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...
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US shredded scrap prices and aluminium scrap prices continue to remain flat
United States shredded scrap prices continued to remain flat during the week ended January 01, while major US aluminium scrap commodities weekly average prices on Scrap Register Price Index also showed a flat trend. According to TSI, US Midwest weekly shredded index remained flat during the week at $170 a long ton (delivered mill). The outlook for January is still uncertain with some bullish participants seeing an uptick of as much as $20 a long ton. However, others foresee the market remaining subdued with no significant movements expected due to the lack of export activity. The major aluminium scrap commodities on the Scrap Register Price Index showed flat trend during the week. The weekly average scrap prices of Auto Wheels, 5052 Alum Clip, 6061 Alum Extrusion, 6063 Extrusion, Al/Cu...
Taiwan’s metal sector spurred towards growth with return of iMT Taiwan 2016
After the resounding success of the inaugural International Metal Technology Taiwan Exhibition and Conference (iMT Taiwan) in 2015, preparations are in full gear to bring back the event this year. Scheduled to be held from 6 to 8 December 2016 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre, the second edition of iMT Taiwan will spring further from the remarkable achievements recorded last year as the event stands stronger as Taiwan’s first and only exhibition dedicated to the metal industry. Rave reviews and positive endorsements from delighted exhibitors and visitors on the impressive top-grade products and wide range displayed at the first staging provided the quality mark for iMT Taiwan’s organizer – Kaigo Co., Ltd to continue featuring 13 product categories namely - Material Science and...
China Zhongwang introduces new equipment at its aluminium train compartment production mill
To address the growing production demand, China Zhongwang’s production mill for aluminium train compartment products introduced a batch of advanced processing equipment recently. The new equipment has been installed with trial run finished, and most of the machine tools have commenced production. The three different types of numerically controlled production center (“NCPC”) machines introduced are with advanced functions such as high cutting precision, good processing quality and high production efficiency. Besides, the NCPC machines are able to process large cross-sections, up to a maximum of 1020mm, 1600mm and 3060mm respectively, which can meet most processing requirements of different work pieces. The newly introduced three-dimensional NCPC stretch bending machine for extrusion...
Aluminium stands out among metals over Malaysian ecologiocal concerns and Alcoa
Aluminium prices are unlikely to face the sort of erosion that has hit other base metals. Experts said prices are unlikely to drop below INR 93 per kg, having recovered to Rs 98.55 on Wednesday for January contracts after declining to INR 97.60 on January 7 on MCX from INR 99.90 on December 31, 2015. A variety of factors have contributed to arresting a steep drop in aluminium prices, said Himanshu Gupta, senior market strategist at Karvy Commodities Broking. "Malaysia is pushing to suspend bauxite mining due to concerns about its impact on the environment, which could interrupt supply of the aluminiummaking ingredient to China," said Gupta. Besides, Alcoa has plans to close its 2,69,000 tonneper-year Warrick smelter in Evansville, Indiana, by the end of the first quarter of 2016 which...
"Adoption of carbon tax has to be a global response," says Rusal’s Deripaska
Oleg Deripaska, president of the world’s biggest aluminium manufacturing group Rusal, says the outcome of the Paris Climate Summit late last year was nothing more than an agreement for 196 countries to “kick the can down the road a few decades’’. He writes that for a summit notionally about emission reductions, none were meaningfully agreed to in Paris. “Indeed, even the applauding atmospheric chemistry scientists at MIT’s (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Global Change Program calculated that if all the unenforceable, non-binding pledges made in Paris were implemented, the improvement by 2100 would total only 0.2 degrees Celsius.’’ A harsh critic of Australia’s previous carbon tax forays, Mr Deripaska emphasises that the adoption of a carbon tax has to be a global response....
Altech Chemicals in key high purity alumina initiative for Chinese market
Altech Chemicals is stepping up the pace of marketing and sales for future high purity alumina (HPA) product to be produced from Altech's HPA plant with a key initiative for the Chinese market. Martin Ma has been appointed as the company's sales and marketing manager for China and tasked with establishing offtake agreements. Ma has experience in sales management of high purity feedstock materials to Chinese industries such as the lithium battery and electrical vehicle industries. Altech has completed a Bankable Feasibility Study for the construction and operation of a 4,000 tonnes per annum HPA processing plant at Tanjung Langsat in Malaysia. The company clinched support of an export credit insurance scheme which could cover most of the total capital cost of the company’s proposed...
Alumina shares peak on global production cuts
Alumina shares rose the most in almost seven years after Citigroup upgraded the stock, citing expectations that global production cuts can drive a recovery in prices. The Melbourne-based producer, partner of Alcoa in the world's largest alumina producer, rose as much as 13 per cent in Sydney, the most since March 2009, and closed 11 per cent higher at A$US1.095, trimming its decline in the past 12 months to 44 per cent. Alcoa, the largest US aluminium producer, forecasts an alumina deficit of 2.8 million tonnes in 2016 as a result of global production curbs, including at the Point Comfort refinery in Texas. The Alcoa World Alumina & Chemicals venture has taken about 3 million tons of capacity out of the market, Citigroup analysts including Sydney-based Clarke Wilkins wrote in a note dated...
Alcoa's downstream segments show productivity gains though offset by cost headwinds
Lightweight metals leader Alcoa reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2015 results, ending the year on solid operational footing. Fourth quarter 2015 revenue was $5.2 billion, down 18 percent from $6.4 billion in fourth quarter 2014. Organic growth in aerospace and acquisitions increased revenue 7 percent, which was more than offset by a 25 percent revenue decline from lower alumina and aluminum prices, the impact of divested, curtailed or closed facilities, and unfavorable currency. Segment Information: Global Rolled Products ATOI in the fourth quarter was $52 million, flat as compared to the year-ago quarter. Strong productivity and automotive shipment growth of 18 percent were offset by cost increases, volume declines in aerospace from fewer spot opportunities and packaging, portfolio...
“We must eliminate aluminium smelter byproducts sustainably to move up the hierarchy of waste management,” Phil Black, Vice President, Aluminium Industry Development, Regain Materials
Regain Materials is a new-age green technology and mineral trading enterprise. It provides aluminum smelters with a proprietary safe, sustainable and secure solution for Spent Pot Lining by eliminating the cyanide and dangerous gas hazards related to aluminium smelting - with no residual material. At a time when industrial ecology is gaining significance worldwide, especially after COP 21 acknowledged the importance of sustainable development in aluminium industry, Regain's endeavour to remain committed to environmental sustainability definitely deserves to be applauded. Phil Black has 22 years of working experience in the aluminium industry in the field of cast house, refractories, potrooms, carbon bake, dry scrubbing, anode delivery, pot delining, smelter construction, smelter technical...
RM180 mln loss after Malaysia govt failed to tax bauxite miners, says Rafizi
Putrajaya, the third and latest Federal Territory of Malaysia, failed to impose any export duties on bauxite mined in Kuantan, losing at least RM180 million in 2015 that could have been channelled back to the people to address pollution concerns caused by the industry, PKR’s Rafizi Ramli said today. The PKR secretary-general said the Assignment of Export Duty (Mineral Ores) Act 1964? stated that the federal government must impose export duty on mineral ores (other than iron and tin), and that the state government could not impose royalty or similar charges. But the Royal Customs Department’s website showed that no export duty was imposed on bauxite by the government, said Rafizi. “Putrajaya decided to forego taxing such a lucrative industry?, even though the bauxite companies reportedly...
Logistic firm says Pahang's temporary bauxite mining ban has no impact on them
Information technology and logistics firm Asdion Bhd says that the three-month moratorium effective this Friday on bauxite mining activities in Pahang has no impact on its business. In a filing with the stock exchange, the company said it had not begun the supply of bauxite to commodities trader Hong Kong International Mining Exchange Ltd (HKIM) to date. Although Asdion received shareholders’ approval to start sourcing and supply of commodities business via its EGM on Nov 2, 2015, this was disrupted due to the monsoon season, which affected the quality of bauxite commodity required by HKIM. It is reported that the three-month moratorium on all bauxite mining activities in Pahang was beneficial for producers in the longer term as greater regularisation would help increase efficiency and...
Aluminium is the future for big screen technology
Aluminium is being hailed as the ideal material for manufacturing the largest outdoor high-resolution LED screen supporting structure, following a series of projects completed by systems manufacturer Boldman. Works have been concluded on the 13.9m x 7.8m Printworks outdoor screen in Manchester; and on the two identical 11.5m by 4.8m screens at Heathrow Terminal 2, both screens are to be used as high-profile advertising space. The Printworks screen was manufactured using an Oblik spaceframe structure framework designed by Alan White Design, it was constructed from 156 individual fabricated aluminium sections and is the largest of its kind weighing 5.5 tonnes. Aluminium was chosen over steel because a lightweight support structure was needed to attach the entire assembly to the grade 2...
SEDCO presents Kaiser Aluminum with incentive for local facility expansion
The Sherman Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) presented Kaiser Aluminum with a $232,000 cash grant to help offset the cost of a $5.8 million expansion. Kaiser Aluminum Corporation maintains 12 focused production facilities in North America and is a leading provider of automotive aluminum extrusions. Kaiser's facility in Sherman's Progress Park, which has operated since 1964, is an integral part of the company's strategy to support continued growth in automotive applications in the city of Sherman. The SEDCO grant facilitates the facility's expansion plans which further benefit the community and create approximately 7 new jobs. The growth in demand for aluminum extrusions used in automotive applications presents a significant opportunity for Kaiser and its Sherman facility as...
China Zhongwang listed as No. 1 in Top 100 Science and Technology Innovation Enterprises in Liaoyang
Recently, Science and Technology Bureau of Liaoyang Municipal City (the “Science and Technology Bureau”) announced the list of "Top 100 Science and Technology Innovation Enterprises in Liaoyang City”. China Zhongwang was listed as No.1. The Science and Technology Bureau praised China Zhongwang, saying that the Group kept its efforts in “promoting structural optimization with increased production, and enhancing industrial upgrade with innovation”. Sitting on its current situation, the Group cultivates the innovation teams, accelerates the innovation development strategies, and commits to the development of “new, professional and specialized” technological products. The Group’s three new technologies were awarded the Liaoyang Scientific Technology Awards, namely 7N01 aluminium alloy...
Alba holds first Executive Series Training for 2016
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C (Alba), a leading aluminium smelter in the world, held its first Executive Series Training for 2016 on Sunday, January 10, 2016 at Alba Oasis Hall. The Workshop, part of Alba’s Executive Education series, focused on aligning the management team on what needs to be done to further boost the company’s performance to combat the severe downturn in commodity prices. The training session was delivered by Mr. Mark Magnacca President and Co-Founder of Allego, who is a renowned motivational speaker and also the author of the management book “So What?” Commenting on the Workshop, Alba’s Chief Executive Officer, Tim Murray said: “With the collapse of all-in-aluminium prices it is critical that the objectives of the company are aligned to ensure we survive during these...
Alcoa’s 2016 aluminium forecast upbeat, but it all depends on China
Alcoa Inc.’s upbeat forecast for global aluminium supply and demand in 2016 is bullish. The world’s third largest aluminium company had said in November that it expects a deficit (demand exceeds supply) to the extent of 360,000 tonnes. Along with its fourth quarter results, the company on Tuesday announced an increase in its deficit forecast to 1.2 million tonnes (mt). How did Alcoa arrive at this number? It expects global consumption to rise by 6% in 2016, with China’s demand growing by 8% and rest of the world by 4%. That’s an aggressive forecast, considering the troubles in emerging markets, especially in China, which has a 51.6% share in the 2016 consumption estimate. In 2016, Alcoa expects 4.4 mt of additional production from new or restarted projects too. But crucially, it expects...
European Aluminium and ESTAL join forces
European Aluminium welcomed ESTAL, the European association of Surface Treatment on Aluminium, as a member. To increase benefits to its membership, ESTAL decided to join forces with European Aluminium as of 1st January 2016. Both associations work with the same metal - Aluminium - and are active on the building and the transport markets. European Aluminium and ESTAL together will better represent the value chain, bring more visibility to the aluminium sectors as a whole, and promote the unique strength of aluminium for sustainable and recyclable buildings and vehicles. Together the two organisations will be better positioned to promote aluminium and aluminium surface treatment, and consequently help increase the market share of the members of both associations. Ivo Vermeeren, President of...
US aluminium scrap imports inched higher while exports declined y-o-y in Nov '15
Aluminium imports of ingot, scrap and mill products into the U.S. and Canada (excluding cross-border trade) totaled 417 million pounds in November 2015, up 1.0 percent over the November 2014 total of 413 million pounds. Including scrap, which accounted for roughly 57 percent of reported aluminium exports in November, exports totaled 522 million pounds, down 5.5 percent from a year ago. Excluding scrap, exports totaled 224 million pounds, down 7.3 percent from last year. Exports of scrap decreased 4.2 percent year-over-year. Through November, imports were up 9.0 percent to 5,544 million pounds while exports were off 14.5 percent to 5,851 million pounds. Key U.S. economic indicators released over the past week showed a mixed picture. The strength of the U.S. dollar over the past year or...
