Romania’s aluminium can recycling rate increased to 80.5 per cent in the first nine months of 2026, compared with 75 per cent in the same period last year, according to data published by RetuRO, the administrator of the country’s Deposit Return System (DRS), and analysed by Every Can Counts. The number of aluminium cans returned between January and September was 6.3 per cent higher than in the corresponding period of 2025. The return rate also improved to 85 per cent from 82 per cent a year earlier. Aluminium cans were the only packaging category to record growth in the first nine months of 2026, as the total number of deposit-bearing containers placed on the market declined by 2.4 per cent. The number of cans placed on the market increased by 2 per cent, while plastic and glass packaging...
Following major international fitness trade gatherings like FIBO, commercial gym operators and wellness studios are expanding their mind-body exercise offerings. Global market demand for commercial Pilates equipment continues to accelerate across Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region. In particular, lightweight yet structurally resilient aluminium reformers have become the preferred choice for modern studio spaces. However, this sudden surge in commercial demand presents significant procurement challenges for studio managers, franchise operators, and equipment distributors. While exhibition halls and online B2B platforms showcase hundreds of visually similar machines, the underlying structural engineering varies dramatically between manufacturers. Evaluating a wholesale basic...
Grow with
AL Circle
Cardiff-headquartered aluminium fabricator Dudley's Aluminium Limited has bagged four new contracts in the education sector. Andrew Scott will collaborate with the fabricator on Ysgol Gynradd Groes-wen Primary School in Cardiff. When finished, the school will include modern architecture and a variety of public facilities. Dudley's will use Metal Technology System capped curtain walling, doors, windows, automated doors, louvres, and an entrance canopy on the construction. The school will be the first in the city to provide a dual language education stream, providing both Welsh medium education and English and Welsh multi-language education, with 420 primary school seats and an extra 96 part-time childcare spots. Colin Shorney, managing director at Dudley's Aluminium, stated: "We are...
Since building its first bus in 1979, Volgren has been committed to creating reliable, comfortable, and long-lasting vehicles with lower operating costs than conventional options of the generation. At present, it is exploring ways to use Capral's LocAl low-carbon aluminium for the production of lightweight electric buses. Today, Volgren is a leading designer and manufacturer of public transport buses of all types, including zero-emission vehicles. With a team of 300 professionals across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and WA, Volgren's bus bodies are 90% locally produced and offer the lowest lifetime cost of any bus in Australia. Volgren can manufacture a range of buses, including standard-route buses that can be 11.9 to 12.5 meters long. Its story began in the 1940s when George Grenda, a...
Hinterkopf showcased its innovative and sustainable wine packaging solution at the Metpack exhibition in Essen. Instead of traditional glass bottles, Hinterkopf uses lightweight and eco-friendly aluminium bottles that are easy to transport, making them perfect for on-the-go consumption. Additionally, the use of modern digital printing enables smaller wineries to create unique and economically attractive packaging concepts. Traditional glass bottles have been a subject of discussion in the wine industry due to their large size and weight, making them unsustainable for long-distance transportation. Hinterkopf's aluminium bottles offer a more convenient and durable option for mobile consumers, as they are unbreakable and can be cooled down to the desired drinking temperature faster than...
Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the Apple Vision Pro, the company's long-awaited augmented-reality headset, at its annual software development conference WWDC 2023, on Monday. Apple has taken its first significant step with Vision Pro since the debut of the Apple Watch nine years ago. A single piece of three-dimensionally created laminated glass serves as an optical surface for the cameras and sensors that monitor the environment. It elegantly transitions into a bespoke aluminium alloy frame that softly bends to wrap around the users face and serves as an attachment point for the Light Seal. The Vision Pro headset is circular with an aluminium frame and has a glass screen in front. "Vision Pro is a new kind of computer that augments reality by seamlessly blending the real world with the...
Coopers Cross in the north docklands of Dublin is planning to install 2,000 architectural fins made up of Hydro's low-carbon aluminium range, Hydro REDUXA. Coopers Cross will utilise these aluminium fins to minimise the demand for heating and air conditioning in its office buildings, a first in Ireland's commercial real estate market. Kennedy Wilson and Cain International have collaborated with Alucraft to vertically place low-carbon fins on the exterior of the scheme's office structures on the six-acre complex in the capital's docklands. According to the developer, the sustainable manufacturing process reduces the embodied carbon generated by more than 75 per cent of standard equivalent products. It will reduce the carbon footprint within Coopers Cross by an estimated 1.9 million...
Robinsons is testing a new way of pressure packing their squash by using Ecopacks instead of plastic bottles. These innovative cartons are made from 89% plant-based material and contain a thin aluminium layering to keep the liquid inside safe. The Robinsons Ecopack is primarily made of paperboard sourced from responsibly managed forests, with a cap forged out of plastic derived from renewable raw materials. A small amount of aluminium and non-renewable plastic is necessary to ensure that the carton is watertight and the product stays fresh. Circulated by June, the goal of Robinsons' Ecopack is to reduce waste by using 85% less plastic per serving than a one-litre bottle of Robinsons Double Concentrate. The higher concentration of squash in the carton means that it's equivalent to three...
Sandvik Coromant, a prominent metal cutting expert, has introduced the M5F90 face-milling cutter, specifically designed to process thin-wall aluminium components without burring, scratching, or chipping due to its smaller cutter body and brazed Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) tips. This cutting-edge technology, designed exclusively for making aluminium battery racks, is poised to revolutionise the production process for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and help them remain ahead in a competitive market. The automotive sector is seeing a rise in OEM engagement in battery cell manufacture, which is now physically closer to car assembly factories. As battery technology, durability, and performance become increasingly essential differentiators for OEMs, efficient machining...
Convenient portability and excellent features define the latest Solid State Drive (SSD) from SK Hynix Inc. The new SSD, dubbed Beetle X31, allows users to transfer over 500GB of data at an average speed of 900MB/s in 9 minutes. Also, the outer case of the X31 series is constructed out of aluminium, assuring heat dissipation and device longevity. The X31 is SK Hynix's first external SSD solution, distinguished by its fast operating speed of 10Gbps (10 gigabits per second) and exceptional heat management capabilities. Since its launch, the X31 has received much praise for its excellent performance, mobility, and elegant appearance. Portable SSDs are becoming more popular as a sought-after portable storage option. The X31 was rigorously built to meet the critical criteria of fast read and...
Chanel is committed to reducing its environmental impact by introducing more eco-friendly product ranges. As part of this effort, the Chance eau de toilette range will now feature an anodized aluminium strip instead of the conventionally used galvanized polished brass. To create these strips, Chanel has collaborated with g.pivaudran, a French manufacturer that specializes in developing aluminium parts for the perfume, cosmetics, and spirits industries. The new Chance bottles will feature anodized aluminium, which is both lightweight and highly recyclable, instead of galvanized varnished brass that was previously used for the flagship oval design. This change in material also eliminates the need for chemicals used in the galvanizing process. The metal strips are produced in the southwest...
Kieslect, the most popular smart calling watch brand, has launched Lora2 and Ks Pro smartwatches to celebrate the eighth anniversary with a bang. The lady watch Lora2 is made of recycled aluminium, offering a lightweight and delicate choice of accessory. So, exhibit your minimal style with this watch and add a dainty touch to your attire. Ks Pro, on the other hand, is masculine in appearance and provides fast and clear access to health for men who like to imbibe fitness in their daily lives. It has 2.01-inch AMOLED display and is equipped with KIES OS 2.0 functionality. So, users can input their health data into the smartwatch app to receive alerts, reports, and updates on heart rate, respiration, stress levels, and sleep cycles. Besides, the watch is an excellent choice to lift the style...
Sustainability is at the heart of everything Nespresso does. The firm is dedicated to positively influencing people and the environment while providing customers with some of the most exquisite coffees available. In keeping with this philosophy, Nespresso has introduced the Vertuo Pop machine, which is the smallest and most economical Vertuo machine to date. Constructed out of 80 per cent recycled aluminium, the Vertuo Pop machine will provide 25 distinct coffee blends and single origins in various cup sizes, allowing coffee enthusiasts to enjoy their favourite drink any way they want, whenever they want, with the press of a button. Apart from this, the machine comprises 35 per cent recycled plastic, while the packaging is 99.5 per cent recyclable. Francisco Nogueira, Business Executive...
Villa Papillon is a beautiful home on the shore's edge in the Lebanese town of Batroun, some 50 km north of Beirut. Designed by a New York-based architectural studio formed by Rhode Islander Dan Wood and Beirut-born Amale Andraos, the courtyard is surrounded by a green roof, with an aluminium and steel trellis giving shade throughout the day. Triangular shapes are prominent throughout, giving Villa Papillon a distinct character to contrast with striking art and furnishings. It is built for solitude, with a robust back façade that conceals nothing. Along with immediate beach access, a spacious deck wraps around the seashore, with a triangular swimming pool inset in one corner, lined with Bisazza glass mosaic tiles and bordered by a Carrara marble coping. Making the most of the location,...
Aluminium as a metal is gaining popularity in almost all verticals. Be it transport, packaging, or even art form, the metal and its sustainable attributes are not going unnoticed. Like, Lutfa Mahmuda, a graduate of Visva-Bharati University in India, recently hosted an aluminium art exhibition in Uzbekistan. She has dabbled in various art forms, including printing on aluminium sheets, but her primary focus is on the social elements of life and their impact on fine arts. Apart from this, Asda, one of the UK’s major supermarket retailers, has made an essential step towards eradicating single-use plastic. The company has switched from plastic bottle tops to recyclable milk bottle tops made of aluminium and paper. In response to a large rise in demand for aluminium cans, Pakistan Aluminium...
The new Long Island City hotel, located at 52-09 31st Place, is almost complete and features a wide range of GAMCO Corporation's glass, window, door, and aluminium products. The 20-story building stands 210 feet tall and can easily be seen from the nearby Queens Midtown Tunnel to Manhattan. GAMCO supplied over 19,000-ft 2 of products, including high-efficiency glazed commercial windows, aluminium curtain walls, storefronts, balcony doors, commercial entrance doors, and metal louvres. The installation of GAMCO's commercial windows, including fixed and casement styles, was made possible by using their head and sill receptor systems. AGC Energy Select 28 low-E dual-pane insulated glass units were used for the windows, which were field glazed in the frames at the job site. Additionally, GAMCO...
L'Occitane Travel Retail's exciting 'Gift of Nature' campaign has been officially launched in the Middle East. The brand is highly associated with aluminium and sustainability. All the 'Gift of Nature' products are composed of recycled aluminium. A unique limited version of L'Occitane's best-selling Shea Hand Cream (150ml) in a 95 per cent recycled aluminium tube was also created for the campaign. In fact, the 75ml and 150ml hand cream tube packaging L'Occitane en Provence is made entirely of recyclable aluminium. A nature-themed display debuted in April at the Dubai Duty-Free Pop-Up store in Concourse D at Dubai International Airport, and the promotion is currently being carried out in the shops' off-shelf areas. This innovative travel retail project is the follow-up to the brand's...
The Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM) in Bengaluru will showcase a life-size replica of NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity in its Space Technology Gallery. The replica, built by Cornell University students in the US, was originally displayed at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum in Virginia and later exhibited at the 2020 World Expo in Dubai. It was received by the American Center in the US Consulate in Chennai, where it was on display from November 2022 to March 2023. The Mars Rover Opportunity, like many other spacecraft , has been crafted with a concoction of stainless steel, titanium, and aluminium alloys. One thing common to all these elements is the lightweight factor, which is crucial for making outer space modules. Aluminum is a lightweight material with a 2.7...
Asda, one of the largest grocery chains in the United Kingdom, has taken a significant step towards eliminating single-use plastic. The firm has transitioned from plastic bottle tops to recyclable milk bottle tops made of aluminium and paper. This change is part of Asda's commitment to minimising plastic waste and assisting in environmental protection. The new milk bottle caps are recyclable since they are constructed from aluminium and paper. This mixture is the perfect weight and durability for a bottle cap. Aluminium used can be recycled, and the paper comes from responsibly farmed forests. Because of this, not only are the bottle caps recyclable, but they also have less of an effect on the environment than their plastic counterparts. There are several advantages to using recyclable...
Amazon has launched a new smart speaker in India called the Echo Pop, which boasts an innovative semi-sphere design and a front-facing speaker that delivers high-quality sound. The most impressive part about this device is that it has been comprised of 100% end-of-life recycled fabric and 80% recycled aluminium. The device features a new AZ2 Neural Edge processor that enables faster response times from Alexa. The Echo Pop is the smallest smart speaker in Amazon's Echo lineup, measuring 99 mm x 83 mm x 91 mm, making it smaller than the Echo Dot by a decent margin. It's also the most affordable speaker, priced at INR 4,999 compared to the Echo Dot's INR 5,499. Customers can purchase the Echo Pop in four colours - White, Black, Green and Purple - via the Amazon India website or online and...
