
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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Embracing the global trend (which has seen a number of craft brewers move to the packaging format), the Spanish craft brewer will package its Rubia, IPA and Vikingathor expressions in Rexam’s 330ml aluminium cans, launching in March 2016. Designed by Arriaca with the support of Rexam, the minimalist yet bold aluminium can designs reflect the rebellious nature of the pioneering brand. Rexam’s value added matt over varnish gives the cans a premium finish, echoing the quality of the beer and appealing to Arriaca’s discerning target audience. Speaking about the collaboration, Jesus León, CEO Cervezas Arriaca, says, “We made this decision having recognised the benefits of the aluminium can in terms of sustainability and its capacity to conserve liquids. Rexam is well known in the industry for...

A United States defense contractor has developed a laser amplifier using Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (YAG) nanopowder. The new amplifier allows for rapid target engagement, low cost, and a high quantity of rounds. nGimat, Co., a contractor to the Air Force Research Laboratory, developed the technology on a small scale with financial assistance from the United States Army. However, when another defense contractor expressed interest in a scaled-up version of the technology, nGimat lacked the capital to meet such a demand. When the Army was unable to fund the project, the Air Force, via its Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR), stepped in and provided a US$750,000 grant to make the project happen. “The Department of Defense has worked hard to improve...

Painter Nguyen Van Phuc in the Mekong Delta has developed techniques to make bas-reliefs on aluminium. He is reportedly the first to do it in Viet Nam. With a precise mind and skilled hands, the artist turns waste materials, such as empty aluminium beer or juice cans, into sophisticated works of art. "I happened upon an idea to make bas-reliefs on aluminium," Phuc recalls. He said he has since then created many paintings using water colours, oil paints and has made wooden sculptures, but, "these materials are too popular, so I decided to develop a new sculptural style and medium for me: aluminium reliefs". Phuc has chiselled hundreds of works, including the Don Ca Tai Tu (Southern Folk Music), which won second prize at the Can Tho Arts Fair in 2012. Also, Cho Noi Cai Rang (Cai Rang...

The Tesla Model S, the world’s most-wanted electric car, which has recorded a whopping 100,000 units sale as of December 2015, has been lauded by the critics for its impressive safety rating, range, and design. However, it is also worth considering that it is the incredible raw materials that go into the Tesla Model S that help to make all of these things possible. The Tesla Model S body and chassis are built almost entirely from aluminium, which comes from bauxite ore. Aluminium is lightweight, which helps to maximize the range of the battery beyond that of other EVs. The total amount of aluminium used in the car is 410 lbs (190 kg). The Tesla battery pack weighs 1,200 lbs (540 kg), which is equal to about 26% of the car’s total weight. This puts the car’s center of gravity a mere 44.5...

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia, a local unit of the Japanese automotive giant, has inaugurated its fifth factory in the country on Monday in Karawang International Industrial City, an industrial area in West Java. The opening marks a significant milestone for Indonesia after the country took control of its domestic aluminium supply three years ago, as part of its aspiration to to add more value to its natural resources. The factory will produce aluminium-block engines, known as R-NR, for domestic and Asian markets, Koei Saga, senior managing director at parent company Toyota Motor Manufacture, said. The company chose Indonesia as its third country in which to establish engine manufacturing, after Japan and China, as the country is the world's largest producer and consumer of...

Following in the footsteps of parent company BMW, Rolls-Royce announced the development of a future vehicle platform composed of a lightweight aluminium space-frame. Like the new BMW 7-Series, which uses a new chassis almost entirely composed of aluminium and lightweight carbon composite material, the new Rolls-Royce chassis will put particular emphasis on reducing the amount of mass lugged around by the big V-12 engines. Rolls will use this architecture to underpin their entire lineup, beginning in 2018. According to noted auto experts, the new chassis architecture is destined to find its way under the bodywork of all future Rolls-Royce models, including the forthcoming Cullinan SUV. This means the Phantom, the Ghost, the Wraith, and the Dawn should all see a substantial drop in weight...

The ongoing auto extravagance in Switzerland is witnessing a series of special edition launches. The leading automakers are revealing their new production ready cars and concepts that are soon to debut in select markets worldwide. Mercedes-Benz, the 3-pointed star marque has unveiled an exclusive edition of the Mercedes-Benz V-Class at the 2016 Geneva auto event. Donned with a number of luxury features, the exclusive edition flaunts the “EXCLUSIVE” label on the brushed aluminium front wings. The mid-size van gets 19-inch light-alloy wheels, sports suspension and 17-inch braking system. Along with the ATTENTION ASSIST, the Crosswind Assist and the Active Parking Assist comes as standard, while the luxury van has a lot more show inside. Jeep is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee with an entire...

Leading property and infrastructure services company BurnsBridge Sweett selected aluminium partitioning systems from Criterion Industries to create a breakout room in their Melbourne office. During the execution of their Melbourne office fitout, BurnsBridge Sweett sought Criterion’s products to create an open and inspiring atmosphere in their breakout room. This cafeteria-type room is central to the office suite and creates a buzzing environment with motivational modern feature walls. Criterion supplied their Artesian frameless glass sliding system and Platinum aluminium partitioning systems for the fitout. Artesian aluminium cavity units streamline aluminium reveals, are ideal for aluminium and timber doors; have a weight capacity of 180kg; accommodate 38-44mm thick doors; incorporate a...

Accuride Corporation- a leading supplier of components to the North American and European commercial vehicle industries - announced it has launched two new marketing tools to help customers understand the performance, specifications, value and return on investment (ROI) of its wheel and brake drum products. The new, easy-to-use Lightweight ROI Calculator - available on Accuride’s website and mobile application - helps fleet operators determine their potential cost savings from making a switch to Accuride products from competing or legacy products. Accuride also published the 2016 edition of its popular Accuride Wheels Product Catalog. The updated catalog includes two new 22.5 x 9.00 lightweight aluminum wheels and Accuride’s proprietary EverSteel™ coating technology. EverSteel™ is the...

It's the first time Audi has done an S performance version of its flagship sport-ute, and packs under the hood a 4.0-liter V8 turbo diesel engine mated to an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. It produces a potent 435 horsepower, and an absolutely bonkers 664 pound-feet of torque. That's enough to make us forget it wasn't there in Geneva. It's also more torque than just about anything the Volkswagen Group makes – short of the Bentley Mulsanne Speed and the new Bugatti Chiron. Not even the Lamborghini Aventador SV or Bentley Continental GT Speed can touch that torque figure. Nor can competition like the Porsche Cayenne S Diesel (with its 385 hp and 627 lb-ft) or the BMW X5 M50d (381 hp and 546 lb-ft). It may not surpass the old twelve-cylinder Q7 6.0 TDI (with its 493 hp and 738...

Ardagh Group, the packaging conglomerate controlled by Irish billionaire Paul Coulson, is preparing a binding offer for the assets being divested by drinks can makers Ball Corp and Rexam Plc, according to people familiar with the matter. Ardagh Group is competing against three private equity firms for the packaging plants up for sale, the people said this week. The strong interest in these assets increases chances that Ball's pending acquisition of Rexam will meet conditions set by antitrust authorities. Ardagh Group and buyout firms Blackstone Group LP, Apollo Global Management LLC and Madison Dearborn Partners LLC have reached the final round of bidding for the assets, the people said. Binding bids are due later this month, they added. Based on annual earnings before interest, tax,...

“THE STRENGTHS OF SAFETY- Dictionary of Transportation” Conference, the one-off roundtable initiative focusing on the increasingly important issue of safety, will be held at the Maintenance Theatre, Middle East Rail - Dubai World Trade Centre, on 9th March, 2016 (12:30 - 14:00). Middle East Rail is in the third year of an interchange initiative in Dubai between Italian and Arab businesspeople regarding innovations in transport. The 2016 edition of the conference will present various aspects of developments of this on-going project. The conference brings together crucial evidence regarding the effectiveness of research on integrated transport, some which are the impact of materials with sand, unpredictable events, projects designed specifically for high-speed equipment, Smart Cities and...

Responding to the need for more specialized, rugged and capable work trucks such as aerial lifts, field-service vehicles and medium-duty haulers, Ford Motor Co. is debuting a new chassis-cab model of its aluminium-bodied Super Duty trucks at this month’s Work Truck Show. Employing a new, high-strength, aluminium-alloy cab and a higher-strength steel frame than the outgoing generation, the 2017 F-350, F-450 and F-550 chassis-cab lineup offers best-in-class capability, Ford claims, with a front gross-axle-weight rating of 7,500 lb. and a gross-combined weight rating of 40,000 lb. “Commercial truck customers need tough, capable trucks the can haul heavy equipment to crush challenging jobs,” says Craig Schmatz, Ford Super Duty’s chief engineer. “The innovations our team has put into the...

LED lighting specialist BoscoLighting announces the addition of new products to their aluminium extrusion range to support diverse lighting applications. With the latest expansion, BoscoLighting now offers more than 70 types of aluminium extrusions and multiple options for each, enhancing design flexibility in any lighting project. BoscoLighting supplies aluminium extrusions for under-bench lighting, corridor lighting, and office and reception lighting. Extrusions are available for recessed, suspended and surface mounted lights to suit virtually any lighting application. The new aluminium extrusions take lighting design to the next level with options allowing for lights to be recessed into walls, ceilings and even in-floor. Suspended fittings can also be mounted at varying heights to...

Apollo Global Management, Blackstone Group LP and Madison Dearborn Partners are in the second round of bidding for assets being sold as part of Ball Corp.’s acquisition of Rexam Plc, people familiar with the matter said. The divested operations could be valued at about $4 billion based on combined earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $400 million, one of the people said, asking not to be named because the deliberations are private. The sale process is ongoing and no final decisions have been made, the people said. Ball’s approximately 4.4 billion pound ($6.1 billion) acquisition of Rexam will create a packaging giant that supplies cans and bottles to companies such as Coca-Cola Co. and Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, according to supply-chain data compiled by...

Chery Automobile Co. has broken ground on its ambitious aluminum alloy-body electric passenger vehicle project on February 23. It is reported that the 1.56 billion yuan project will be built in two phases. The first phase will enter operations in 2016 with an initial annual capacity of 10,000 vehicles. Construction for the second phase will be completed by the end of 2017 when annual capacity will reach 60,000 vehicles.

In a recently published EUWID quarterly report on the German aluminium market, it has been observed that the the omens for suppliers of aluminium packaging are positive all round at the beginning of 2016. EUWID respondents were predicting volume growth in all segments which might vary depending on the delivery sectors but was overall indicative of at least constant operating rates and sound order levels. Producers of beverage cans, who broke a new annual delivery record in Germany in 2015, are particularly optimistic about the months ahead. While the market for aluminium aerosol cans continues to slow at an overall high level, suppliers of aluminium tubes speak of stable operating rates coupled with an in large parts stagnating general market. All packaging producers share the view that...

Onkyo Corporation, the leading Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer, specializing in premium equipment, has launched wireless headphones with aluminium housings. Onkyo has taken the wraps off a whole host of new headphones, including premium on, over and in-ear designs. Onkyo's H900Ms are a closed pair of over-ear cans and cost £230. Like the brand's earlier bestseller A800s, H900Ms also use 50mm drivers with aluminium housings. Aimed at the portable market, there's an extra-wide headband for added comfort. They're finished in black and gold, a colour scheme that features across the entire new range. The H500M (£130) on-ears feature 40mm drivers in a rigid aluminium housing and a claimed frequecy range of 7Hz to 40kHz. The gadget also packs in an in-line mic and a remote in its...