Europe holds 10% of global aluminium extrusion demand, supported by Germany’s Constellium, France’s Hydro Extrusions & Italy’s Metra
Across Europe, aluminium extrusion has become closely woven into some of the region’s biggest industrial and construction markets. From automotive and transport to buildings and industrial applications, extruded profiles are finding demand across a wide range of sectors. This is reflected in Europe’s position in the global market: the region accounted for 12 per cent of global aluminium extrusion capacity, making it the second-largest regional contributor after China. At the same time, Europe represented 10 per cent of global aluminium extrusion usage, out of total global usage of 35.35 million tonnes . With production capacity and usage shares relatively close, Europe’s extrusion capacity and consumption are broadly at par. If we break down Europe’s 10 per cent share of global aluminium...
H1 2026 sees more renewable energy than ever: Here’s a region-by-region guide to renewable energy supply in the recent past
In the first half of 2025, humanity generated more electricity from renewables than from coal for the first time ever. What led to it? It was possible only because of two decades of falling solar panel prices, taller wind turbines, and governments finally treating clean power like an economic opportunity instead of a favour to the planet. But the renewable energy scenario cannot be portrayed as a single global story. To get the full picture, one has to connect dozens of regional stories moving at wildly different speeds. Some countries are already powered almost entirely by sun, wind and water. Others are still warming up. Here is a tour of how renewable energy supply looks across the world’s regions right now, and who is actually leading the charge. The global scorecard: Renewable energy...
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Secondary aluminium on track to add 22 MT of capacity as global projects gain momentum
With demand rising for low carbon aluminium, producers in several regions are accelerating plans to increase their secondary capacity. Much of the new capacity scheduled is concentrated in billets, slabs and ingots, which are increasingly becoming the main focus of recycling investments. Between 2022 and 2026, secondary additions are dominated by billets, which make up 11 million tonnes of the 22-million-tonne total. Their growing importance mirrors the expansion of extrusion and construction activity, where demand has remained consistently strong. Slabs follow with 8.8 million tonnes of new capacity, supported by rolling demand and a sharp increase expected in 2025 tied to automotive and packaging needs. SFA (Ingot) capacity, at 2.2 million tonnes, reflects the maturity of the ingot...
MONTHLY: China's alumina surplus to persist in December
China's alumina supply surplus is unlikely to ease significantly in December, as domestic output has shown little sign of large-scale curtailment, according to Mysteel's latest monthly report on the key raw material for primary aluminium smelting. Indeed, demand from the primary smelter sector remains steady but unimproved, the report notes. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain On the supply side, large-scale reductions among domestic alumina refiners have not occurred. Some producers briefly trimmed output in November for routine maintenance and in response to weakening profit margins and local government efforts to reduce atmospheric pollution, the report observed. However, these temporary and small-scale curtailments had only a...
Inside the 2025 auto tariff: Three layers of duties that reshaped the industry and redirected trade routes
As tariffs rolled out this year, the automotive sector found itself navigating a policy shift that swiftly reconfigured supply chains, trade patterns and production decisions across markets. The tariff campaign on the automotive sector began with the first round of 25 per cent duties on April 3, hitting imported passenger cars, SUVs and light trucks under 14,000 pounds, instantly raising their costs and giving domestic producers such as GM and Ford a fresh competitive advantage. A second wave followed on May 3, this time directed at engines, transmissions, drivelines and electrical systems including batteries and wiring harnesses. Although manufacturers were granted a brief window to front-load inventories, the pressure was immediate, especially for those unable to meet USMCA’s 75 per...
2025 throwback: recap of the big primary aluminium companies aiming to go bigger
As 2025 prepares to make its exit, now is the time for a recap of the top 10 primary aluminium projects and initiatives from across the globe that were announced and commenced this year. The primary aluminium segment of the value-chain has seen it all during the ongoing calendar year — right from tariff imposition to LME price volatility and smelter closure or capacity curtailment. But these stories have steered the industry forward through the fog of uncertainty and promises to do so throughout the upcoming decade. Image for representational purposes Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Oklahoma’s 4B aluminium grant from EGA - a first in 45 years Kevin Stitt, Governor of Oklahoma, announced on May 15, 2025, about a USD 4 billion...
China wins the race against the US in aluminium recycling output, capacity and expansion
China and the United States have been vocal about shifting their focus to the recycled aluminium industry for quite some time. And why shouldn’t they? According to the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), rapid population and economic growth over the coming decades will push global aluminium demand to double by 2050, with 50-60 per cent of that demand expected to be met by recycled metal. The IAI also estimates that the global Recycling Efficiency Rate (RER) currently stands at 76 per cent, covering both new scrap and old scrap. The transportation sector leads aluminium recycling with an 86 per cent recovery rate, and among all end-use sectors, the automotive industry remains the single largest consumer of recycled aluminium. Having said that, at such a critical juncture for the...
UK aluminium squeezed by weak production, soaring demand, and high energy costs – What's the way forward? What UK Budget indicates?
The United Kingdom’s aluminium industry has two options ahead to survive - one is by remaining reliant on imported aluminium cast, rolled, extruded, or forged semi-fabricated products with little or no control over embedded carbon, and the other is by developing a domestic recycling-based supply chain aligned with circular economy principles and national net zero goals. Because over the years, almost all the UK’s primary aluminium smelters have shut their operations due to unbearable energy costs. The only remaining smelter is the one owned by Alvanche in Lochaber, capable of producing a small fraction (50,000 tonnes per year) of the UK’s growing aluminium need. UK aluminium demand vs production According to 2024 analysis, aluminium consumption in the UK domestic market was about 296,000...
WEEKLY: China's alumina stocks rise above 5 million tonnes
The result marked a 1.3 per cent rise from the prior week and a 33.5 per cent jump from a year ago, setting a fresh record since the survey began in January 2022, Mysteel Global noted. The persistent inventory build-up was mainly driven by raw material replenishment by domestic primary aluminium smelters. In anticipation of potential transportation disruptions around the Chinese New Year holiday starting in mid-February 2026, some smelters showed a stronger intention to build up their alumina stocks, while several alumina producers and traders accelerated their deliveries of the feed material to ease inventory pressure. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain As a result, stockpiles at smelters and at rail yards or in transit both...
Alumina output nears the 143.3MT 2025 target, with a 2.58% rise expected in 2026
The story of alumina production in 2025 played out much the way analysts had expected, even if the year didn’t unfold in a straight line. Smelter-grade alumina production was projected at about 143.3 million tonnes, as per AL Circle report and by October the International Aluminium Institute had already recorded 119 million tonnes alumina. Production fluctuated from month to month, creating an irregular trajectory: alumina output began 2025 at 12.23 Mt in January, fell 9.45 per cent in February to 11.08 million tonnes, then rebounded 8.6 per cent in March to 12.03 million tonnes before slipping 4.76 per cent in April to 11.46 million tonnes. The middle of the year was steadier — May edged up 2.68 per cent to 11.76 million tonnes, June dipped 0.38 per cent to 11.72 million tonnes, and July...
Constellium warns EU: Eradicate CBAM or the aluminium industry fades away, European companies agree
Constellium vocalises the warning that the European Union (EU) should immediately eradicate the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Its claim that the EU is posing a risk with the implementation of CBAM in January 2026, which is likely to ensure the slow demise of the European aluminium industry, is resonated by other aluminium product makers. Image for representational purpose only Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Constellium criticises CBAM CBAM is intended to impose tax and levy on a selective set of imported goods including primary and secondary aluminium, to ensure they pay a similar carbon cost as those who produce it within the EU. Those who fail to produce documents of low-carbon emission will be subject to...
EV anticipation for ’26: Who’s accelerating and who’s hitting the brake?
The farewell of 2025 and the fast-approaching 2026 drive home with it the anticipation for a global revolution of electric vehicles (EVs). The most influential manufacturers gear up for the revving launch of the next-gen, advanced, hi-tech, battery-electric models, while circumstantial roadblocks lead to the withdrawal of several EV names from the ’26 launch plan. Image for representational purpose only Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Dropping out of the race Although these models showcased promising characteristics for a sunny joyride, the market circumstances or lack of federal and state incentives put a raincheck on the debut dates. Big brands like Nissan, Mercedes, Polestar, Porsche and Maserati hit the brakes and stay...
Here’s why Maxion is deepening its footprint in Argentina despite Brazil’s lead
Iochpe-Maxion, a global manufacturer of automotive wheels and structural components, through its subsidiary Maxion Wheels, announced that it was taking strategic measures to strengthen its light vehicle aluminium wheel business in South America. It had redeployed existing global production assets to Brazil and has acquired a 50.1 per cent stake in Polimetal, a major aluminium wheel manufacturer in Argentina, which has been successfully completed. Now, the question arises: when the firm was focusing on Brazil, why did it acquire an Argentina-based company? The acquisition of Polimetal by Iochpe-Maxion has been completed by Marval, who acted as the legal counsel for the Group, aiding in structuring and implementing the agreement of the acquisition at 50.1 per cent stake. Glance at...
Ivanpah set to shut - What’s America’s 25-year renewable energy plan?
The United States is pushing for cleaner, greener energy across all sectors — including aluminium — using federal funding, new technology and expanded recycling to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 while still meeting rising demand. The industry’s main book for decarbonisation comes from the Aluminum Association’s North American aluminium decarbonisation roadmap, which pictures a world where emissions would drop by 92 per cent from 2021 levels to 2050, even as output grows 78 per cent. A cleaner grid is supposed to do 36 per cent of the work. Turning off natural-gas furnaces and shifting them to electrification, green hydrogen and carbon-capture tools handle another slice. Inert-anode smelting brings in 15 per cent, while cleaning up alumina refining adds 17 per cent more. The federal...
What will be the global bauxite outlook for 2026 after BMI cuts its 2025 forecast?
Aluminium isn’t just another industrial staple, but the Earth’s most abundant metallic element, quietly making up nearly 8 per cent of the planet’s crust. And almost all of it starts with bauxite: a humble, rust-tinged ore rich in the aluminium minerals gibbsite, boehmite and diaspore. Look closely at the map, and a pattern emerges — the world’s richest bauxite belts lie in today’s tropics or regions shaped by tropical geology, from Guinea and Australia to Vietnam, Brazil and Jamaica. The scale is staggering. The US Geological Survey estimates that, as of 2024, the world is sitting on nearly 29 billion tonnes of known bauxite reserves. Source: https://www.alcircle.com/specialreport/2439/global-aluminium-industry-outlook-2025 Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with...
CONF: China's aluminium producers scrambling to expand overseas capacity
In recent years, Chinese aluminium companies have shown growing interest in expanding their footprint overseas, with several companies already operating plants, or planning to invest, in resource-rich countries such as Indonesia, Guinea, and Kazakhstan, Mo noted. This "going global" strategy is primarily driven by aluminium companies' demand to get access to abundant raw materials such as bauxite. Additionally, some foreign governments have introduced policies requiring local processing of mineral resources rather than the direct export of raw ores, prompting Chinese firms to invest in overseas alumina refineries. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Notably, Chinese firms have already established approximately 7.65 million tonnes...
GCC aluminium output down 2.9% in first ten months as the region shifts to new bauxite suppliers post-Guinea ban
Across the Gulf, the primary aluminium and alumina sector has been moving at a noticeably different pace this year. Aluminium output across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has been edging lower through 2025, a trend that becomes clear once the latest numbers are lined up against last year’s. In the first ten months, smelters produced 5,128 thousand tonnes, compared with 5,282 thousand tonnes in the same period of 2024 — roughly a 2.9 per cent drop. Many operators sensed the shift even before the figures confirmed it, as daily output that once hovered around 17.2–17.5 thousand tonnes last year has settled closer to 16.7–17.0 thousand tonnes in 2025. Quarterly numbers confirm it. Q1 settled at 1.52 million tonnes compared with 1.58 million tonnes last year same period, and the daily...
How far is Europe from securing its rare earth future?
China, which has been the long-standing dominator of rare earths and its supply chain, imposed strict restrictions on rare earth exports on October 8. Many dependents on China’s rare earth, including the US and the EU, faced impacts, but later on, managed to strike a year-long truce. Beside China, the EU also entered into rare earth supply agreements with Canada, Namibia, Chile and others. Meanwhile, the bloc is also targeting to become self-reliant with 10 per cent extraction, 40 per cent processing and 15 per cent recycling. We are here to analyse if self reliance with no trace of domestic rare earth mining would be feasible for Europe. EU’s imports of rare earth from China As per the report of Statista, the EU imports nearly half of its rare earth from China, followed by Russia, which...
Henan unveils action plan for red mud utilisation
Henan province, a major aluminium and alumina producing hub in Central China, is stepping up efforts in systematically tackling the difficulties in the comprehensive utilisation of solid waste from alumina production in order to foster sustainable development for its alumina industry, Mysteel has learned. On November 27, six provincial departments of Henan, including the Department of Industry and Information Technology, jointly rolled out an action plan for the comprehensive utilisation of red mud, a highly alkaline, iron oxide-rich solid waste generated during the refining of bauxite ore into alumina. As China's fourth-largest alumina production region, Henan is home to seven alumina producers, with their combined alumina capacity accounting for 12.9 per cent of the national total....
America’s FRP market Part 2: Production falls behind demand, leaving 4.7MT deficit amid tariff shifts and new capacity plans
Part 1 showed how North and South America have become major drivers of global FRP consumption growth. But behind that surge lies a challenge the region can’t ignore — the Americas simply don’t produce enough flat-rolled aluminium to match this accelerating demand. North America manufactures only around 2.3–2.35 million tonnes a year. Novelis supplies the biggest share — 1.2 million tonnes in 2023, 1.25 million tonnes in 2024 and around 1.3 million tonnes expected in 2025. Alcoa adds 450–500 thousand tonnes from its Tennessee and Iowa mills; Constellium brings about 350 thousand tonnes from Georgia and Kentucky; Norsk Hydro contributes roughly 200 thousand tonnes. South America adds another 450–500 thousand tonnes, almost entirely from Novelis’ rolling operations in Brazil. The region...
