India's Diet Coke shortage in 2026 exposed an unexpected weakness in the country's aluminium industry. Despite being the world's second-largest primary aluminium producer, India struggled to ensure adequate supplies of aluminium cans when disruptions to Middle Eastern shipping affected imports of specialised can-sheet material. The episode highlighted a structural gap in the domestic aluminium value chain: producing the metal is one thing, but converting it into higher-value finished products is another. The shortage emerged during the summer drinking season, when Diet Coke became increasingly difficult to find on Indian shelves. Quick-commerce platforms reported limited availability as shipping disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict affected aluminium supplies through the Strait...
Tesla's ambitions for its Optimus humanoid robot extend well beyond factory automation, with the company envisioning a future in which robots could support vehicle servicing, logistics and even last-mile delivery. However, turning that vision into a commercially viable product will require more than advances in artificial intelligence and robotics. It will also depend on access to aluminium, critical minerals and the downstream manufacturing capabilities needed to produce increasingly sophisticated hardware at scale. Tesla has already taken an important step towards that ambition. On October 21, 2026, the company announced that Optimus production had begun on its high-volume manufacturing line in Fremont, California. Tesla described the units coming off the line as its first...
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The economic recovery of New Zealand is likely pursued in Q2, though at a minimised pace. The robust expansion in electronic card transactions, combined with a considerable fall in the unemployment rate and higher consumer confidence, indicates resilient household spending. The economy is set to recoil strongly in 2021, cushioned by recovering domestic and foreign demand amid the gradual lifting of restrictions and expansionary fiscal and monetary policy stances. The island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean, New Zealand with a population of approx. 4.86 million, imported 3510 tonnes of aluminium household articles during 2019-20 and the expenditure occurred for the import accounted to $25.63 million. New Zealand’s import of aluminium household articles in 2019 was recorded at...
The escalation of copper price to a record level in 2021 is stirring buyers in a vitally segmented consumer market to consider economic substitutes, which reflects an early indication of an avenue that high prices forcefully can knock down demand. The air-conditioner industry’s consumption is at risk, as it accounts for a substantial chunk of global copper demand. Daikin Industries, the Japanese multinational air conditioning manufacturing company headquartered in Osaka, which is also the world’s top equipment producer, plans to replace half of the copper in its units with aluminium by 2025. However, in China, a state researcher is working with the country's top home-appliances groups on utilising more aluminium. Song Jingxue, Director at the China Household Electric Appliance Research...
The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF), representing companies that manufacture, supply or install glass and glazing products in the UK and internationally, declared that it has formed the new GGF Aluminium Group for companies operating in the aluminium sector. GGF’s technical team brought the idea of the new group, as it pinpointed a gap in the present GGF technical group infrastructure and generally in the industry. David Borland, Senior Technical Officer, GGF, said: “Part of the responsibilities of the Technical Department is to continually review the service we provide to Members and most importantly recognise gaps in that service. It is during these reviews and discussions it became clear that the one part of the Industry which needed additional GGF Technical support was the...
According to OECD report, the GDP growth of Costa Rica will recover gradually to 2.5% in 2021 and 3.4% in 2022, reinforced by strong external demand from the country’s main trade partners. However, domestic demand will strengthen in H2 2021, as economic restrictions are gradually lifted and the vaccine campaign progresses. The Central American nation, Costa Rica imported 11,281 tonnes of aluminium cans during 2019-20 and the expenditure occurred for the import was accounted for $31.38 million. Costa Rica imported 3661 tonnes of aluminium cans in 2019 and the revenue expended for the import was $17.09 million, whereas, in 2019 the import saw excellent growth by 108.13%, as the import volume shot up to 7620 tonnes, while the expenditure dropped to $14.29 million. The import of aluminium...
The United Kingdom is one of the leading consumers and importers of aluminium foil in Europe. Aluminium foil creates an absolute obstacle to light, oxygen, moisture and bacteria and this is the reason, foil is heavily used in the food and pharmaceutical packing industry. Aluminium foil is also used to prepare aseptic packaging, a specialized manufacturing process in which food, pharmaceutical, or other contents are sterilized separately from packaging and contents are then inserted into the container in a sterile environment. This type of packaging permits the storage of perishable goods without refrigeration. The United Kingdom made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland imported 97,928 tonnes of aluminium foil in 2020 and the import accounted for the expenditure of $282.44...
The India-based Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Realme headquartered in New Delhi, India and Shenzhen, China is going to launch Realme Pad in India soon. The tablet has been sneak-peaked multiple times in the past, but this time, the company’s India and Europe CEO Madhav Sheth has confirmed its forthcoming arrival. Sheth shared a teaser poster of Realme Pad, showing a portion of its side profile. The tablet is teased to feature a lightweight design and it is expected to come in a dual-tone finish. Realme Pad is tipped to sport 8-megapixel front and back cameras. However, both cameras are expected to capture images in 3,264x2448 pixels resolution. The upcoming tablet is teased with a sporty look, a slim profile, an edged metal frame, and has a slight camera bump. The CEO suggests that the...
The latest drinks brand that has fall prey to shortages in the United Kingdom is Diet Coke amid the ongoing driver crisis and limited supply of aluminium cans. In recent days, complaints across social media have been posted about the scarcity of Diet Coke products. Furthermore, one consumer affirms, for weeks he was unable to discover any of its cans in Morrisons supermarket. However, a spokeswoman for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) confirmed it had been experiencing shortages. “The whole industry is facing a challenge in regards to a shortage of haulier drivers and the beverage sector is also managing through a tight supply situation of aluminium cans”, she said. “CCEP had been working closely with its customers to help navigate this complex situation, she added. Citing Nielsen...
The analysis report generated by ING in August 2021, unfolded that the GDP of the Netherlands is inflated by 3.1% in Q2 2021 compared to the preceding quarter, following a quarter of mild decline (-0.8%). The significant dip in the number of new Covid-19 cases per day and falling hospitalisation numbers have driven the persuasion of the step-by-step withdrawal of social distancing measures in the second quarter. However, most activities were permitted again at the start of the summer, although some restrictions remain. Offline retail, bars & restaurants, and events benefitted noticeably, coinciding with a growth of household consumption of 5.7% quarter-on-quarter in 2Q21. Aluminium is highly accepted in the food industry in the form of aluminium containers and others. It provides a total...
The aluminium products depended on companies such as beverage cans and deodorant bottles should start anticipating consumers to entail that the metal is ethically sourced, as said by the Chairman of En+ Group. Lord Barker, the Chairman of Aluminium and Green energy producer, En+ Group further advised this could hurl to stream in new job opportunities and as the industry looks to onshore production with plants powered by renewable electricity. The Chairman stated: “As the energy transition rolls forward, the demand for low carbon materials and particularly aluminium will soar.” “Roll forward 10 years, I can see the heavy industry coming home after four decades of decline in UK manufacturing, as manufacturers strive to decarbonise and move their operations to jurisdictions where there is a...
Costa Rica in general has a stable economy and a relatively high standard of living. The economy is majorly dependent on tourism and other growing sectors are agriculture and electronic components exports. The country’s GDP growth will recover gradually to 2.5% in 2021 and 3.4% in 2022, supported by strong external demand from Costa Rica's main trade partners. Domestic demand will strengthen in H2 2021, as economic restrictions are gradually withdrawn and the vaccine campaign progresses. The Central American nation with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific, Costa Rica imported 1922 tonnes of aluminium household articles during 2019-20 and the expenditure occurred for the imported was accounted to $9.58 million. In 2019, Costa Rica’s import of aluminium household articles was recorded...
Hydro announced that the company has agreed extend their strategic partnership with Equinor and Panasonic to explore potential for establishing a sustainable and cost-competitive European battery business. The battery project is still in an early phase and no investment decisions have been taken. “The overall business case will form the basis for how the project will proceed,” Hydro said. The collaboration will continue to develop the business case for European battery business. “The joint battery initiative has refined possible Norwegian site locations for a potential European battery business to a handful. At the same time, the project will be looking at alternative locations in the European Union.” “Competitive framework conditions and market access will be decisive for continued...
According to the latest publication of the World Bank Gulf Economic Update (GEU), which was released with the title “COVID-19 Pandemic and the Road to Diversification”, stated that after a year of economic grief, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies are expected to return to an aggregate growth of 2.2% in 2021 and Qatar is also a part of this council. This growth is stimulated by the global economic recovery, projected at 5.6% and the revival of global oil demand and international oil prices. The peninsular Arabian nation, Qatar’s primary aluminium producer Qatalum produced 655,300 tonnes of primary aluminium in 2020, as revealed by Gulf Aluminium Council - Special Edition publication and the nation also produces downstream aluminium products. On the segment of aluminium cans for the...
The economy of Cameroon is a mixed economic system that incorporates a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic planning and government regulation. The country is a member of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). The central African nation at the Gulf of Guinea, Cameroon imported 935 tonnes of aluminium stranded wires during 2019-20 and the expenditure accounted for the import was $3.94 million. In 2019, Cameroon imported just 287 tonnes of aluminium stranded wires, with an expenditure counted to $0.96 million, whereas, in 2020, the import saw a robust growth by 125.78%, as the import volume up-surged to 648 tonnes and the expenditure also soared to $2.98 million. The import for 2021 has also been analysed with further growth of 49.53%, as the...
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative has announced that it has successfully certified Thai Beverage Can (TBC) against Performance Standard Certification with Provisional Status and against Chain of Custody Standard Certification for the manufacturer of aluminium can body and ends at its material conversion plant in Saraburi, Thailand. The facility at Saraburi has an annual production capacity of more than 3 billion can bodies and over 4 billion ends, making it one of the largest aluminium can manufacturers in Southeast Asia. The ASI Performance Standard defines environmental, social and governance principles and criteria, with the aim to address sustainability issues in the aluminium value chain, while the ASI CoC Standard sets out requirements for the creation of a Chain of Custody for...
Aluminium is considered one of the most abundant metals on earth in the ore stage. Aluminium foil is a paper-thin, shiny sheet of aluminium metal, produced by rolling large slabs of aluminium until they are less than 0.2 mm thick. It has multiple utilities, which incorporates packing, insulation and transportation. At home, people use aluminium foil for food storage, to cover baking surfaces and to wrap foods, such as meats, to prevent them from losing moisture while cooking. In 2020, France exported 70,618 tonnes of aluminium foil globally to around 103 countries, which accounted for revenue generation of $292.40 million, with a 19.04% growth in export volume and a 7.91% surge in earnings respectively on Y-o-Y. The top 5 nations France exported aluminium foils in 2020 are the USA, Italy,...
The aluminium end-user segment globally revealed some positive news majorly from the building and construction sector. The global leader in the production of low carbon aluminium, Rusal declared it has upgraded the alloy composition for anodized aluminium facade panels and this will enhance the quality of building cladding products supplied to the market. On the other part, the UAE based diversified multinational business conglomerate, Mulk Holdings International associated with Park International Investments, Silver Heights Real Estate to establish Alubond USA LLC. Aluminium cans are the 520th most traded product globally and Germany stands in the topside, as the export destination of aluminium cans. In 2020, the Western European nation, Germany, renowned for its industrialization,...
The Swedish company Azelio will install 20 units for the storage of electricity produced from solar photovoltaic systems in Egypt, as it has received the order from the Egyptian company Engazaat Development S.A.E. It is a part of a project to develop ecological agriculture in Egypt. The renewable energy technology-driven company will deliver 20 storage units for electricity generated from renewable sources for a price of $1.5 million. The contract is with the Egyptian company Engazaat Development, which specialises in the development, implementation and management of infrastructure systems in the water, technology and renewable energy sectors. Azelio aspires to install its ES.POD® units at the project site. It is a system that stores renewable energy in recycled aluminium and provides...
Aluminium cans are replacing plastic bottles for packaging in the global beverage and beer industry. Other than aluminium is lightweight and cans make efficient use of space, less transport is usually needed than for plastics, while reduced power is also required to chill drinks in cans, especially in the tropical atmosphere. However, the most vital point for the rise in demand of aluminium cans is the metal's recycling property, which saves 90% of the energy consumed to produce the metal if sourced from mining ore. Hence, aluminium is considered a much more sustainable alternative to plastic. Aluminium cans are the 520 th most traded product globally and Germany stands in the topside, as the export destination of aluminium cans. In 2020, the Western European nation, Germany, renowned for...
