Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have developed an aluminium-based catalyst that could help make sodium–sulphur batteries last longer. The catalyst addresses a problem that has limited the technology: Sodium polysulphides can dissolve and move away from the cathode, reducing battery life. The research team, led by Professors Wang Hui and Zheng Fangcai at CAS's High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Hefei, changed the atomic structure of aluminium by replacing one oxygen atom with nitrogen. The team wrote in the press release, “This created an asymmetric structure with three oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom around each Al atom.” It is an Al–O3N structure (three oxygen atoms and one nitrogen atom surrounding each aluminium atom). Explore AL Circle’s report ALuminium Wires &...
Ball Corporation reported a 4.7 per cent increase in global aluminium packaging shipments in Q3 2026, supported by higher volumes across its beverage packaging operations in North and Central America, EMEA, and South America. The company also announced plans to expand its manufacturing network with new beverage can facilities in Germany and India. Ball’s comparable operating earnings for the quarter reached USD 451 million, up 2.5 per cent from USD 440 million in the same period last year. Comparable diluted earnings per share increased 6.8 per cent to USD 1.10, compared with USD 1.03 in Q3 2025. On a US GAAP basis, however, Ball reported a net loss attributable to the corporation of USD 94 million, or 36 cents per diluted share. It was against net earnings of USD 321 million, or USD 1.18...
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The successful trial run of Spanish made Talgo train has encouraged Indian Railways to consider introducing more aluminium coaches in the country's rail network to add to the speed of transport and reduce travelling time between different locations. The aluminium Talgo train completed its final trial run between Delhi and Mumbai on Sunday in less than 12 hours running at a maximum speed of 150 kilometres per hour. It is the light-weightedness of the coaches that has helped make the train speedier, a much needed upgrade for the Indian railways. Asked whether the ministry has any plans to consider Talgo train for the Railway's future projects Railway Board Member (Rolling Stock) Hemant Kumar said, "We are exploring the possibilities of introduction of lightweight aluminium coaches in our...
If there is one metal on earth which can be as versatile as being a chosen material for aircraft as well as a piece of art, it is none other than aluminium. Aluminium is an artist’s delight because of its lightweight, superior malleability, easy machining and excellent corrosion resistance. Aluminium is the signature material for British-born, Hong Kong-based designer Michael Young who has been working with aluminium using his innovative technique that is transforming molten aluminium into precious objects. Using his brilliant technique he has already created a wide range of lighting, chairs and other furnishings in aluminium. Going a step further, he has now found a new way to create a cheese like foamy texture for aluminium and design a series of lightweight furniture out of it. To...
Indian Aftermarket Business Expected to Grow to USD 30 Billion by 2026 - ACMA Automechanika - the worlds leading trade fair for the automotive aftermarket industry is set to open its doors in Frankfurt this week from 13-17 September, 2016. As the worlds biggest trade fair for the automotive aftermarket, Automechanika spotlights innovation and solution in the fields of parts, systems, tuning, workshop equipment, bodywork and paintwork, car wash, IT & Management and the latest automobile services. Representing Indias strengths in these key segments, over 175 auto component manufacturers will be presenting their products and innovations at the fair for five days. It is an ideal platform for the Indian auto component manufacturers to explore aftermarket business opportunities and connect with...
Premium malt makers are making a swift shift from conventional glass bottle packaging to trendier and sustainable metal packaging, to be more specific, to aluminium packaging. Wood's High Mountain Distillery in Salida, Colorado, recently announced that from now its Tenderfoot Whiskey will be available in a resalable 750-ml aluminium bottle. Named as "Backcountry Bottle", the brand new aluminium packaging offers a convenient yet suave packaging alternative to traditional glass for use in places where a glass bottle is not always practical or prohibited totally such as camping and other adventure trips amid nature. The "Backcountry Bottle" crafted from aluminium is lighter than glass, portable, and does not break when impacted, that is, it is reasonably durable which means it can be carried...
Superyacht designer Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design has taken the wraps off their latest sailing yacht concept constructed from aluminium: Project MM51. The sloop measuring 51 metres highlights comfortable, fast and safe cruising, an outcome that can be expected only out of a vessel made from a lightweight material such as aluminium. Project MM51 features five well-equipped cabins- all spacious, well-ventilated, and let in abundant natural light, which gives the entire aluminium yacht an added feel of welcoming lightness. There is this main saloon with a sleek glass canopy that creates an airy feel while controlling excess heat absorption with reflective glass interlayers and heat reflective pigments. On board, the sloop can accommodate maximum 10 guests. The glass flows out to the cockpit...
For all the Apple brand lovers, September brings about a good news as the month is marked with the launch of the new Apple Watch which is getting slightly more affordable. The second generation Apple Smart Watch will be available in ceramic, which is a new unusual material for Apple to make its smart watches. Notably, the Apple Watch Series 2 will also be available in aluminium and stainless steel like the first generation smart watches. The white ceramic version will however be heavier than its metallic counterparts. The ceramic version is now branded as the Apple Watch Edition. Apple wants to attract the smart watch market, which their high-end solid gold watch could not capture. According to Apple, ceramic is more than four times harder than stainless steel, so the ceramic version of...
The official WBQA European BBQ Championship will take place on 17-18th September 2016 at the Bremen Exhibition Centre in Germany and once again will be supported by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA). About 78,000 visitors are expected across the two days to watch the 50 BBQ teams from 20 nations display their skills at the grill across the full range of BBQ disciplines. For all teams aluminium foil will be a major feature in the preparation and creative barbecuing on display for the five mandatory competition categories (fish and side dish, chicken and side dish, pork ribs, pork shoulder and beef brisket). In addition teams can enter two optional freestyle categories: home country cooking and dessert. Aluminium household foil, supplied by EAFA, will be an essential tool used...
The wait is finally over for all iPhone 7 users across the globe. Putting an end to the year-long buzz regarding the probable launch date of the next versions of the iPhone, Apple has launched the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus today in the company's keynote event at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California. The technology giant is known to be pinning a lot of hope on the latest entrants to make up for the sliding profits that followed the not-so-successful launch of the iPhone SE aimed at emerging markets. The new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus come in brand new avatars with aluminium-finish jet black and mirrorless-finish black variants instead of the earlier Space Grey one. Both the devices will be available in the US from September 16 onward; and in India they will...
A Ducker Worldwide study forecasts the aluminium content in cars to increase by up to 30% over the next ten years. This surge is mainly from rolled and extruded products, where Auto Body Sheet leads the growth with an expected increase of 110% over the same period. The growth is largely attributed to aluminium’s role in light weighting cars, thereby contributing to low emission mobility. The amount of aluminium used in cars is expected to see a significant increase by 2025, according to a study recently published by consulting and research firm Ducker Worldwide. The study, commissioned by European Aluminium, predicts that the aluminium content of cars produced in Europe could reach nearly 200 kg per vehicle by 2025, up from 150 kg today. “We expect the aluminium content in cars to...
Electricity demand in Vietnam is on the rise. Market watchers say the demand will increase at more than 10 per cent per annum rate in the near future. The rapidly increasing population and economic growth is being viewed as the major driver for growth. Southern Vietnam is passing through a critical situation due to the current demand-supply imbalance. According to the industry experts, there is an urgent need for the development of power generation and transmission infrastructure in the region. To leverage on the opportunities, international companies having expertise in aluminium cable and wire manufacturing and related product segments are thronging the region in huge numbers. Hydroelectric generating capacity in Southeast Asia, 2012, and planned additions 2012-2020, by country Source:...
After creating a week-long buzz on social media, mobile handset maker Meizu has finally launched its brand new phablet M3 Max. Curved out of aircraft grade aluminium, the new device is a befitting addition to Meizu's Blue Charm lineup, which has beenn a hit among worldwide users. Another popular offering was Meizu M3 Note. The Meizu M3 Max comes with a 6-inch long FHD IPS display and design intricacies that are commonly seen in most modern-day smartphones. The aircraft grade aluminium sheet that has been used in making the device body gives the phone a premium look. Plus, its chamfered edges further add to its suaveness. The budget phablet sports a Mediatek Helio P10 octa core processor coupled with a Mali T860 GPU. This is clubbed with 3GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It also has...
Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia has become the first commercial vehicle manufacturer in the country to introduce an aluminium engine in a pick-up truck. The new 2.4 litre turbo-charged diesel engine replaces the 2.5 litre turbo-diesel in this 5th generation Triton that was introduced in 2015. The Triton from the very beginning was way ahead of its time as it came with a wide array of car-like features, such as a push-start button, Auto Bi-Xenon HID headlamps, Keyless operation, paddle shifters, and tilt and telescopic steering. The first generation Triton made its first appearance way back in 2008, and the latest 5th generation with an aluminium engine is probably going to be the last update before a replacement model arrives. The new aluminium engine, despite being of lower cubic capacity...
Stanley Engineered Fastening announced the launch of “next-generation self-pierce rivets” in North America in August. The company presented the technology during the Global Automotive Lightweighting Material conference in August in Detroit and described the technology as “well-established in Europe,” The new Range Rover Sport utilizes about 3,648 Stanley SPRs. In North America, SPRs are used in the joining process for the aluminium (and steel) Ford F-150 and Cadillac CT6. These joining techniques are also equally suitable for non-luxury collision repairers as they can help OEMs in cutting weight and improving value for money. According to a spokeswoman for Stanley Self-pierce riveting (SPR) is: “a process used to join two or more layers of materials without a predrilled or punched hole....
In a huge boost to PM Narendra Modi’s pet project ‘Make in India’ drive the Pentagon has given green signal to the US aviation behemoths Boeing and Lockheed Martin to manufacture higher-end fighter aircraft in India. The proposals which include transfer of technology and licensing offers were conveyed to the India defence minister Manohar Parrikar by the US defence secretary last week. The proposal, representing a huge investment includes Boeing’s offer of making F-18 twin-engine fighter and Lockheed Martin’s single-engined F-16. The estimated cost of every F-18 is around $100 million while that of F-16s is $70 million approximately. So, if the deal matures it would spell a significant leap for India’s aviation sector. And since, high-end aluminium and aluminium alloys form a crucial part...
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Lenovo announced the unveiling of its Yoga Book- the tablet computer that has brought in a whole new dimension to typing and doodling. Housed in a sturdy aluminium-magnesium case, the 9.6mm thick device features a Halo Keyboard connected to the 10.1in Full HD display via Lenovo's watch-band hinge. The lightweight aluminium casing has helped Lenovo keep the weight of the Yoga Book restricted to a minimal 680gram. It has an Intel Atom x5-Z8550 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. In terms of connectivity, the device functions better with a microUSB than USB-C, and there are slots for microSD and mini HDMI as well. The real draw of the ultra stylish Yoga book flaunting a suave aluminium casing is the unique keyboard that lacks physical keys but the presence of the Real Pen stylus more...
According to a Platts report, Toyota Motor has recently announced plans to cut its Q4 passenger car output by 10% at Japanese plants. The process will be started in Q3 itself and this has compelled Japanese aluminium alloy suppliers to reconsider their output as a large part of aluminium demand comes from the auto industry and Toyota has been the forerunner in the segment. Toyota Motor informed its suppliers that it plans to cut vehicle output by 5%-10% in October-December and it will be effective from July-September period. The announcement came just before its aluminium alloy tender opening for the current week. In April, Toyota had a production setback due to April Kumamoto earthquake which had forced some Toyota components suppliers to suspend their output. To compensate the...
Advance Fenestration (Pty) Ltd, an Edenvale-based company that manufactures and installs traditional architectural aluminium fenestration (windows and doors) and other more energy-efficient aluminium products which are suitable for modern residential and commercial applications. Advance Fenestration (Pty) Ltd has been announced as one of the 15 finalists to be participating in the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year competition. Out of the 213 entries this year, they were two of the lucky participants to go to the finals. Mr Lucas van Wyk and Mr Eben Rootman from the firm who have been innovating and upgrading their business to the needs of the hour are elated on their selection. “From the time we received our first order, we set up everything in the short space of three weeks,” they said....
Token launches its brand new Thread Fit, an aluminium threaded press-fit bottom bracket for bikes. The company has also developed a clever thru-axle with a unique design that requires just two rotations to secure the wheel into place. The Thread Fit bottom bracket comprises a pair of aluminium cups with two injection moulded surfaces made from plastic and fibreglass surfaces (a process it calls Fusion) that press against the inner surface of the bottom bracket shell that ensures a snug fit inside the frame, and eliminates play and therefore any creaking noises. The bearings sit inside this aluminium barrel, wrapped in plastic and fibreglass, providing a secure and solid platform for the bearings to spin freely, extending their life. The replaceable bearings feature titanium coated races...
