses. Mr Hockema said he was very positive about long-term growth prospects for aerospace and high strength applications driven by increasing build rates, larger airframes and monolithic design. He said: “We also anticipate further solid growth for our automotive applications as light vehicle build rates and...

Crown Holdings Inc., based in Philadelphia, has announced plans to build a new two-piece beverage can plant in Nanning, China. The company expects the new plant to be operational by the second quarter of 2013 and will have an initial production capacity of 750 million two-piece aluminum cans per year. Jozef Salaerts, Crown Asia-Pacific president, says, “We are seeing the shift to metal packaging increase as brand owners seek to expand the reach of what used to be ‘local’ products across different provinces,” Salaerts continues. “The addition of the Nanning facility effectively expands our geographic footprint and allows us to better serve our customers.” Crown currently has five beverage can plants operating in China. The company expects to begin production in Putian, Ziyang and Heshan in...

Airbus (EAD) SAS was told by European air safety authorities to swap some aluminum rivets on its A380 flagship for stronger titanium fasteners, less than a month after the company was forced to fix cracks on the jet’s wings. According to a so-called airworthiness directive by the European Aviation Safety Agency today, six aluminum rivets used to join fuselage stringers, or stiff pieces of metal to which the aircraft is fastened, weren’t in compliance with certification requirements. The rivets were discovered in an engineering review, said EASA, which made no connection between the rivets and the hairline cracks found in the A380’s wings. While the rivets would survive so-called limit load, which takes into account the maximum stresses likely to be experienced during flight, fatigue...