South Asia’s beverage-can manufacturing capacity continues to expand, with Bangladesh preparing to enter the industry through a USD 100 million aluminium beverage can plant while new and expanded facilities advance across India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, the planned Bangladeshi project still faces a key infrastructure hurdle: securing a gas connection before production begins. Chinese-owned Alu Hi-Tech Industries Ltd is developing Bangladesh’s first aluminium beverage can plant at Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park in Gazipur, north of Dhaka. The facility is designed to produce around 1 billion cans annually, with approximately 90 per cent of its output earmarked for export markets. The company registered with the hi-tech park in 2024, when work on the project began. Construction has...
Europe’s beverage-can market outperformed other regions in the third quarter, prompting Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) to accelerate its investment plans with two new production lines at existing facilities in the UK and Spain. Global beverage can shipments rose 2 per cent year on year in the three months to September 30, while Europe recorded 6 per cent growth, contrasting with a 1 per cent decline across the Americas. AMP announced the expansion alongside third-quarter results that exceeded its own earnings guidance, allowing the company to raise its full-year adjusted EBITDA outlook. Chief executive Oliver Graham said demand remained resilient across the company’s markets, supported by strength in key beverage categories and continued gains for cans within the wider packaging mix. The...
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Thai Beverage Can Ltd (TBC) said demand for aluminium beverage cans in Thailand is likely to continue to grow as consumers choose functional drinks, energy drinks and premium beverages. The company posted a 37 per cent YoY increase in sales volume in the first quarter of 2026, reflecting stronger demand amid ongoing uncertainty in global markets. TBC Chief Operating Officer Pavin Chayavivatkul said changing consumer preferences are supporting the shift towards canned beverages. A recent consumer survey by PwC Thailand also found that buyers are placing greater emphasis on health, food safety and product quality. Although aluminium cans currently account for a relatively small share of Thailand's beverage packaging market, the company believes there is significant room for growth. Around...
Capral Aluminium is marking its 90th anniversary, highlighting the long-standing role aluminium has played in Australia's industrial development and energy infrastructure. Capral began in 1936 as the Australian arm of the British Aluminium Company. In the 1930s, aluminium started replacing copper in electrical networks because it was cheaper, lighter and had good conductivity. As power utilities expanded transmission lines, demand for aluminium conductors grew. The company, first called Australuco and later ALCAN, helped build Australia’s aluminium industry. By the early 1940s, its Granville plant in New South Wales made the country’s first locally produced aluminium sheet and extrusions. Those products supported wartime production and post‑war reconstruction. Aluminium use expanded with...
Kingsland Drinks has expanded its partnership with organic wine producer Vinca by adding production of the brand’s wines in aluminium bottles, further strengthening the relationship between the two companies while broadening its alternative packaging offering. The beverage solutions company will now produce Vinca’s red, white and rosé wines in 75cl aluminium bottles made from 100 per cent recycled aluminium . The agreement builds on an existing partnership under which Kingsland Drinks already manufactures Vinca’s canned range of organic Sicilian red, white, rosé and sparkling wines. The move represents a strategic investment by Kingsland Drinks as it seeks to meet growing demand for sustainable, lightweight and recyclable packaging solutions in the wine sector. The company said expanding...
CANPACK made the CDP Supplier Engagement Assessment (SEA) A-List 2025 for its work with suppliers on climate issues and cutting emissions. The annual assessment scores how companies work with suppliers on climate change, covering governance, strategy, supplier engagement, Scope 3 emissions and climate targets. An "A" rating means the company performs strongly in managing supplier relationships and embedding sustainability into procurement. The recognition highlights CANPACK’s efforts to address Scope 3 emissions across its global supply chain. It also reflects the company’s focus on transparency, collaboration and continuous improvement while working with suppliers to support sustainability goals. The result is based on information submitted through the CDP Climate Change questionnaire...
Austal Vietnam has broadened its shipbuilding capabilities with the completion of its first vessel combining aluminium and steel construction, handing over the newly built Dory 2 to French Polynesian operator Degage Group. The 71-metre roll-on/roll-off passenger and cargo ferry formally changed hands during a ceremony held at the company's Vung Tau shipyard on 15 June, following the successful conclusion of its sea trial programme. Designed by Austal Australia, the vessel represents a departure from Austal Vietnam's long-established focus on aluminium shipbuilding. While the hull has been fabricated in steel, the superstructure has been built from aluminium, signalling the yard's move into multi-material vessel construction. Work on the project began in 2024, before the ship was launched...
If you wanted to understand where aluminium demand is heading in 2026, you could spend hours tracking smelter output, warehouse stocks and trade flows. Or you could simply look at the products shaping everyday life. A smartphone. A motorcycle. A truck engine. A beverage can. A roll of aluminium foil. At first glance, these products have little in common. Yet each has emerged as a piece of aluminium's downstream story this year, offering clues about where demand is accelerating, where manufacturers are placing their bets and where governments are drawing protective lines around domestic industries. For an industry often consumed by discussions about bauxite, alumina, tariffs and energy costs, some of the most revealing developments of 2026 have occurred much further down the value chain....
Norton Motorcycles has revealed full details of its new Atlas and Atlas GT models, two middleweight motorcycles that combine modern technology with extensive use of aluminium components aimed at reducing weight and improving performance. The launch marks another step in Norton’s revival under TVS ownership, with the company looking to expand its presence in the global motorcycle market. The Atlas is positioned as an adventure-touring motorcycle with light off-road capability, while the Atlas GT is designed primarily for road use. Although both models share the same platform, they differ in their suspension, wheels and tyre setup. Aluminium plays an important role in both motorcycles, particularly in the wheel and chassis components. The Atlas is equipped with a 19-inch front wheel and a...
The Boston Beer Company, renowned for flagship brands such as Samuel Adams, Twisted Tea and Angry Orchard, has been directed by a US District Court to pay nearly USD 191 million to aluminium can manufacturer Ardagh Metal Packaging USA following a long-running contractual dispute over can purchases. The court’s final judgment, entered on May 26, includes USD 175.5 million in damages and an additional USD 15.5 million in pre-judgment interest. The case stems from a lawsuit filed by Ardagh at the end of 2022, citing Boston Beer’s inability to meet the minimum can purchase commitments as drawn up in its 2021-2025 agreement with Ardagh. Explore the accurate insights and forecasts for the aluminium flat rolled products (FRP) market in Aluminium Flat Rolled Products: Insights & Forecast to 2032...
CVS is rolling out aluminium bottles for some of its store-brand medicines, replacing the plastic containers that have long been used for over-the-counter pills. The change will initially apply to larger packs of allergy and pain-relief medicines sold under the CVS brand. The products contain the same active ingredients as well-known medications such as Allegra, Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, Tylenol and Advil. According to the company, the move is intended to modernise packaging while offering a material that is more widely recycled than traditional plastic bottles. CVS said the aluminium containers provide similar protection for medicines and help maintain product shelf life. The company also noted that prices for the products will remain unchanged despite the switch in packaging. Explore:...
As solar projects continue to expand across the globe, aluminium conductor cables are increasingly being adopted across DC collection systems, AC transmission lines and medium-voltage interconnections. With lower material costs than copper and advanced aluminium alloy conductors, the metal is increasingly being adopted in the solar cable sector. FRCABLE, a China-based solar cable manufacturer, has regarded aluminium as a practical option for large-scale photovoltaic projects, citing its potential for reducing balance-of-system (BOS) costs while maintaining electrical performance and reliability standards. Discover: The Gulf aluminium market risks, China impact, alumina supply, carbon costs, and logistics disruptions shaping pricing and trade in Gulf Disruption Roadmap The company noted...
Encore RV has introduced a range of compact travel trailers featuring aluminium construction and designed to reduce the impact of towing on electric vehicle driving range. The lineup was recently highlighted in a video by the Playing with Sticks YouTube channel, which focused on the trailers' lightweight aluminium build, low overall height and features intended to improve towing efficiency. One of the models, the 12RKFB, is built to fit under a standard seven-foot garage door. Because of its lower profile, the trailer sits largely behind a pickup truck or SUV instead of extending above the roofline, reducing aerodynamic drag. It comes with a slide-out rear kitchen, an outdoor wet bath mounted on the front tongue and a 400-watt slide-out solar system. The company also showcased the 14RKB,...
Researchers in the United States have demonstrated new aluminium alloys that can reduce the weight of truck engines by about 15 per cent while improving fuel efficiency by more than 10 per cent in tests carried out on a General Motors prototype engine. The work was led by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), which operates under the US Department of Energy. The Office of Transportation Technologies funded the project and carried it out in collaboration with General Motors. The research focused on a Low Mass High Efficiency (LMHE) engine. The prototype was designed to meet requirements for strength, durability, performance and long-term operation while reducing overall engine weight. During the project, ORNL tested two aluminium alloys. The first was ACMZ, also known as AlCuMnZr, a...
Chinese automotive manufacturer Dongfeng Motor Corporation is accelerating vehicle manufacturing efficiency through one of the world’s largest integrated die-casting facilities, capable of producing major automotive structural components in just minutes. Located in Wuhan, Hubei Province, the advanced workshop uses molten aluminium and ultra-high-pressure die-casting technology to create large finished vehicle parts at unprecedented speed. During production, molten aluminium is poured into specialised moulds before a massive press instantly clamps shut. Within approximately two minutes, a fully formed structural component emerges from the process. At the heart of the operation are two ultra-large die-casting machines operating side by side, with clamping forces of 10,000 tonnes and 16,000...
Iran has signed five new memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with private sector organisations to strengthen its rail transport and logistics network, with one of the agreements aimed at improving the movement of raw materials and finished aluminium products. The agreements were signed at a ceremony attended by Minister of Transport and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh, Islamic Republic of Iran Railways Managing Director Jabbar Ali Zakeri, Mostazafan Foundation Head Hossein Dehghan, Parliament's Civil Committee Chairman Mohammad Reza Rezaei Koochi and senior representatives from the private sector. Among the agreements was a cooperation MOU between the Railways Company and Iran Aluminum Company (Iralco). The partnership focuses on expanding rail transport for the company's raw materials...
Tesla has started delivering the Model Y L in India, a six-seater version of its Model Y electric SUV. The first vehicles have been handed over to customers through the company’s direct-to-consumer sales model. The variants also use aluminium and Tesla’s giga casting technology, which helps reduce weight, improve structural strength and simplify vehicle production. The Model Y L is priced at INR 6.199 million (USD 65,600). Tesla is also offering financing options with monthly payments starting from INR 49,990 (USD 529) and down payments beginning at INR 650,000 (USD 6,880), subject to loan approval and financing terms. The vehicle offers a claimed driving range of up to 681 km under the WLTP test cycle and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds. It offers up to 2,539 litres of...
Royal Enfield has introduced the new Classic 650, a motorcycle that stays true to the brand’s retro design philosophy while incorporating modern features and the company’s proven 650cc parallel-twin engine. The motorcycle follows the styling cues that have made the Classic series popular, featuring traditional lines, a hand-pinstriped fuel tank and premium aluminium switch cubes. Royal Enfield has positioned the model as a value-focused option in the mid-capacity retro motorcycle segment, with a starting price of USD 7,499 in the United States and CAD 9,999 in Canada. The Classic 650 uses the same 650cc parallel-twin engine found in several other Royal Enfield models. While it is not designed as a high-performance motorcycle, it offers a smooth riding experience and focuses on comfort,...
The only figurative sculpture on another world is made from aluminium. On August 2, 1971, during the Apollo 15 mission, Commander David Scott placed a small aluminium figurine and a plaque on the lunar surface as a memorial to astronauts and cosmonauts who lost their lives during the early years of space exploration. The memorial, known as Fallen Astronaut, consists of a 3.5-inch aluminium figure representing an astronaut and a plaque listing the names of 14 people who died while contributing to space programmes in the United States and the Soviet Union. Scott placed the memorial near the Lunar Roving Vehicle at the Hadley-Apennine landing site and did not publicly disclose the act until after the mission ended. The memorial remains on the Moon today and is widely regarded as the only...
Hyundai has released the first teaser images of the next-generation i20 for the Brazilian market, giving an early look at the hatchback’s updated design. The biggest changes appear at the front and rear. The new i20 will feature connected LED daytime running lights at the front and a full-width LED light bar at the rear. The teaser also shows dual-pod LED headlamps with Y-shaped lighting elements and a redesigned grille that is no longer integrated with the headlight units. A brushed aluminium Hyundai badge has been placed on the bonnet, while the rear gets new C-shaped LED taillights connected by a light bar running across the tailgate. The new model is also expected to be slightly larger than the current i20. Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report –...
