AL Circle Analysis: US scrap imports hit 580kt as China slips 3.2%, who drives aluminium recycling?
Aluminium scrap is no longer a side story in the metal’s market. Rather, aluminium’s next standoff is over scrap. As US imports surge 37 per cent while China’s purchases decline, manufacturers in Europe and India are confronting a common challenge of securing affordable, reliable raw materials. With recycling rates, trade barriers and low-carbon production reshaping market, the global industry faces a critical question: who will control the metal that powers its circular future? Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel. A 1.1-billion-tonne stockpile: US stocks up, China steps back, India asks for access The US imported 580,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap worth USD 2.07 billion in H1 2026 , with Canada accounting for 63.62...
A should-cost analysis of an aluminium tower furnace in India: Comparing the economics of LPG, PNG, and electric energy sources
In precision non-ferrous casting and high-volume die-casting operations, thermal energy conversion represents one of the largest controllable operating expenses. In modern aluminium foundries, where margins are squeezed by primary metal price fluctuations and stringent customer cost breakdowns, even a modest INR 1–2/kg variance in liquid metal melting cost can translate into tens of lakhs of rupees in annual cost differences. A rigorous, transparent should-cost benchmark is therefore essential for procurement teams, foundry managers and strategic sourcing leaders. This analysis examines a baseline should-cost model for a 1,000 kg/hour aluminium shaft or tower furnace in an industrial foundry. It compares liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), piped natural gas (PNG) and electric energy across...
Grow with
AL Circle
Aluminium die casting manufacturer readies to provide value to importers
China's Ningbo DSW Industry Co.,Ltd, specializing in aluminium die casting, has announced that it is all set to provide leading organizations and importers of quality mainstream industrial components with a variety of products that meet international standards to help in the development of more innovative products for the world’s consumers. According to a company spokesperson, the die casting manufacturer capitalizes on its technical expertise in the field of high pressure die casting as well as aluminum die casting in order to create more responsive and more innovative solutions to organizations the world over. The spokesperson of the die casting manufacturer explains that die casting provides greater versatility when it comes to the design of a broad range of shapes and components to...
India's Environment Ministry releases new rules for waste disposal and metal recycling
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India, Prakash Javadekar on April 3, released the Hazardous Waste Rules 2016 to distinguish hazardous waste from other wastes. Speaking on the occasion, Javadekar said, "The new rules will ensure resource recovery and disposal of hazardous waste in environmentally sound manner. The rules are environment and industry- friendly." "The provisions of the new rules are in line with this Government's priority for Ease of Doing Business and Make in India, but with responsible concerns for sustainable development," added Javadekar. The Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules 2016 includes other waste as well; waste management hierarchy in the sequence of priority of prevention,...
SHFE aluminium poised for gains
SHFE 1606 aluminium will get off to a good start after three-day holiday and move at RMB 11,860-11,960/mt on Tuesday. LME aluminium will follow SHFE aluminium up to USD 1,535-1,550/mt. In China’s spot aluminium market, spot discounts of RMB 0-20/mt and spot premiums of RMB 0-20/mt are expected over SHFE 1604 aluminium contract.
Hydro to release First Quarter 2016 Results on April 27
Norsk Hydro has announced that the company's first quarter results 2016 will be released at 07:00 CET (01:00 AM EST, 06:00 UK time), on Wednesday April 27, 2016. The quarterly report and presentation slides will be available on Hydro's website at the same time. Hydro will host a combined analyst and press conference, in English, at its corporate headquarters at Drammensveien 260, Oslo at 08:30 CET the same day. The presentation will be held by President and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg and CFO Eivind Kallevik. There will be a Conference Call at 15:00 UK Time (16:00 CET, 10:00 AM EST,) the same day. The Q&A will be held by President and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg and CFO Eivind Kallevik. The Q&A will be available for two months on Hydo's website, notified the Norwegian aluminium...
Alcoa to host webcast of First Quarter 2016 Results
Global lightweight metals major Alcoa has announced that the company will hold a conference call on Monday, April 11 beginning at 5:00 p.m. EDT to discuss first quarter 2016 results and business developments. The conference call will be webcast live via Alcoa's website with presentation materials available online at 4:15 p.m. EDT. Conference Call Information: Time: 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. EDT Hosts: Klaus Kleinfeld, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer William Oplinger, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer A replay of the call will be available on Alcoa's website from 8:15 p.m. EDT on April 11 until April 25 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
More Chinese alumina producers to resume production
More alumina producers in China will join recent capacity restart wave on improved profitability, Shanghai Metals Market experts expect. Alumina capacity restarts in China have amounted to 2.8 million tonnes per year over the past more than one month, SMM statistics showed. Besides, China will see about 1.8 million tonnes per year new alumina capacity come on stream in the near future, according to SMM survey.
Aleris International announces closing of senior secured notes offering
Aleris International, Inc., the direct wholly owned subsidiary of Aleris Corporation, made an announcement that it has completed its previously announced offering of $550 million aggregate principal amount of 9.50 per cent senior secured notes due 2021. The Notes are guaranteed by Aleris and certain of the company's subsidiaries. The Notes are secured by a first-priority lien on substantially all of our and the guarantors' owned and material U.S. real property, equipment and intellectual property and stock of the company and the guarantors (other than Aleris) and other subsidiaries (including 100 per cent of the outstanding non-voting stock (if any) and 65 per cent of the outstanding voting stock of certain "first-tier" foreign subsidiaries and certain "first-tier" foreign subsidiary...
Pahang miners point to compliance and seek resumption of bauxite trade
The Pahang Mining Operators Association (PPMNP) said Tuesday that it has submitted standard operating procedure proposals on bauxite mining to Pahang’s Mentri Besar (chief executive) and Kuantan Port authorities, but they have yet to receive a response. PPMNP’s vice president, Yap Soon Huat, explained further that association miners have also set up pollution-prevention equipment at the port of Kemaman and have sent proposals to the government to do the same at Kuantan’s port. “We think the Kuantan Port should have such facilities too but we have not heard from them. We also wrote to the Mentri Besar to request a dialogue but have not received a reply from his office,” said Yap in a meeting with the Coalition for Action Against Bauxite Pollution. Although the Coalition argued that the...
India - Next big thing in global aluminium beverage can business
With consumption of beverages such as soft drinks in stylish, attractively contoured cans rapidly catching up with both urban youth as well as rural folk in the country, aluminium beverage can manufacturers like Rexam and Can-Pack are experiencing a consistent upward spiral in business. Interestingly, though the aluminium beverage cans market in the country is on a high growth trajectory, it is still to catch up with the Western and other developed countries. In fact, a large chunk of the Indian aluminium beverage cans market belongs to the beer segment. Shanker Gopalkrishnan, president, Madras Consultancy Group (management consulting, and market research services), Chennai, explains, “The total market share for aluminium 2-piece beverage cans was tiny compared to the global market of...
Aluminium hits its highest in three weeks while other metals falter
Aluminium has hit its highest in nearly three weeks after data showed that China's factory sector grew for the first time in nine months, but other metals faltered after US jobs data raised the prospect of further interest rates increases. US employment increased solidly in March and wages rebounded, weighing on other base metals such as copper, which briefly touched a four-week low. While some analysts said the Federal Reserve would remain cautious about raising rates due to slowing global growth, others said the upbeat data made rate increases more likely. "I think the strength of payrolls suggest the Fed will undoubtedly raise rates this year, likely in June," David Carter, chief investment officer at Lenox Wealth Advisors in New York, said. Aluminium prices gained after the official...
India's promising new start-up focuses on waste recycling including aluminium cans
Ever since start-up boom hit India, a large number of companies with novel ideas have mushroomed, some with substantial growth potential. However, there existed a vacuum in the waste recycling space, since nothing noteworthy has been coming up despite Central Government's endeavour to promote it's pet project- "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan." Recently, Pom Pom, a web-based recycling platform established in November last year, has taken a step forward in this domain. Pom Pom cleansed the mess left behind by the World Cultural Festival 2016 held in New Delhi as the recycling partner. Ensuring that it does not end up in a landfill and gets recycled, Pom Pom loaded trucks with recyclables such as plastic bottles, aluminium canisters, aluminium foils, empty packets of eatables, polythene sheets,...
Anheuser-Busch InBev breaks ground on US aluminium bottle line
Anheuser-Busch InBev has started construction on a US$175m aluminium bottle line in Florida as it looks to increase production of the format. The new line, at Anheuser-Busch's Metal Container Corp facility in Jacksonville, will produce Budweiser and Bud Light aluminium bottles, the company said yesterday. It is AB InBev's second aluminium bottle line in the US since it launched the format in 2013 from its St Louis facility. "The aluminium bottle has become overwhelmingly popular with beer drinkers, and we are proud to break ground on a new line in Jacksonville that will further expand production," said Dave Taylor, president of Metal Container Corp. The new line, which will create about 75 jobs, was first announced last year. Metal Container Corp is a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch that...
Rising demand from APAC to keep aluminium rods market buoyant until 2019
The global aluminium wire rods market is slated to grow at a CAGR of around 2 per cent during 2015-2019, revealed data released in a recently published market analysis. The increased investments in infrastructure are driving the growth of this market. Developing economies such as India are heavily investing in infrastructure activities to improve industrialization. Initiatives like "Make in India" are anticipated to increase the demand for aluminium wire rods during the forecast period. The increased usage of particular conductors is also expected to drive the market growth during the forecast period. Special conductors such as Al-59, ACAR, and AACSR deliver superior performance in terms of strength to weight ratio without compromising on current carrying capacity. These conductors are...
Napco revenue surges 28% to OMR24.8 mln
National Aluminium Products Company (Napco), one of the leading extruders of aluminium profiles in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), has registered a remarkable performance for 2015, achieving robust growth volume in the local market as well as exports. The company earned revenues of OMR24.8 million, compared to OMR19.4 million in 2014, representing an increase of 28 per cent. In addition, Napco has gained a net profit of OMR0.78 million in comparison to OMR0.70 million in the previous year, registering a growth of 11 per cent. Despite a challenging business environment for the aluminium extrusion industry, Napco has managed to increase the capacity utilisation of its existing plant, widen its product offerings, improve client services, and increase its focus on market initiatives,...
Aluminium to remain only bright spot among base metals this week
Aluminium will continue to outperform other base metals this week on positive market fundamentals, SMM forecasts. Aluminium stocks kept falling in China’s major markets. China will see limited new capacity and restarted capacity for the foreseeable future. So, market supply will remain tight. SMM sees SHFE 1606 aluminium rising further to head for 12,000 yuan per tonne. US Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen’s dovish remarks will continue keeping the US dollar index in check. When combined with strong SHFE aluminium, LME aluminium is poised to advance to $ 1,490-1,530 per tonne. In China’s spot market, tight supply and stable downstream consumption will allow spot aluminium to trade at premiums over SHFE 1604 aluminium.
EGA continues to forge ahead with technology innovation
The largest primary aluminium producer in the region and among the top five producers in the world, Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA") has for more than 25 years implemented advanced technologies - many developed in-house - to improve productivity and enhance operational procedures at its operations, while maintaining the highest standards of environmental conservation. As part of its mandate to drive an ongoing quest for innovation-based improvements, the dedicated Technology Development & Transfer department at EGA continuously forges ahead in identifying and implementing technological advancements for the benefit of the aluminium industry. A case in point is the successful filing of an application in September 2015 to patent the development of hinged grating for easy access to the outer...
Indian bauxite exporters clamour for removal of export duty
Bauxite exporters in India are clamouring for removal of export duty on the ore similar to a cut in duty for iron ore in the budget. Higher duties have led to a sharp fall in India's share in the export market in recent years with Australia and Malaysia increasing their share. "We are losing out to countries like Malaysia and Australia when it comes to exports to China. The duty cut on bauxite ore in the recent budget from 20 per cent to 15 per cent which is too little to resuscitate the bauxite export industry which is already battling headwinds from the meltdown in the global commodity markets. It should be reduced to zero like in the case of iron ore," C K Joshi chairman Gujmin Industry Association said. China produces and consumes nearly half of world's aluminium and is dependent on...
NALCO records the highest-ever bauxite and alumina production
At a time when 70 per cent aluminium companies world over have reported loss and the aluminium industry is reeling under heavy pressure due to sluggish international market, National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a Govt of India PSU, has remained profitable all through by successfully handling the market downturn by focusing on its bauxite mining and alumina refining arm, besides effecting several cost reduction measures, particularly in metal production. In the process, the aluminium major has registered an all-time high production of 63,40,142 tonnes of bauxite in 2015-16 fiscal i.e. 10.47 per cent higher, and 19,53,000 tonnes of alumina i.e. 5.51 per cent higher than the corresponding figures of the previous fiscal. "These are the highest-ever production figures since inception of...
