Australia could turn more of its aluminium and copper resources into higher-value battery components, with a new report from national science agency CSIRO identifying opportunities to strengthen the country's domestic battery manufacturing capabilities. The report, The Future of Australian Battery Manufacturing: Cell Cans and Current Collector Foils, examines how Australia could use its existing industrial expertise, materials and manufacturing capabilities to produce key components for lithium-ion and emerging sodium-ion batteries. Rather than focusing solely on the country's critical mineral resources, the analysis explores practical ways to move further downstream and capture more value through local manufacturing. The opportunity comes as global demand for batteries continues to grow,...
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...
Grow with
AL Circle
A total of 126,200 st of aluminum products were shipped by US service centers in September, up 6.6% from the same month a year ago, but down from 135,900 st of aluminum shipped in August, according to the monthly activity report from the Metals Service Center Institute released Tuesday. For 2011 year-to-date, aluminum shipments were 1.14 million st, an increase of 16.8% from the same period in 2010. Inventories of aluminum products were 353,500 st at the end of September, a 7.9% hike from the same month a year ago, but down 2% from the 360,800 st in inventory at the end of August 2011. At the current shipping rate, this inventory represents 2.8 months of supply, according to MSCI, up 1.1% from a year ago. Elsewhere, 13,300 st of aluminum products were shipped by Canadian Service Centers...
Even for its tried and tested product groups TDK-EPC continues to offer new technologically superior solutions. Significantly improved aluminum electrolytic capacitors from EPCOS satisfy the toughest requirements in cars with respect to vibration and temperature stress resistance. They consequently open up beneficial design possibilities and extend their range of applications. Thanks to the ongoing intensive development work, EPCOS aluminum electrolytic capacitors are indispensable for automotive electronics. These high-performance components are now becoming increasingly established in this highly demanding application field, in drive control as well as in safety and convenience applications.
Titan Trailers, a North American leader in custom-built smoothside aluminum trailers used in scrap, waste, recycling, forestry and aggregate applications, announced plans to expand its manufacturing capacity with a new sub-assembly in Tillsonburg, Ontario. Titan is best known as the originator of lightweight extruded aluminum smoothside trailer bodies which provide increased load capacity and improved fuel efficiency for transporting heavy-duty materials. The manufacturer’s head office location in Delhi, Ontario, was previously expanded in 2007 with the addition of a 32,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art “green” facility to house its trailer finishing and engineering operations. Earlier this year, Titan had plans to build a new sub-assembly and parts facility when an existing property in...
Alcoa Inc. said Monday it is creating a new Latin America and Caribbean headquarters to help accelerate growth in the region. The aluminum producer said the division will be run by Franklin Feder, who becomes regional chief executive officer on Jan. 1. Feder was most recently Latin America and Caribbean regional president of Alcoa's Global Primary Products division, which includes the company's refining and smelting operations. "Brazil has long been an important region to Alcoa, particularly in our upstream businesses, but with Brazil's rapidly growing economy, its strategic importance to Alcoa extends beyond our Global Primary Product business," CEO Klaus Kleinfeld said in a statement. Alcoa's involvement in the aluminum business includes mining, smelting, and selling rolled metal sheets...
Aluminium extruder China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd said it will spend $3.78 billion on production equipment as it taps growing demand for high-end flat-rolled aluminium products. In a filing to the Hong Kong bourse late on Monday, the company said the equipment included hot continuous rolling mills, cold rolling mills, smelting and casting lines for the ancillary production of soft alloy plate and sheet products. China Zhongwang said it would buy the equipment from independent third parties including China Machinery Engineering Corp, China Electronics Corp, and China Electronics Technology Group Corp.
The growth of a downstream aluminium cluster at Sohar augurs well for investment in value-added tertiary aluminium industries, according to top executives at two companies currently at the heart of a promising push to extend the downstream aluminium value chain. Oman Aluminium Rolling Mills (OARM), which is currently developing a $400 million aluminium rolling mill at Sohar Industrial Estate, and Oman Aluminium Processing Industries (OAPIL), a fully operational downstream plant launched a year ago, have the potential to catalyse the growth of a value-added tertiary aluminium cluster. At an investment forum held last week,the Chief Executive Officers of both companies outlined prospects for investment in manufacturing facilities further downstream to their businesses. Lloyd A ‘Buddy’...
New Yangtze River Mining Group’s high-purity aluminium project came into operation in Inner Mongolia. The project has an annual output of 420,00tons and total investment 4.5billion RMB. The project was started in September 26, 2009. It includes three subprojects, high-purity aluminium project with annual output of 420,00tons, electronic aluminium foil project with annual output of 600,00tons and corrosion aluminium foil project with annual output of 126,00tons.
The Aluminium Extruders Council (AEC) has released the results of a study that confirms the material and economic advantages of using extruded aluminium for solar structural framing applications. Material, fabrication, transportation, and field assembly costs were estimated and vetted for use in the study. The report, Manufacturing and Lifecycle Cost Analysis for Aluminium Solar Structures by IBIS Associates, proves that there are compelling technical and economic reasons to consider and use extrusions for parabolic trough and other structural applications. “Approximately 30 percent of the worldwide CSP parabolic trough installations use aluminium extrusion, but there are still many companies that do not fully understand why extrusions are so ideally suited to this application,” said...
Recently, Chinalco initiated a high heat conduction insulation alumina padding technology and industrialization project which has passed state identification process. It is the first time that such achievements have been accomplished in this field and this has established a 200 ton production line.
Our latest materials report The Aluminium Market Analysis, Financials and Forecasting 2011-2016 analyses this dynamic commodity and reveals prevailing trends and anticipates the progression in the global aluminium industry over the next five years. The report also surveys recent market trends among major companies and reveals where and why the market will experience growth, laying out the market's strengths and weaknesses with targeted forecasts. Visiongain's analysis has concluded that the global value of the aluminium industry will reach $99.9bn in 2011 and will shortly break the $100bn barrier. The Aluminium Market Analysis, Financials and Forecasting 2011-2016 report examines the scope of growth available in the aluminium industry along with the drivers of this growth such as...
The GCC’s building and construction industry currently consumes up to 400,000t of aluminium a year, making it one of the biggest markets for aluminium products in the region. In particular, construction projects in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait have been key growth markets that are driving the surge in demand for aluminium. According to Deloitte Middle East’s GCC Powers of Construction 2010 report, the UAE has 36%, worth $958bn, of total construction projects in the region, and is expected to see its construction industry grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6% between 2010 and 2014. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, currently has a 38% share of total construction projects in the region, and is expected to launch contracts worth $86bn in 2011. Currently the Kingdom...
By thoroughly modernizing the electrical features, automation and process control of the hot mill at Holmestrand, Hydro is further developing the facility further and securing a high long-term performance. The Holmestrand plant, employing a workforce of more than 300, is one of Hydro's two aluminium rolling mills in Norway among a global network of seven rolled products plants. "The investment is good news for Holmestrand. Our engineers and craftsmen on site are constantly adjusting their facilities for optimum performance. Together with this expenditure, we strengthen a good, longer-term perspective for the Holmestrand plant," says Manfred Mertens, head of the Packaging & Building business unit in Hydro's Rolled Products business area. "We are pleased with this measure and will directly...
Henan Linzhou Auto Industry through 30 years unceasing development and expansion has became nationwide auto parts casting base. The special purpose motor vehicles largely improve their products standards and fill the city’s gap in this field,and also mark transformation from auto parts assembly to finished automobiles. This can motivate constructive movement of the whole city’s auto industry and form a complete auto parts industry chain.
According to a study report, Brazilian aluminum product consumption grew by 8% during 2005 to 2010 thanks to strong economic growth.Brazil has become one of the most potential markets in Latin America. The domestic aluminum production rose to 1.54 million tonnes in 2010.The booming automobile and canning industries are the keys to strong growth for domestic aluminum market. The report also said that aluminum used in transportation sector will rise significantly in the near future; the transportation usage accounts for 21% of total aluminum consumption.
CCA series products of Jiangsu Changzhou Si Bi De Electric Material Co., Ltd has go into operation. Changzhou Si Bi De Electric Material Co.,Ltd is state's high and new tech enterprise and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Changzhou Minghao New Metal Material Co., Ltd mainly into research and produce copper and aluminum composite conductive materials, possesses more than 20 patents out of which 3 of them are patent of invention,and enjoys leading position in the trade in domestic. The company has invested 0.1 billion Yuan,has a registered capital of 35,000 thousand dollars, and has 70,000 thousand dollars worth infrastructure. After completion, annual production capacity of copper and aluminum rows will reaches 60 thousand tons. Changzhou Si Bi De Electric Material Co., Ltd produces CCA series...
Wojan Window & Door Corp., a manufacturer of custom commercial aluminum windows and sliding glass doors, is expanding production by introducing a second line of its 3 1/4-inch frame M-950 Series to its Coldwater,Mich.,facility. "Production demands have exceeded our expectations this year," said Wojan President Dennis Wojan, in a release. "We went from, quite honestly, a pretty dismal first quarter to an incredible upswing in orders and found ourselves having to push lead times out further than we're comfortable with." Strategically located between Detroit and Chicago, Wojan's Coldwater facility currently produces its line of projected windows, the 4500 and 4600 Series, plus the full line of DEFCON blast-resistant models. Wojan's Charlevoix plant will continue to manufacture the M-950...
Rexam Beverage Can Europe and Asia will be showcasing its commitment to industry leadership, customer partnerships and innovation at this year’s BRAU Beviale in Nuremberg from the 9th to 11th of November. Rexam’s ‘Total Package’ offering will highlight the bespoke packaging solutions Rexam provides its customers, as well as demonstrating Rexam’s best in class approach to partnering and service that support these solutions. As one of the world’s largest beverage can manufacturers, Rexam works to ensure that its products are amongst the best in the market. Through a wide variety of printing techniques, sizes and closures, Rexam products ensure our customers brands stand out from the crowd. On innovation, the Rexam team is dedicated to working with our customers to create new and pioneering...
Versarien is launching a patented, open pore metal foam, developed by the University of Liverpool, which combines extremely high thermal efficiency with mechanical strength and reduced weight. Initially focusing on porous copper products, Versarien intends to extend the technology to other materials, including aluminium, in the near future. Formed with a lost carbonate sintering process (LCS), metal and carbonate powders are mixed together, then pressed and sintered before dissolving to remove the carbonate mixer. The process can produce metal foam with porosity up to 85% and homogeneous and controllable pore sizes between 50µm and 5mm. The open pore structure allows coolant fluid to pass through the material, and the greatly increased surface area produces heat transfer rates which are...
