AL Circle Analysis: Bauxite developments, alumina trade & primary aluminium market dynamics across Australia, Guinea, US & India
The aluminium industry is entering another phase of supply-chain repositioning. Across bauxite, alumina and primary aluminium, companies are investing in new resources, consolidating strategic assets and expanding processing capacity, while governments are increasingly treating domestic supply as a strategic priority. The latest developments from Australia, Guyana, Guinea, Indonesia, the US and India point to a market where resource security, processing location and control over supply chains are becoming as important as production growth. At the same time, new trading mechanisms and changing investment patterns are beginning to influence how aluminium and its raw materials reach the market. Bauxite supply expands, but securing the right tonnes is becoming harder In Western Australia, VBX...
China's 22.87 Mt extrusion market faces a structural shift as 317 GW solar growth counters weak construction demand
The global aluminium extrusion landscape is undergoing a structural transition driven by industrial decarbonisation, global electrification, and the rapid deployment of clean energy infrastructure. Historically anchored by civil engineering and residential real estate, demand for extruded aluminium profiles in China, the world’s dominant manufacturing hub, is decoupling from traditional property sectors. Persistent structural weakness in China’s domestic construction market has slowed the consumption of conventional architectural profiles such as window frames, door sections, and curtain walls. Conversely, advanced industrial applications, specifically solar photovoltaic (PV) racking, battery energy storage systems (BESS), power grid modernisation, and electric vehicles (EVs), have...
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AWAC-Alcoa JV partner Alumina's margins hit by price rout
Australian company Alumina, the junior partner in the AWAC joint venture with Alcoa, said lower alumina and aluminium prices and unfavourable currency movements had negatively impacted margins during the final quarter of last year. The comments came as Alcoa, the first major US company to report fourth quarter results, said its revenues slumped 18 per cent in the period amid sharply lower aluminium prices. Alumina chief executive Peter Wasow said higher production at the group’s Australian refineries, along with productivity gains, energy savings and a clamp down on costs had somewhat offset the margin declines. “AWAC continues to adjust its portfolio to improve its cost position and ensure continued competitiveness in the prevailing market conditions,” Mr Wasow said. AWAC’s production of...
CME Japan aluminium premium contract logs first trade
CME Group has logged the first trades in its Japan aluminium premium contract, data from the exchange showed on Monday, just days after the industry hammered out the first quarter premiums for Asia's biggest importer of the metal. The trades, coming in the wake of the quarterly industry negotiations, deal a blow to the London Metal Exchange as the U.S. bourse builds up its metals business in Asia. CME's premium contract, which launched Dec. 7, traded 622 lots in several block trades on Friday for contracts from January to December 2016. The January contract settled at $108.78 a tonne, while those along the curve settled at $108. The contracts were bid at $95 a tonne and offered at $115 on Monday. Japan is Asia's biggest importer of the metal and the premiums for primary metal shipments it...
Alcoa Q4 2015 and Full-year Results: Upstream posts profit despite price free-fall
Lightweight metals leader Alcoa announced full-year 2015 results yesterday, ending the year on solid operational footing. In fourth quarter 2015, the Upstream remained profitable despite lower alumina and aluminium prices. Every segment delivered productivity gains. The company also undertook restructuring to further strengthen the Upstream portfolio and streamline overhead ahead of its planned separation in the second half of 2016. Q4 Results: In fourth quarter 2015, Alcoa reported a net loss of $500 million, or $0.39 per share. Results include $565 million in special items related primarily to closures or curtailments of capacity in the Upstream business and discrete income tax charges. Fourth quarter 2015 results compare to net income of $159 million, or $0.11 per share, in fourth...
Malaysia bauxite mining and export ban to have limited impact on China aluminium
Ever since a Malaysian government official reportedly said in an interview on January 2 that the country will likely suspend bauxite mining and exports at certain mining sites out of growing environmental concerns, tension has been brewing over how the decision would impact China aluminium market. China, a country that has relied heavily on bauxite from Malaysia since export ban by Indonesia – China’s once top supplier of the aluminium smelting raw material – in January 2014, is belived to be, however, coping with the scenraio comfortably, at least in the near term. SMM understands, the stance shown by the Malaysian government does not mean the country will impose an outright ban on bauxite exports as Indonesia did. Malaysia is expected to resume bauxite mining and exports once local...
China aluminium costs to continue falling after deep declines in December
There is still room to fall for costs at Chinese aluminium smelters in January, SMM says. The downside room will be limited, though, SMM understands. Prices for alumina and prebaked anode will unlikely see sharp declines due to cost support. Power tariff subsidies by local governments will not be as much as before. Alumina cost at Chinese aluminium smelters fell 8.68% MoM in December, versus 3.43% drop for prebaked anode cost, and 5.97% decline for power cost, SMM statistics showed. Power tariffs subsidies in Qinghai, Gansu, Xinjiang and Yunnan allowed power costs to fall at aluminium smelters.
Shanxi top alumina producer likely to shut down
Speculations are all over that Chalco (Shanxi), Shanxi’s top alumina producer, has submitted to the local government a report titled “Report on Production Cuts or Complete Shutdown at Chalco (Shanxi)." An official surnamed Li at Chalco (Shanxi) confirmed that the company has submitted this report to local government. However, the report does not mean that Chalco (Shanxi) will close immediately and in fact the company is trying to maintain normal operations by cost reductions, Ms Li said. Chalco (Shanxi) will resort to production cuts or closures only when situation worsens to a level that it cannot bear, Li added. Submitting such report to local government simply acts as a warning so as not to make local government ill-prepared in case it does shut down, Li explained. Chalco (Shanxi) has...
Alumina plants in WA spared production cuts
The three alumina refineries in Western Australia’s southwest operated by the Alcoa and Alumina-operated AWAC joint venture have been spared in the latest production cuts made by AWAC in response to the crash in prices. The 60:40 per cent-owned AWAC joint venture operates the Kwinana, Pinjarra and Wagerup refineries. Fears had grown that the operations could be hit hard by alumina’s 12-month price fall from $US350 a tonne to $US200 a tonne. But it is AWAC’s Point Comfort refinery in Texas that is to take the big hit, again, with Alcoa (AWAC’s manager) saying its remaining 810,000 tonnes of capacity would drop out by the end of the June quarter. All up, AWAC is to idle one million tonnes of capacity. Where the additional 190,000 tonnes of capacity that is to be idled will come from was not...
Aluminium supporting new LED sign in Manchester
A new outdoor LED digital sign in Manchester, U.K., is using aluminium as its structural framework, according to an announcement from systems manufacturer Boldman. Work recently concluded on the 13.9-meter by 7.8-meter Printworks outdoor screen in Manchester; it follows on from two identical 11.5-meter by 4.8-meter screens at Heathrow Terminal 2. Both screens are to be used as high-profile advertising space, the company said. The Printworks is an urban entertainment venue, with the screen located on the exterior of the 19th century building making 916,923 impacts every two weeks. The screen has a pixel pitch of 10 mm and a brightness of 6,000 nits. The Printworks screen was manufactured using an Oblik spaceframe structure framework designed by Alan White Design. It was constructed from...
NAPCO signed as official aluminium extruder for Oman's premium resort project
National Aluminium Products Company SAOG (NAPCO), one of the leading extruders of aluminium profiles in the GCC, has announced that it was the official extruder for the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort located 2,000 meters above sea level on Saiq Plateau in the Al Jabal Al Akhdar area, set to open in 2016. The company was appointed by a renowned European firm known for its revolutionized architectural aluminium concepts, to extrude doors and windows for the premier resort by Thai luxury hospitality brand Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas. Robert Holtkamp, CEO, NAPCO, said: "NAPCO extended its extruding services to the soon-to-open Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort in Oman. We are delighted to see a surge in new luxury commercial properties in the country and will continue to offer our...
Japan's aluminium imports seen falling as buyers trim Q1 purchases
Japan's aluminium imports are expected to shrink for a second year running in 2016, after buyers skipped or trimmed purchases for January-March shipments due to still-high levels of local inventory. The expected drop in imports could help trim domestic aluminium stocks by March by about 100,000 tonnes to around 300,000 tonnes, pushing up surcharges for physical delivery of aluminium in Japan, industry sources said. Japan is Asia's biggest importer of the metal and the premiums for primary metal shipments it agrees to pay each quarter over the London Metal Exchange (LME) cash price set the benchmark for the region. Imports have been declining since stocks at the country's three major ports hit a record high of 502,200 tonnes in May last year due to an influx of excess cheap semi-fabricated...
Noranda Aluminum idles two of three production lines due to electric outage
Following an electric supply circuit failure which occurred Thursday last week, Noranda Aluminum idled two of three aluminium smelting potlines at its New Madrid smelter. No serious injuries were reported. Noranda, the largest buyer of Ameren Missouri electricity, had bought around 10 percent of the power the utility produced in 2014. Noranda has annouced no probable date and time by which it will be in a position to restart the two downed production lines. It has been reported to be "evaluating" its ability to meet customer commitments for primary aluminium produced at the New Madrid smelter. "Accordingly, the company is taking steps to move to a one pot line operation and to adjust staffing and other activities to match this lower level of production at the smelter," an official said....
Aluminium moves up on pick up in demand
Alminium prices rose by INR 2 per kg at the non-ferrous metals market in India on Saturday ast week due to pick up in demand from consuming industries amid a firm global trend. Traders apart from pick up in demand from consuming industries, reports of a firm global trend mainly led to the rise in aluminium prices. In the national capital, aluminium ingots, sheet cutting, wire scrap and utensils scrap were up by INR 2 each to INR 142, INR 138, INR 138 and INR 136 per kg respectively.
Alba breaks all-time record on sales & production
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) has surpassed its annual sales' record of 931,526 metric tonnes (mt) in 2014 when its sales figures rose by 2.2% year-on-year (YoY) to reach 951,944 mt while production figures topped 960,643 mt up by 3.1% YoY versus 931,427 mt in 2014. For the fourth quarter of 2015, sales figures grew by 4.2% YoY to stand at 252,582 mt versus 242,322 mt in Q4 2014; production figures reached 243,614 mt, an increase of 9,695 mt as compared to the same period of 2014. In addition, Alba managed to close 2015 with its Value-Added (VA) sales averaging 64% of total shipments versus 66% in 2014. Commenting on Alba's sales and production for 2015, Alba's Chief Executive, Tim Murray said: "We are delighted to be celebrating yet another record in sales and production despite the...
USD 80m can manufacturing plant to be set up in Pakistan's Faisalabad
The United Kingdom’s Ashmore Fund will invest $80 million in setting up the first aluminium and steel can manufacturing plant in Pakistan. The factory will be set up in the Faisalabad Industrial Estate, said the Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amer Salem. He said it will be the first-ever international-standard tin packaging plant in Pakistan. Ashmore Fund has already registered as a company in Pakistan with the name of Pakistan Aluminium Beverage Cans Limited. The UK-based company has bought 24 acres of land to install the mega unit of tin packaging, he added. Currently, Pakistan meets its tin packaging requirements through imports. In September 2014, Ashmore Head of Research Jan Dehn had disclosed his intention to...
Pahang moratorium could hike sluggish bauxite prices
The decision of the Malaysian government to impose a moratorium on bauxite mining here could trigger a rise in market price of the mineral after experiencing falling prices in the past five months. Pahang Iron Ore Operators Association chairman Datuk Seri Tengku Zulkifli Tengku Ahmad said the huge stockpiles of the mineral in the international market caused the price of bauxite to fall from US$29 (RM127) per tonne to US$23. “It looks like the moratorium has its positive and negative impacts on mining operators. On the positive aspect, we could see a rise in the price of bauxite and miners need not worry as the moratorium is only for three months and bauxite would not get spoilt," he said. He was speaking to Bernama on the three-month moratorium on bauxite mining following worsening...
Odisha CM bats for Karlapat bauxite mine lease to OMC
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today requested Union Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to grant OMC (Odisha Mining Corporation) the lease and prospecting license of Karlapat bauxite mine. OMC has already applied for the lease of 1848 hectares of explored area and prospecting license for 1157 hectares of explored area of the mine, informed Patnaik to Tomar in a high level meeting held at the Secretariat today. Both the leaders also discussed speeding up the renewal of pending mining leases. Only 80 out of 400 major mineral mines in Odisha are operational at present. Besides, the Central and State Governments have in-principle approved the allocation of Pottangi mines for NALCO and prospecting license (PL) of Thakurani mines for SAIL. “In-principle approval for allocation of...
AEC and ET Foundation offer ET seminar proceedings for sale
For nearly 50 years, aluminium extrusion technology breakthroughs have been delivered through the International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar series, the premier educational event for the aluminium extrusion industry. Now the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) has made available for sale The Proceedings from the past International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminars (ET Seminars) on the website at www.AEC.org, including - for the first time - individual papers that are available to purchase. A link to the Seminar Proceedings for sale is also available on the website for the Eleventh International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar (ET '16) at www.ET16.org. The International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminars are well known in the aluminium extrusion industry as the...
Ess Dee Aluminium shares dip as rating agency downgrades debt
Ess Dee Aluminium has dipped 16% to INR 216 on the BSE after rating agency CARE downgraded the company’s debt. “CARE has revised rating assigned to bank facilities of Ess Dee Aluminium. The ratings for fund-based long term bank facilities worth INR 180 crore and long term non-convertible debentures of INR 30 crore to D from BBB- each,” the rating agency said in a release dated January 6, 2016. It also revised rating for non-fund-based short term bank facilities worth INR 335 crore to D from A3. The rating agency said the revision in the ratings of Ess Dee Aluminium Limited takes in to account the ongoing delays in debt servicing owing to the strained liquidity position. Since November 9, 2015 the stock declined 33% from INR 323 after the company reported consolidated net loss of INR 15.44...
