
Spanish racing driverFernando Alonso has added a one-off Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse to his growing collection of rare cars. Known as chassis 8.100, the car is distinguished by bespoke aluminium bodywork that required more than 20 tonnes of aluminium to produce, along with dedicated CAD programmes developed by Bugatti. Its history is equally distinctive, being produced after an original customer pushed Bugatti to create something it had initially considered too expensive. For Alonso, the automobile fits closely with an approach to luxury he outlined in 2024 about choosing manufacturers that treat individual customers differently rather than simply producing cars in larger numbers. To know the aluminium casting demand forecast in the transportation sector, explore our report "Global...
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...
Grow with
AL Circle

Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) selected Bahra Advanced Cable Manufacture Co. Ltd as the excellent vendor for 2015. Bahra specializes in the production and distribution of electrical cables, and aims to become the main developer for low, medium, and high voltage cables in Saudi Arabia. The company, as well, plans to expand its range of products with aluminium rods to meet the needs of electricity companies of aluminium conductors and cables, as well as manufacturing of Dry Type Transformers with different capacities in cooperation with the largest international company in this field - Legrand. Bahra accepted the award at the 5th awards ceremony for top vendors of the Saudi Electricity Company suppliers, held recently in Riyadh. On behalf of Bahra Cables, Kareem Talal Idriss, Business...

Mercedes-Benz finally confirmed it is going to revive the inline six-cylinder aluminium engine. First revealed to Drive at the 2015 Geneva motor show, the German brand used a showcase of its alternative powertrain technology in Stuttgart this week to officially confirm the new straight six will headline a new family of engines. The new aluminium engines will be built in both four- and six-cylinder configurations and in both petrol and diesel forms. The four-cylinder is expected to be 2.0-litres in capacity and the six-cylinder will be 3.0-litres. Bernhard Heil, vice president of powertrains for Mercedes-Benz, revealed work began on the new aluminium engine family five years ago with several key targets in mind. "Having in mind that emissions should be one key element, having in mind that...

After the OnePlus One, 2, and X, OnePlus, the leading Chinese smartphone manufacturer, is back with a new flagship, the OnePlus 3 with a suave aluminium body. OnePlus is going for the "bang for your buck" market here with a Snapdragon 820, a whopping 6GB of RAM, and a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED display for just $399/€399/£309. The device featuring an aluminium body ships with 64GB of storage, but unlike the OnePlus X, there is no expandable storage option. The battery is also a tad smaller than previous models: 3000mAh. All the other extras here include: NFC, a dual SIM slot, fingerprint reader, and a USB Type-C plug. The camera is 16MP with optical image stabilization, RAW support, and manual controls. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack. The body is aluminum and comes in "Graphite" and...

Webro Cable & Connectors, the high-end electric cable manufacturer based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, has introduced a range of alarm cables to suit all requirements and budgets, including Cabnex Webro's CCA alarm cable. Copper-clad aluminium (or CCA as it is frequently known) has an aluminium conductor with a thin copper coating. Common consensus is that CCA cables, although lighter and cheaper than full copper equivalents, can often give substandard performance when compared to full copper cables. This is because aluminium has a much higher resistance than copper. In an alarm situation, this means that CCA cable could produce more false readings and false alarms than full copper cables. Copper-clad aluminium cables are often less robust than full copper, and can be prone to fatigue at...

Construction Specialties - C/S has added a new designer range to their comprehensive collection of attractive, resilient entrance matting solutions for high traffic spaces. Featuring a sleek, milled aluminium frame and eco-friendly recycled rubber inlays, Floormations entrance matting offers flexible mounting options to suit the project. These include recessed mounting with 12.7mm and 19.05mm recess; and surface mounting with 12.7mm and 19.05mm surface. A slim surface mounting with an integrated bevel-edge frame and 6.35mm surface is also offered. Mounted directly onto the substrate, this product features surface grooves to contain dirt and water, and has no fall-through properties. An established supplier of entrance mats for over 40 years, Construction Specialties has now introduced...

WernerCo, based in the United Kingdom, has invested over $100k in increased nitrogen generation, which is used in the aluminium laser cutting production, making the company self-sufficient in nitrogen generation. In addition the company has also improved external storage, general facilities and parking. Nick Platt of EMEA VP Operations, said: "WernerCo has production facilities all over the world, and it's been great to see the investment in manufacturing in our UK business. "We are looking forward to seeing the results of the investments and improvements at Maldon in terms of quality, speed and efficiency at the plant. We're also investing in global operations, like Vietnam, where we have just installed a new $5m aluminium extrusion machine, predominantly to supply ladders for the UK...

The F60 is a new superyacht concept created by the Ferrari Franchi studio in Italy. The project, crafted from advanced aluminium alloys, measures 60 metres, and spans 11.30 metres across accounting for a total volume of 1000 GT. F60 can accommodate up to 12 guests over six cabins with a full beam master suite with private balcony and a VIP suite located on the upper deck. The aluminium-built superyacht has ample space for accommodating other luxury service areas too, such as an oversized beach club, a spa area, a gym and jet-ski storage areas, an open plan salon, and a touch and go helicopter landing pad in the upper deck entertainment area! The yacht’s all-aluminium construction will allow it to reach a top speed of 20 knots. A total of 12 crew members will live aboard the yacht.

Czech Army troops deployed on expeditionary undertakings may soon be fielding modular aluminium shelters that feature protection against small-arms fire and splinters under an initiative led by the Military Research Institute in Brno. Under development since 2014, the existence of these igloo-shaped shelters was only revealed in April 2016 during a blast-resistance test conducted by VVU. The shelter has been designed for austere and high-threat environments, and typically includes a base structure consisting of aluminium load-bearing beams to which and inner and outer-layer aluminium armour panels are attached. There is approximately 90 mm of space between the two layers where additional filler material such as corundum balls can be employed to improve the shelter's ability to defeat or...

The new aluminium body Moto Z is all set to launch soon as announced by Motorola after a long round of speculations. It is expected that the above mentioned predicted forerunner would be replacing the original Moto X with all metal design, enhanced camera and other better customization. The Moto Z carries all metal body with durable aluminium. Yet, MotoMakers.com will be providing customized designs in leather, wood in color variants to cover up the back panels on the phone. The square front of the phone with 5.5 inch display has a finger print scanner under it. Keeping in the mind that Motorola has quality competitors like Samsung, Apple and a few, the new release of this phone would mark a huge step ahead in the market.

Indian Industrial production numbers released recently turned out to be a disappointment. In terms of industries, nine out of the twenty two industry groups in the manufacturing sector registered negative growth in April 2016 compared to April 2015. The sectors which bucked the trend and clocked high growth include ‘Aviation Turbine Fuel’ (102.5 per cent), ‘Telephone Instruments including Mobile Phone and Accessories’ (30.1 per cent), ‘HR Sheets’ (29.6 per cent), ‘Aerated Waters & Soft Drinks’ (28.2 per cent), ‘Petrol’ (27.7 per cent), ‘Aluminium wires & extrusions’ (26.4 per cent) and ‘Scooters and Mopeds’ (24.4 per cent). The Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) with base 2004-05 for the month of April 2016 have been released by the Central Statistics Office of the...

The first rehabilitated NGEF rake has been put into commercial service from Dum Dum Metro station in Kolkata, India after inauguration of the same by Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, minister for railways from Howrah station. A total of seven old NGEF rakes have been planned for rehabilitation. The ‘AC look-alike’ rehabilitated rake has improved passenger amenities like all interior panels replaced with anodized aluminium panels similar to AC rakes, old passenger seats and backrests replaced with new ones of polycarbonate material, transparent glass partisan panels for the seats provided similar to AC rakes, all existing handrails replaced with new ones, existing aluminium chequered flooring replaced by fire resistance PVC flooring similar to AC rakes, spray painting of exterior of the coach by...

Going against the conventional wisdom of putting premium wines in bottles only, Indiana’s Mallow Run Winery has decided to launch a special edition wine in aluminium cans. The idea was conceived keeping this year’s one-hundredth running of the Indianapolis 500 in mind. Mallow Run Winery Marketing Director Sarah Shadday said, “You can’t take glass to the (Indianapolis 500), so it’s allowing our wine drinkers in Indiana to still be able to enjoy some wine where glass may not be allowed, be it at the pool or on the lake or on the beach.” Due to safety reasons glass bottles are totally banned at the track, but carrying aluminium cans is commonplace at the race, held forty minutes north of the winery. “When you’re out and about and trying to pack a cooler or have a picnic, glass wine bottles...

VHE ehf., Iceland, has added to its product portfolio a Cathode Current Meter, a specialised portable ammeter that makes use of the Hall Effect. The instrument is made from aluminium; hence, it is lightweight and easy to operate. The conductor current is instantaneously displayed on the integral backlit screen. The U-shaped sensor head does not need to go fully around the conductor, making it both easier and quicker to take multiple measurements. A screen icon indicates low power remaining in the standard 9V alkaline dry cell. An over-temperature warning protects against excessively heat. Every Cathode Current Meter is customised to specific customer requirements – the lance length and angle is configured for easy access, the probe is dimensioned to suit the conductor, and the meter is...

An aluminium moon floats at the end of an empty shipping container while multicolored lights swirl around it, amplifying and diminishing the craters and textures that mark its surface. Called a Moon with Many Stars, the installation at Art Market San Francisco is the passion project of Craig Dorety, an artist and engineer. "The moon doesn't emit its own light. It is a reflective body," Dorety tells The Creators Project. This fact happens to fall in line with his previous works, animated sculptures that explore perception. "I shine lights onto a surface and the viewer is presented with reflected light or indirect light. This technique allows for richer colors in perception, doesn't overwhelm the eye, and lets me introduce shadow (the only way to get black or gray when working with light)."...

Lawson Products, a distributor of products and services to the MRO and automotive marketplaces and No. 39 on Industrial Distribution's 2015 Big 50 List, on Tuesday announced the launch of Aluminum Repair Solutions under its Kent Automotive brand. Kent Automotive Aluminum Repair Solutions is a single-source for aluminum repair materials, offering a full line of OEM-quality, specialized products, expertise, and education for collision centers and auto body repair shops in the U.S. and Canada. “With the growth in aluminum-intensive vehicle design comes a subsequent rise in the repair market,” said Michael DeCata, president and chief executive officer, Lawson Products. “We’re helping our automotive customers leverage the aluminum repair market opportunity, wherever they are in their aluminum...

Lengerich-based packaging and film manufacturer Bischof + Klein presented its technical films at the "IEX Europe" trade fair in Cologne and the "Frontale" trade fair in Nuremberg for the first time. "Those were successful premieres", reported sales manager Stefan Löber and product manager Dieter Wienninger. The B+K trade fair teams were delighted to receive specific orders from around the globe. As the leading trade fair for industrial insulating material and insulation technology, the IEX is an important platform for the insulation, soundproofing and fire protection segments. Visitors to B+K's stand were particularly interested in aspects of thermal insulation, footfall sound insulation and moisture protection. Bischof + Klein produces laminates which are used in the construction sector...

Ball Corporation confirms that Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE) has formally approved the buyer of the divested assets of its proposed acquisition of Rexam PLC, indicating that Ball may now proceed to close on the acquisition. Ball is working to obtain the remaining regulatory clearances in Europe and the United States soon, enabling the proposed acquisition of Rexam PLC to close. Following closing of the transaction, Ball will remain a New York Stock Exchange listed company domiciled in the U.S. Ball Corporation supplies innovative, sustainable packaging solutions such as aluminium beverage cans, flexible packaging for food and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. market. Rexam Inc. is a...

660 Guitars has introduced its latest design, the CT/52. The new model has been engineered as a modern slant on a classic, singlecut design, constructed of aircraft-grade aluminium. The 25.5-inch scale CT/52, made of one piece of aircraft-grade aluminium, has been paired with a shallow-oval 16-inch radius solid graphite/carbon fiber neck. It weighs 7.5 lbs. The finish is a powder coat, which is available in numerous color options. The bridge is a Hipshot USA; a Kahler Tremolo bridge is optional for an additional price. The pickups are 16.50K Dimarzio Dominion Humbuckers with ceramic magnets, mounted on ‘mini-rails’ to allow user-adjusted tonal variations. Smoked acrylic black glass and Hennessy Secure strap locks are standard, and the guitar ships in an RB Aero case.