Ducati has unveiled the Desmo450 SM, a new production supermoto developed from its Desmo450 MX platform, featuring an aluminium twin-spar frame. This is designed to combine low weight, rigidity and strength. The motorcycle made its debut during World Ducati Week and is aimed at competition use. The Desmo450 SM uses the same aluminium frame architecture as the motocross model. Ducati says the frame has also been designed to allow a straighter intake route while maintaining the strength and rigidity needed for high-performance riding. The bike has a fuel capacity of 7.2 litres. The company has also focused on reducing weight in other areas. Its Bartubeless wheel system, for example, removes inner tubes and cuts rotating and unsprung mass by 1.2kg. The motorcycle also features a cast...
China’s aluminum door and window manufacturing sector includes a range of suppliers offering thermal-break systems, customized solutions, OEM/ODM production, and products for international building projects. A recent industry guide highlights Guangdong Dejiyoupin, Guangdong EEHE, Foshan CIVO, Sichuan Yazhixuan, and Sichuan Mingrenju, citing their production capabilities, product portfolios, project experience, customization services, and testing or certification coverage. The companies differ in their areas of focus. Dejiyoupin is highlighted for its production capacity and international certifications, while EEHE is noted for patents and a broad range of project solutions. CIVO focuses on factory-direct customization and climate-oriented systems, while Yazhixuan provides OEM/ODM...
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Recently, President Trump has been repeatedly announcing his plan to punish Canada with auto tariffs. Trump said Canada was "ripping us off" and threatened a tariff on cars from Canada that "would be the ruination of the country." Such attitude is expected to ignite the trade hostilities further which started this year with U.S. tariffs on imported aluminium and steel. However, the auto trade with Canada is not one sided when we consider where the car parts are coming from. According to Washington Post, Canada exports more cars to the US than the cars shipped the other way. But the cars assembled in Canada are often made up of engines, bodies and parts imported from the United States. If we add up the trade in all automotive goods with Canada, the volume comes out to be equal. Image...
After having a successful first half of 2018, Dudley’s Aluminium has reportedly secured two new projects in the recent time. The two projects in total are worth more than £1million, behind which the company has already invested more than £200,000 in taking up a new storage and offtake facility. The Cardiff-based aluminium fabricator’s first project is for new student accommodation, GSA in Exeter and is worth in excess of £70,000. Dudley’s will be installing Metal Technology System 17 capped curtain walling and Metal Technology System 435/535 windows and doors. Dudley’s second contract is to support the construction of Oxford-based Infineum’s Project Maia in Oxford – a new Global Centre of Innovation to support the company’s technology leadership and enable improved innovation. The company...
On the occasion of 30th anniversary, International Eyewear, one of the UK’s leading wholesale eyewear suppliers of optical frames and prescription sunglasses, launches two new frames made of aluminium. The two new exclusive aluminium models join the company’s hero for men collection. One of them HE 4275 (1) combines a bold acetate front with durable and lightweight aluminium temples that run down to rubber tips. It is available in two colours matt black and matt navy. The other frame HE 4265 (2) features slimmer metal rims that add subtle sophistication to the design. Again, lightweight aluminium temples blend into rubber tips, which flash with colour for an eye-catching aesthetic. The design is available in a colour palette of Gunmetal and Navy. International Eyewear is focused on...
President Trump suggested in Twitter that Ford and Apple can avoid import tariffs by shifting their manufacturing to the U.S. Ford on August 31 said it was dropping plans to ship the Focus Active from China to America considering Trump's new tariffs. And despite Trump’s tweet, Ford said it won't be moving production of its hatchback wagon Focus Active to the United States from China despite President’s claims. Apple also warned in a letter earlier this month that a potential new round of tariffs would "increase the cost of Apple products that our customers have come to rely on in their daily lives." Mr. Trump proposed “an easy solution" when he said, "Make your products in the United States instead of China," while overlooking all other significant costs. CNBC.com reported, citing Bank of...
Austal, an Australian-based global shipbuilding company, has recently declared that it delivered a 30 metre long high-speed aluminium catamaran for VS Grand Ferries Corporation in the Philipines. The Incat Crowther designed ship was built at Austal Philippines’ shipyard in Balamban, Cebu, with the capacity of accommodating 300 passengers and speed up to 25 knots. In August 2017, Austal had first received this US$ 5.5 million worth of catamaran contract and started the construction work in September 2017. This has been the first locally operated vessel to achieve Pioneer status, the prestigious enhanced safety standard rating in the Philippines, with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA). Austal CEO, David Singleton said, “Austal Philippines has developed into an established and very...
Gordon Murray Design, a British visionary design and engineering company, has taken the internet on a storm with its launching news of the latest version of chassis frame technology “IStream Superlight”. It claims to be applicable to every vehicle segment right from small city cars or heavy goods vehicles. Originally, the system used thin-wall and high-strength steel tubing, as a method for reducing costs in automotive manufacturing and minimising vehicle weight. But now Murray’s company has unveiled an updated version using aluminium thin-wall tubing and honeycomb recycled carbon-composite panels in place of stamped metal. This new version claims to deliver a vehicle only half the weight of a standard metal vehicle of the same class and size while achieving new levels of rigidity and...
According to the data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), retail sales of passenger vehicles in China dropped 7.4 per cent to stand at 1.76 million units in August, compared to 1.89 million units in the same period last year. The passenger vehicle category includes sedans, SUV, multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) and mini-vans. The data separately showed a total sale of sport utility vehicles (SUV) as well, which in August had come in at 716,527 units, down 8.5 per cent from 777, 432 units in the corresponding period last year. Great Wall Securities noted in a research on Sunday that a rollback of tax breaks, macroeconomic slowdown, and Sino-US trade dispute could be some of the factors responsible for this year's poor car consumption. According to the China Association of...
Turkey’s exports of commodities increased 11.6 percent year-on-year to USD 14.08 billion in July, 2018 from USD 12.61 billion in the same period previous year. The country also exports aluminium stranded wire to the global market every year. Global trade data indicates that Turkey imported 11 per cent less aluminium stranded wire in the first half of 2018, compared to the same period last year. {newsStudioGallery} According to recent estimates, in 2017, the top aluminium stranded wire importing country from Turkey was the United Kingdom (3756 tonnes). Other major importers were Finland (1856 tonnes), Sweden (1804 tonnes), Iraq (1129 tonnes) and the United States of America (1224 tonnes). This year, it is estimated that Turkey will continue to export huge amount of aluminium stranded wire...
Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) is the body in India that is working hard to implement the government's massive energy efficiency drive. The drive is getting implanted through electric vehicles, LED lighting, smart meters and other factors like demand side management and supporting measures. In a recent interview with ETEnergyWorld, Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director of EESL said that like any new initiative on energy efficiency, electric cars are likely to be costlier than the traditional non-efficient model in the beginning and will slowly get affordable and convenient with time. He said that the basic ethos of EESL revolve around a service model based on “pay as you save”. He said that the first tender for 10,000 electric vehicles was closed around January 2018 and the operations...
Aluqa, a Dutch shipyard, is reportedly designing and building lightweight, premium aluminium boats for a highly exclusive segment. Their design comes from Dutch design and they implement the latest high-tech. With a rock-solid experience in the nautical industry for about a decade, the team of Aluqa shipyard noticed that anchors and the overall functionality of the boats are old-fashioned. The Aluqa team’s background in metal and aluminium works led them to design a new way with systems including a folding process to store the anchor in a totally different way. The anchor system of Aluqa is foldable and hidden while it is not needed. The hatch that closes off the anchor compartment makes the anchor and its foldable system invisible. This is one of the hidden gems that set the Aluqa apart....
Reflecting the high levels of interest in flexible packaging – both for its performance and role in the circular economy – the Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE) summer conference attracted a record number of attendees to the event, which was held recently in Naples, Italy. During the conference Gérard Blatrix of Amcor Flexibles was re-elected to serve a second term as Chairman of FPE. Michele Guala (Gualapack) and Stefan Gutheil (Wipak) were elected as Vice-Chairmen. During the conference FPE could officially welcome six new member companies in addition to the 80+ members of the trade association who represent around 85% of the turnover in the European flexible packaging market. FPE is well established as the authoritative voice for the sector while having conducted several studies on the...
Portland craft brewers are facing a tight supply of cans along with the problem related to aluminium tariffs. Paul Lorrain of Funky Bow Brewery & Beer Co. in Lyman said his company has had difficulty procuring 16-ounce cans and had to shut down beer production twice in 2018. According to Lorrain it’s easy to blame the shortage on a 10 per cent tariff on imported aluminium, but the problem has been brewing for two years as large beverage companies have consumed more cans than the volume produced. “When you can’t move beer out of kegs into cans, it messes up the brewery schedule,” he said. “A combination of factors is impacting many of our brewers’ ability to get cans,” spokesman Sean Sullivan said. Over the last decade, more and more brewers are now using cans instead of bottles. Aluminum...
Orora Limited has acquired Bronco Packaging Corporation (Bronco) for USD$24 million as part of the continued growth of the Orora Packaging Solutions (OPS) business in North America. Orora’s products portfolio include glass bottles, aluminium cans, closures and caps, boxes and cartons, point-of-purchase displays, packaging equipment, recycled paper, bags and sacks, rigid packaging, flexible packaging and general packaging materials and supplies. Source:www.ororagroup.com Based Dallas, Bronco serves corporate accounts in the fresh food manufacturing industry. The company provides an ‘on-demand’ packaging delivery service to customers predominantly located in Texas. The Company, which generates revenues in excess of USD$50 million, will continue to lead the business for a period of at least...
Automobile industry has been a key pillar of Japan’s manufacturing sector and auto exports contribute a large chunk of Japanese export revenue. Exports to the United States accounting for a significant share of the total auto export by Japan. Like all other auto exporters to the US, Japan is also facing a threat when US is contemplating a 25 per cent tariff on auto and auto parts import. Source: Trade Data The White House is considering auto tariffs in its efforts to reduce the overall trade deficit and encourage the U.S. domestic auto sector. The U.S. trade deficit with Japan totalled US$72 billion in 2017, the third largest U.S. trading partner after China and Mexico. The $54 billion trade deficit in car and car parts accounts for 75% of that overall deficit. Unlike the earlier steel...
Minimalist designer Michael Anastassiades has recently designed Bang & Olufsen's circular Beosound Edge, which is both speaker and volume knob in one. Designed for the first time by the best known designer for minimal lightings design and unveiled last week at Berlin electronics fair IFA, the speaker can be rolled to adjust the volume. The rest of its subtle touch controls are built into the aluminium frame and only light up when a person approaches them. The speaker is designed in such a way that it can either be kept on the floor as a centrepiece or mounted perpendicular to the wall, serving as an object to divide spaces. Next to the aluminium body, the speaker on both sides has a matt black fabric cover that looks as dark as a void. "It looks quite surreal as an object, because of the...
Leading soft drinks company Britvic is investing more than £100milllion in its facility in Rugby as part of a broader £240m three-year investment programme in its GB manufacturing capability. The company has installed three new PET bottling lines, a new on-site warehouse and an aseptic line to manufacture preservative-free drinks. Britvic has also unveiled three new can lines that will produce up to 6,000 cans per minute. This year, Britvic’s steel can formats have moved to aluminium cans, enabling the company to reduce the amount of metal it uses annually by 8,000 tonnes. Jeremy Howard, Director of Production at Britvic, said: “We are delighted to welcome Mr. Pawsey to our Rugby site today to see our new state-of-the-art manufacturing and logistics capability. It is a proud moment for...
Ford Motor Co. is reportedly cancelling its plan to import a new crossover model from as President Donald Trump’s tariffs undermined the business case for bringing vehicles to the US market. Kumar Galhotra, Ford President in North America said Trump’s decision of imposing 25 per cent tariff on China-built cars in July had eroded the profitability of the Focus Active that Ford planned to start shipping into the US about a year ago. The company thus decided not to invest more money in a vehicle that would have had fewer than 50,000 annual unit sales in the US. “Our viewpoint on Focus Active was that, given the tariffs, obviously our costs would be substantially higher,” Galhotra said. “Our resources could be better deployed.” Daimler AG, a German-based multinational automotive corporation,...
China’s once-booming car market is slowing down, in part because of escalating trade tensions with the U.S. Auto sales registered a growth of just 3 per cent in 2017, the slowest rate in recent years and a similar growth is forecasted for the current year, according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. However, as a part of its plan to improve its manufacturing sector and control the overcapacity of metals in the country, China has been working towards developing the domestic auto sector and opening up its market. The country has slashed car import duties to 15 per cent from 25 per cent last month. It is also starting to ease rules limiting foreign ownership of joint ventures. A few new joint ventures have already been announced. Whereas in another big market, the U.S.,...
