
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...
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C.R. Laurence, the world leader and wholesale distributor to the Glazing, Industrial, Construction, Architectural industries, completed its new 105,000-square-foot CRL-U.S. Aluminum Super Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The Super Center combines a CRL Service Center and a U.S. Aluminum Service Center in the region. With the new Super Center, customers now have the convenience of having both brands under one roof, which will improve customer service and streamline operations, according to CRL officials. The new Super Center will allow the company to enhance manufacturing processes, creating greater stock inventories, and delivering shorter lead times. It will serve as the principal distribution point for Georgia and surrounding areas, and bring local door and aluminium frame production to the...

Luxury British home and garden furniture brand, Bridgman is offering one lucky reader the chance to WIN a Mayfair Dining Table and 4 Chairs (worth £789) to celebrate the official opening of its new Wilmslow showroom. Family run Bridgman has been designing and manufacturing the highest quality indoor and outdoor furniture made of futuristic material such as aluminium for UK gardens and interiors, as well as leading hotels and restaurants across the globe, since 1977. The latest showroom opening, Bridgman Wilmslow, sees the company bringing its expertise and handmade craftsmanship to Cheshire with a 2,200 sq ft space on Bank Square. The showroom is set to display a wide selection of Bridgman's signature outdoor and conservatory ranges made from highly desirable 'All Seasons' and...

Prysmian Group, world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry has gained verification of its higher voltage cable system technology for offshore wind inter-array networks. The Group announces the successful completion of type testing of its 66 kV cable system with aluminium conductor in accordance with CIGRE and IEC test protocols, as part of the Carbon Trust’s Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA) programme. “This new qualification milestone is a further advance along our path towards the development of innovative, sustainable and cost effective cable solutions for the offshore renewable power industry” stated Raul Gil, Prysmian PowerLink Chief Operating Officer “Prysmian is both prepared and fully geared to support the global offshore wind market, such as the UK’s Round 3...

Mercedes-Benz SA wants the government to encourage local beneficiation of aluminium, which would allow motor companies to stop importing up to 50 per cent of metals used in their cars. CEO Arno van der Merwe said on Thursday his company was working with the industry and the government to identify raw materials that could be developed locally for inclusion in cars made in SA. Some firms claim local content of 70 per cent or more in their vehicles, but the industry average is just more than 40 per cent. Local content is defined as the value added in SA of the ex-factory cost of a vehicle including parts and manufacturing costs such as labour and energy. Mr van der Merwe said Mercedes-Benz SA imported all its aluminium, which accounted for 40 per cent-50 per cent of the construction of...

Karnataka's newly-imposed ban on the wide-scale use of plastic is set to change the way the food industry works in the state. On March 11, the government notified the ban and said it comes into force with immediate effect. With this, the manufacture and use of plastic carry bags, cups, spoons and sheets are totally banned. Plastic packaging is allowed only when it is sealed at the factory level and for essential food products such as milk and dairy products. The decision has made businesses operating in the food industry, that is, look for alternative packaging material like aluminium foil or paper containers. Aluminium foil by virtue of being lightweight, semi-rigid, recyclable, and chemically inert to the packaged material, is favored by most restaurants and food outlets for packaging...

New Major Contracts from Los Angeles to Frankfurt - Europe’s highest skyscraper will be clad with an aluminium-glass façade made in Gundelfingen, Bavaria. Josef Gartner GmbH was awarded the contract for the building shell of 460m high Lakhta Centre in St. Petersburg. Gartner will also manufacture the façades for The Circle at Zurich airport, the largest building project in Switzerland. The façade cladding for both major contracts will cover an area of over 165,000 sqm or about 23 football fields. Lakhta Center in St. Petersburg, Russia has been designed as a mixed use complex. The 460.7m high tower will be twisting upwards like a winding needle. Its complex aluminium and glass façade is twisted by 0.8 degrees. The glass will be cold-formed as this presents a cost-efficient method which...

The manufacturers and suppliers of aluminium aerosol cans who are operating in the UK have been witnessing an unparalleled growth in 2015. The year till now has practically pushed some aluminium aerosol can suppliers to their capacity limit, revealed a recently published market research report on the British aerosol packaging market. The buoyancy in demand for aerosol cans made of aluminium is largely attributed to the brand owners who provided the necessary market impulses with innovations and strategic promotions. Individual branded companies reportedly suffered from a shortening of aerosol cans. This for example had a negative impact on the business of consumer goods giant Unilever. The first two months of the current business year, however, were still characterised by brisk demand,...

Two Brothers Racing introduces a new aluminium canister option for the wildly popular S1R Black Series exhaust that caters to a growing trend of budget-minded riders in 2016. Available in both slip-on and full system applications for most popular brand platforms the S1R Black Series is the latest and greatest creation from the masterminds at Two Bros. “We love the S1R for the sound and performance but we know not everyone is looking for a full carbon fiber race set-up,” states Mark Jacobs director of sales at Two Brothers Racing. “Our goal was simple, provide our customers options in price without giving up performance” he adds. The research and development department at Two Bros truly hit a home run on the new S1R Aluminum exhaust. This beautifully polished canister compliments any bike...

Manufacturers in the electricals segment are abandoning copper for its lighter and cheaper rival aluminium after a decade of technological innovation that is saving some companies hundreds of millions of dollars. Sapa, a supplier of aluminium components, said it has seen a pickup in demand. Developments in aluminium wiring that compensate for lower conductivity and less flexibility, new ways to stop corrosion and more efficient conductors, mean there is more scope to replace copper in power grid cables, auto wiring, air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Saudi Electricity Co. said it has already saved 2.4 billion riyals ($640.09 million) by shifting from copper to aluminium in its medium voltage distribution network. “We started more than a year ago and we plan to continue,” said...

Crysteel Manufacturing's Aluminum Landscape bodies combine the strength and convenience of Crysteel's Landscape Tipper with the lightweight efficiency and durability provided by aluminium construction. Crysteel's Aluminum Landscape bodies offer up to 13 per cent more payload capacity than comparable steel bodies. They also have lower maintenance costs and greater durability, since aluminium doesn't require painting and won't rust, according to the manufacturer. “Our new Aluminum Landscape line is a great choice for contractors in the landscaping, refuse/waste and recycling industries who need a reliable body to take on the toughest jobs,” said Joe Paulsen, general manager of Crysteel Manufacturing. “Crysteel Aluminum Landscape bodies are lightweight and corrosion resistant, so they haul...

Utility vehicle manufacturer Fruehauf has designed a new series of tip-trailers, which, for improved strength, durability and weight-saving reasons, are manufactured using Alcoa's Endur-Al aluminium sheet. Endur-Al is 52 percent harder than a standard aluminium alloy of type 5083 H111, and 20 to 30 percent lighter than steel. Sheet made of Endur-Al is used for the floor and side walls of the AgroMax grain transporter, and for the OptiMum and the OptiMax for open construction jobs. Production of this new trailer fleet is commencing now. Endur-Al was developed by Alcoa as material that can withstand extreme weather conditions. Performance characteristics include excellent surface hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and workability. That is why in numerous tests Endur-Al has...

Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc., a global leader in the design and manufacture of semiconductor, LED and electronic assembly equipment, today announced the introduction of a comprehensive solution dedicated for Fine Aluminum (Wedge-to-Wedge) Wire Bonding – with the new launched VitaCap™ Series of Capillaries and IConnPS PLUS™ Ball Bonder. VitaCap™ is made from K&S’ leading ITA™ ceramics material, engineered for high quality Aluminium wedge bond and tail bond formation on any wire direction. Its unique features fit well with IConnPS PLUS™ Ball Bonder’s special wedge-to-wedge feature. Together, they deliver an innovative wire bonding platform for applications that uses fine Aluminium wire diameters (0.6-2.0 mil), supporting the Automotive, RF, Medical, LED and consumer segments. The key...

Deemed a major security hazard, transport body in Pune is now replacing fibre parts with aluminium or other metal. After a spate of recent road accidents, Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mandal Limited (PMPML) has now taken up commuters' safety on a priority basis and started removing seats and other fibre body parts of several buses at the Swargate depot. "We need to think about whether to go for the same fibre bodies or the buses with aluminium body frames. The ones with fibre seats and other fibre parts are dangerous, especially considering the recent incident of fire at Shivajinagar. Our engineering department will be studying this," said T S Dharurkar, the transport body's general manager (operation and engineering). Currently, of the 1, 200 buses owned by PMPML, 489 CNG buses have fibre...

The production of aluminium aerosol cans worldwide remained stable at a high level in 2015. The member companies of AEROBAL (International Organisation of Aluminium Aerosol Container Manufacturers) reported total production of 5.4 billion aluminium cans and thus a repeat of the previous year’s record result. AEROBAL’s secretary general Gregor Spengler is very pleased with the result: “Repeating 2014’s record is a rather good achievement considering the very difficult conditions in 2015; with economic turmoil in China, Russia and some emerging countries, the enduring problems in Greece, Ukraine and above all the Middle East, the global uncertainty resulting from the development of the oil price, and some considerable fluctuations in exchange rates. It demonstrates the strong capabilities...

Abarth & C. S.p.A., the noted racing car and road car maker, has unveiled its new 124 spider racing car model. Developed with input from the Abarth Racing Team, the rear wheel drive roadster features a mechanical Limited-Slip differential as standard to secure drive and traction. Weighing just 1,060 kilograms, most if it concentrated between the axles and the engine for better handling, the 124 has a weight-to-power ratio of 6.2 kg/HP - the best in its category says Abarth. The spider is available with a six-speed manual or the automatic Sequenziale Sportivo gearbox with paddles behind the steering wheel. Stopping power comes from the Brembo braking system, with aluminium front callipers. On the inside, the controls are in tune with the car's sporty set-up with the position of the...

The civic authorities in Australia are planning major facelift for their car parking facilities across important cities this fiscal. While there are some reports that indicate a dip in car ownership due to younger generations shunning cars in favour of car sharing, the recent ABS figures show car ownership remains high, with 12 million vehicles currently on Australia’s roads. With so many cars, the question turns to increasingly stretched parking facilities. The planned modernisation could include improvements in the facilities’s façade, or more practical changes to the car park’s internal layout. The resulting benefits are not just about delivering a better car park experience, but also providing safety benefits, such as improved driver orientation, wayfaring, or undertaking an audit of...

The new architecture school building at the University of Portsmouth, England, is donning a suave, contemporary look, thanks to the designing expertise of architects from Penoyre & Prasad. Aluminium-clad blocks on concrete piers have been used for construction of this building around a landscaped courtyard. The building provides a new home for the School of Architecture and Interior Design, flanking a new courtyard at the heart of the institution's city-centre campus. The facility has been built as part of a masterplan to improve connectivity between various campus buildings. Glazed teaching spaces jut out above the entrance, continuing the line created by the curtain wall of an adjoining remodelled building. The openings in the northeast corner are surrounded by angled aluminium frames...

Aluminium casting firm, Sarginsons Industries Ltd., has reported a growing demand for hollow aluminium chassis components for use in electric vehicles. The Coventry-based manufacturer reports it is increasingly being asked to develop lightweight parts for electric vehicles, from self-driving cars through to buses and recycling trucks, necessitating the need for aluminium to replace the more traditional steel. But replacing a solid steel component with a hollow aluminium one and keeping the same strength and safety of the heavier part is not without its challenges. Anthony Evans, managing director at Sarginsons, explained: “Lightweighting is increasingly important in the automotive sector, particularly in electric vehicles as it contributes vastly to increased battery range and makes...