
Norway will provide a guarantee of up to NOK 150 million (USD 16.08 million) to support revenue security for the planned 255 MW Thakadu solar project in South Africa, helping reduce the risk faced by investors in the renewable energy development. The guarantee will be provided to Lyra Energy, an electricity sales platform jointly owned by Scatec, Standard Bank and Stanlib. It will cover the risk of companies buying electricity from the solar plant failing to make their payments. The agreement, announced on September 14, 2026, is the first involving a private company under Norway's renewable energy guarantee mechanism. The NOK 5 billion (USD 536 million) programme is designed to encourage greater private investment in renewable energy projects in developing countries by taking on part of...
The latest escalation in the US-Canada trade dispute is putting pressure on one of North America's most deeply integrated manufacturing networks, with auto-parts makers facing higher costs and growing uncertainty over where and how components should be produced. The two countries have spent decades building an automotive supply chain in which parts and materials routinely cross the border multiple times before reaching a finished vehicle. The latest tariff measures, including duties on aluminium and steel, threaten to disrupt that model and could force suppliers to reconsider long-established production routes. The immediate challenge for automakers and their suppliers is deciding whether to absorb higher costs in the short term or make expensive changes to their supply chains. For...
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In Brisbane's developing Northshore Hamilton sector, Alspec's door and window frame solutions were chosen for a new commercial office building. Located at 385 MacArthur Avenue in Hamilton, the outside of the building will showcase aluminium framing from Alspec, as the metal ensures design flexibility together with sturdy and long-lasting componentry. Northshore Hamilton, which spans 304 acres of old dock property next to the Brisbane River, is being developed into a mixed-use zone with various recreation, business, and housing services. The new structure is the most recent improvement to the site's business and technology area. Alspec's well-liked Hunter Evo flush glazed frame was used for this construction. The system is sturdy and highly corrosion resistant since it is composed of...

The much-awaited winner list of the World Aluminium Aerosol Can Award 2022 is finally revealed by The International Organisation of Aluminium Aerosol Container Manufacturers (AEROBAL), with lightweight and recyclable aluminium solutions recognised across categories. In the category “aluminium cans already under the market”, the committee chose a can made by Trivium Packaging Argentina for Rexona as the winner. Experts from nine international packaging and aerosol industry journals chose the 2022 World Aluminium Aerosol Can Award winners. The goal of the competition is to highlight the most significant and inventive aluminium aerosol cans on the planet. Rexona, a product of Unilever, is a partner of the international pop group Now United; the visuals of the aerosol can reportedly display...

Dutch e-bike specialist Vanmoof has come up with a limited edition version dubbed S3 Aluminum, which is expected to be available very soon in August. Following the release of its S3 model in 2021, the latest iteration flaunts a brushed aluminium frame and VanMoof's basic welding design. This limited-edition frame is an entirely pared-down version of the original and adheres to the brand's founding principle that "beauty is simplicity." The Aluminum S3's neat intelligent motor provides a smooth ride while operating inaudibly, even at peak speed. All the components, including the integrated handlebars, the one-piece saddle, and the 28-inch tyres, are colour-coordinated with that of the brand's very first straight frame, the M1, back in 2009. Due to its remarkable attributes, aluminium is...

The newly created graphene aluminium-ion batteries from Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG) hold the potential to revolutionise the way electric vehicle technology is used today. The batteries are not just lightweight or faster to charge but also feature better environmental credentials and have a longer lifespan than other lithium-ion counterparts. GMG believes its battery technology may be utilised for many applications, including coin-cell batteries for key fobs and the utility-scale battery packs used to power electric cars. The worldwide battery business is expected to be worth $50 billion by the middle of this century. “I think there are a lot of opportunities for this technology in automotive applications, especially given how well it performs in fast-charging and regenerative...

The use of aluminium is increasing every moment. From smartwatches to construction to transportation, aluminium has been touched upon in all the major sectors. Like Sweden's Jetson One is a single-seat flying automobile that boasts an all-aluminium body that is lightweight and capable of reaching speeds of 101.4 km/hr for around 20 minutes. Crossbeats unveiled its latest Ignite Grande smartwatch, featuring aerospace aluminium. The most often used high-strength aluminium alloy is aviation-grade aluminium, which is very bendable but also a bit corrosive. It is the best raw material for creating the body of an aeroplane. The Best BuildingTM (TBB) is developing an aluminium building project that is modular and reusable and can be assembled and disassembled several times. With this, one can...

On Thursday, August 11, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative announced the joining of Qualipac Aluminium as its news Industrial User member. To support a responsible value chain for aluminium, Qualipac Aluminium has opted to participate in an ASI certification procedure. Groupe Pochet, a pioneer in high-end luxury packaging for fragrance and cosmetic products, includes Qualipac Aluminum in its family of companies. The design, production, and ornamentation of aluminium components are specialities of Qualipac Aluminium. “As parts of Groupe Pochet commitments to sustainability and responsible packaging “Luxe Autrement” program, Qualipac Aluminium is proud to join ASI as a member and is working actively toward certification to promote a responsible value chain for Aluminium,” said Nicolas...

Jetson One, a single-seater flying car designed by Sweden, flaunts an all-aluminium lightweight body and can reach a speed of 101.4 km/hr during an approximate 20 minutes flight protocol. This extraordinary feat can be achieved owing to the in-built Tesla Battery pack. Flying this airborne car doesn’t require a flight specialist or any license. The Jetson One comprises aluminium space frames and carbon-kevlar, which makes the car weigh only 86 kilograms, classifying it as an ultralight eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) craft, thus requiring no license for a stipulated take-off. To move towards sustainability after the amendment of the Paris Agreement on 2016, more and more international companies are switching to aluminium since it is an infinitely recyclable product....

The Ifor Williams trailer company, UK, has taken inspiration from the automotive industry to design aerodynamic curves and a sculpted “floating roof” that amalgamates to form stunning lines for the HBX range. With a definitive blueprint containing a broad front window framework, the HBX trailer is suitable for extended transport and has a highly lightweight aluminium body. The use of aluminium has made the trailer extremely travel-friendly and would have an extensive user life. Ifor Williams’ flagship parabolic leaf spring suspension makes it extremely easy to tow along with providing a stable and secure ride. The surrounding of the trailer has been anodised to give it a soft and classy look which then again is easy to clean. The trailer has an incredible feature as the rear door can open...

Crossbeats has introduced the latest Ignite Grande smartwatch to add to its primary Ignite range. The latest models have an innovative mono-channel Bluetooth pairing system which is the first of its kind and unique, unlike the conventional smartwatches having a dual channel setting for calling and app connections. Aviation grade aluminium is the most commonly used high-strength aluminium alloy which might be a little corrosive but is highly malleable. It is the most suitable raw material for forming an aeroplane’s body. When approaching the end of life for these products, one can easily put them up for recycling and reuse. Crossbeats very skilfully has incorporated aerospace aluminium in making these smartwatches as this step brings the company closer to sustainability. Assembled within...

The Best Building™ (TBB) solution is a start-up that provides solutions for civil construction using modular metal beams, slabs, and walls made of aluminium for quick, secure, and high-quality work. The company is creating a modular, reusable aluminium construction project that can be put together and taken apart several times. Plaster or spackling paste can then be applied (to improve the quality) using either conventional paint or an industrial aluminium paint base. An aluminium wall may be built in ten times less time than drywall and three hundred times less time than bricks, concrete blocks, or ceramic tiles. “The best building™ offers complete solutions for civil construction using technologies and software developed by the company itself, to improve productivity, production speed,...

Monster Beverage reported an exponential US$1.66 billion in sales in the second quarter, reportedly 13.2 per cent greater than the accumulated amount of the same time span the previous year. If the foreign currency effect was not put under consideration, the earnings were experiencing a 16.9 per cent hike. On the other hand, the company’s Strategic Brands failed to reach such substantial growth numbers, falling by 9 per cent to US$79.1 million. The category differentiates all those energy drink brands either acquired from Coco-Cola or any other affordable energy drink provider. The company also denoted that it had been subjected to a ‘significant increase’ as per the cost of products was concerned, ultimately resulting in the decrease of gross profit margin level from 57.2 per cent to...

Juno DTS has revolutionised the art of inkjet printing with its Xaar 1003 print-head, which can technically print almost anything a human mind can perceive. Xaar incorporates inkjet technology and smoothly applies it to various products, mainly aluminium cans. Nowadays, many industries solely depend on machine-printed components for precise applications; among the primary industries we find, the automobile and medical industries have the highest demand. Xaar has been crucial in advancing convenient innovations that solve some of the ever-lasting problems in applying inkjet technology. Juno DTS promises its customers unparalleled performance and process efficiencies, making them trust the company. Juno DTS allows users to be more creative, versatile, competitive and innovative. Xaar uses...

On Friday, August 5, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) announced that Schüco International KG (Schüco) had been successfully accredited against the ASI Chain of Custody Standard V1 (2017) for its Bielefeld (Germany) headquarters, Schüco International KG, and its subsidiaries in Wertingen (Germany), Le Perray-en-Yvelines (France), Padova (Italy), and Milton Keynes (England) (United Kingdom). “Schüco’s goal is to ensure the protection of human rights and the environment along the entire value chain and to ensure a responsible supply chain. Certification to the ASI Chain of Custody Standard is a big step in the right direction in this respect and we are very pleased to be able to offer ASI-certified aluminium to our customers in the future too,” commented Andreas Engelhardt, CEO at...

One of Ghana's most visited natural attractions is the Kakum National Park, located in the Central Region. Approximately 33 kilometres from Cape Coast, the capital of the region. This national park covers an area of 145 square miles (375 square kilometres). It was named after the Kakum River, which begins inside the protected park. Founded in 1931, Kakum Park received its National Park designation in 1992. Kakum National Park became home to the only canopy walkway on the African continent in March 1995. Tourists and researchers can enjoy privileged access to the rainforest's canopy via the walkway. There are seven treetops connected by a 350-metre-long wire rope bridge made of aluminium ladders, wooden planks, and safety nets. In order to protect the trees, no nails or bolts pierce the...

The end-user segment of the aluminium industry is the most vital because all of the aluminium produced worldwide must be delivered to customers as a product. The end-use sector defines the demand creation for the industry. On July 29, 2022, Larsen & Toubro, an Indian multinational conglomerate interested in engineering and construction, announced that it had used its precast extensive concrete panel technique for ultra-rapid construction of public housing to build a 12-story residential tower with 96 apartments in just 96 days. However, the use of aluminium is not just limited to the industries only; famous television performers are also taking steps to make our environment sustainable. Like, Jason Momoa promoted the importance of aluminium by distributing aluminium bottles filled with...

On Thursday, August 4, Ball Corporation, the world’s leading sustainable aluminium packaging provider, officially declared its plans to shut down beverage cans plant located on Saint Paul’s West Side. The company also announced that the tentative time of ending the operations at St. Paul would be next spring, and it would lay off about 110 workers. Another aluminium beverage cans plant operated by Ball is closing in Phoenix, Ariz., while the construction of a new facility in Nevada is getting delayed. All this is due to the "deceleration of customer demand resulting from significant retail pricing actions by customers to pass through inflationary costs to consumers, particularly in the U.S," said Ball in a news release. St. Paul’s aluminium can production will be moved to other Ball...

British producer of soft drinks, Britvic, has invested £26.9 million to enhance the operations in its Rugby factory along with maintaining the newfound canning line that can produce more than 120,000 aluminium cans per hour. This investment is to honour the company's 35 years of service in the town. Mark Pawsey, the MP of Rugby, was the one who inaugurated the newly opened production line for aluminium cans, situated in Britvic's most significant production unit. As Glebe Farm Industrial Estate data shows, the unit houses some of the quickest lines in Europe, with the new canning line adding almost 120,000 cans per hour to the production volume. The factory now proudly presents four capable canning lines, with the latest one boosting the total capacity by 20 per cent at the most. This...

Growing up amongst nature and the ocean, Jason Momoa's connection with the environment was established long back. His closeness and care towards nature led to the formation of Mananalu, a drinking water company, in 2019. To commemorate Hawaiian Airlines' collaboration with his water firm Mananalu, the Aquaman and Game of Thrones star surprised passengers by distributing aluminium bottles filled with water manufactured by his eco-friendly company. The business employs sustainable packaging and triple-filtered, electrolyte-added, pH-neutral drinking water. “My idea to create Mananalu came to me while on a flight. I’m grateful for your support and it’s an honour to have Hawaiian Airlines be the first airline to partner with Mananalu. We’re on a mission to end single-use plastic,” said Jason...