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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WEEKLY: China's thermal coal market softens on bloated inventories
As of November 28, Mysteel's assessment for the benchmark 5,500 kcal per kg thermal coal at China's northern ports reached RMB 821per tonne (USD 116.8per tonne), down RMB 9per tonne from a week ago. The 5,000 kcal per kg and 4,500 kcal per kg NAR grades reached RMB 721per tonne and RMB 625per tonne, down RMB 16per tonne and RMB 13per tonne, respectively. All prices are on a FOB basis with 13per cent VAT included. Last week, coal inventories continued to build at northern transfer ports, raising concerns that authorities will mandate traders to accelerate cargo offloading to release room for new arrivals. In fact, some ports have required traders to secure buyer contracts before approving new train transport schedules. As of Friday, the eight northern ports that Mysteel surveys had 25.29...
America’s FRP market Part 1: Consumption to grow 15.29% CAGR through 2030 amid production uncertainty
Flat-rolled aluminium products (FRP), excluding aluminium foil, are no longer just another industrial material — they’ve become part of the machinery that keeps modern life running. They are everywhere: in electric cars, in the hardware behind renewable-energy systems, packaging, etc. As industries chase lighter, recyclable and more energy-efficient solutions, FRP has slipped into a central role almost by default. What’s striking is how quickly demand has climbed. With sustainability rules tightening and manufacturing in emerging economies expanding at full tilt, consumption has been rising at a pace rarely seen in metals. Global FRP demand is on track to jump from 20.33 million tonnes in 2020 to 40.30 million tonnes by 2030, and further rise by 6.82 per cent CAGR through 2032, which...
One month to CBAM: what’s in, what’s out, who pays, and how the aluminium industry must prepare
When the European Union rolled out its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in 2023, a few energy-intensive industries felt the tremors more. Aluminium was one of them, while the rest were iron and steel, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen, and electricity industries. For them, CBAM appeared not just as another climate regulation but as a structural shift in its basic operational values. Apparently, CBAM is a bespoke tariff policy designed to target imported goods with high carbon emissions. But its underlying goal is also to introduce a level playing field in the domestic market by imposing the same carbon costs on importers that indigenous manufacturers pay under the ETS (Emissions Trading System). Among all the sectors caught in the net, aluminium and iron/steel are poised for the most...
India & 2050 aluminium prospect: demand is certain, India’s advantage isn’t
By mid-century, aluminium is set to become one of the defining industrial commodities of the energy transition. Long-range modelling (like Marshall’s Equilibrium Model) points in the same direction, i.e., global aluminium demand could grow by around 80 per cent by 2050 compared with 2020. According to World Economic Forum reports, within that aggregate picture, one recent macro-model of primary aluminium fundamentals suggests that demand for primary metal alone could approach 110 million tonnes by 2050, even as a rising share of total use is met by recycled metal. Image for representational purpose only Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Those projections are not abstract for India. The country is already the world’s...
WEEKLY: China's alumina prices soften further, inventories hit new high
Mysteel assessed the national average spot price for metallurgical-grade alumina with purity above 98.6 per cent at RMB 2,851 per tonne (USD 403 per tonne) on November 27, marking a marginal 0.3 per cent drop from a week earlier. During the same week, alumina stocks reached another all-time high. According to Mysteel's latest survey, as of November 27, total alumina inventories across ten major Chinese ports, 44 alumina producers, 89 primary aluminium smelters, and rail yards or in transit had increased for the 26th consecutive week to 4.94 million tonnes, rising by 1.2 per cent on week and renewing the highest level since the survey began in January 2022. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Contributing most to the continued...
As the US and EU ring-fencing aluminium scrap through targeted measures, will Asia withstand the supply pressure?
Aluminium scrap has quietly become one of the most protected raw materials in the world specially in United States and the European Union — not through restrictions, but through deliberate exemptions. Washington has carved scrap out of Section 232 tariffs even as it tightened duties on primary aluminium, lifting the tariff rate to 50 per cent by June 2025. The split treatment is intentional. The US has a domestic primary metal shortage of nearly four million tonnes a year, and secondary smelters can expand only if scrap continues to flow in duty-free. Europe has taken a parallel — but more climate-driven — route. Aluminium scrap is excluded from the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which places carbon prices on primary and semi-finished imports but assigns zero emissions to...
Strong metal packaging market in North America and Europe reflects through Ardagh’s Q3 earnings
Ardagh Group, a global supplier of packaging solution, has turned in a solid set of numbers for the third quarter of 2025 ended September 30, riding on resilient demand for packaging across Europe and the Americas. Here metal packaging was star of the show overlooking glass that let Ardagh saw an uptick in Q3 performance. Metal packaging emerged as the star performer in Q3 For the three months ended September 30, the Group’s revenue resulted in USD 2,504 million in three months, up by 4.86 per cent from USD 2,388 million a year ago. While glass packaging in North America slipped 2.4 per cent, metal packaging held its ground with an increase of 8.4 per cent from USD 741 million to USD 803 million. Even in Europe, the revenue from metal packaging saw a staggering rise of 9.3 per cent from...
Global rare earth reserve, production and consumption scenario: A real-time check
In the 19th century, steel became the backbone of global industrial strategy. In the 20th century, it was oil. And, in the 21st century, it is the rare earth elements. 17 metallic elements from the periodic table, chemically similar and physically unremarkable to the eye, have become the scaffolding of electric vehicles, wind turbines, fighter jets, smartphones, navigation systems, medical devices, modern weapons and everything else that powers clean energy, digital connectivity and national defence. They are the ingredients behind the magnets that spin a wind turbine’s rotor, the catalysts that refine fuels, the phosphors that light an aircraft cockpit, and the polishing compounds that perfect wafer-thin lenses. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports...
India aims for 68% renewable and nuclear power capacity by 2032 - what should aluminium smelters do about energy mix?
India is exactly in the middle of energy transition, with its non-fossil fuel capacity exceeding 50 per cent of the national power mix. By 2032, the aim is to achieve 68 per cent of renewable and nuclear power capacity of the total energy mix. With this, the wake-up call for energy-intensive industries becomes explicit that the adoption of renewable energy is no longer optional. Particularly for the aluminium industry, which is one of the most electricity-hungry industrial sectors, the implications are sharp, but the path is far from straightforward. India’s reliance on coal and why so Not judging, but Indian aluminium industry is still heavily reliant on coal-fired electricity for its operations. Reasons are many, such as the need for round –the-clock power supply. An aluminium smelter...
Asia (Ex-China) and Africa reports 4.84MT aluminium and 10.68MT alumina output amid rising domestic demand
The aluminium sector across Africa and Asia (excluding China) has been gathering strength for three years now, and the momentum has carried cleanly into 2025. Over the first nine months of the year, the two regions produced 4.84 million tonnes of primary aluminium, supported by steady monthly output in the 504–544 thousand-tonne range and daily averages holding between 17.3 and 17.5 thousand tonnes. That consistency pushed cumulative production 1.55 per cent higher than in 2024 and 3.70 per cent above 2023, signalling a supply base that has become both more resilient and more predictable. According to International Aluminium Association, the quarterly numbers show the same quiet climb. The 2025, began with 1.59 million tonnes in Q1, edged up to 1.61 million tonnes in Q2, and reached 1.63...
United States clean energy spending reaches a new high on EV surge, solar boom, and rising aluminium usage
The United States closed the third quarter of 2025 with a record investment of USD 75 billion in renewable energy, suggesting a rapid momentum in the country’s energy transition efforts. Figures compiled by the Clean Investment Monitor (CIM) show a similar trend, with spending on clean energy rising 9 per cent from the previous quarter and 8 per cent compared with Q3 last year. The momentum extends across the year with USD 279 billion invested in clean vehicles (zero emission vehicles), carbon management, building electrification and clean power deployment, contributing to 6 per cent annual increase, reveals CIM. A snapshot of a rapidly expanding market Based on the nationwide records covering 22,000 manufacturing and energy facilities, five million zero-emission vehicle registrations, 28...
GACC: China's Oct aluminium scrap imports up 2 per cent M-o-M, 19 per cent Y-O-Y
Last month, Thailand held its position as the top aluminium scrap supplier to China, with shipments jumping 16.5 per cent on year to 26,708 tonnes, accounting for 16.9 per cent of China's total imports, but the volume slumped by 33.6 per cent from the previous month. It's worth noting that aluminium scrap imported from the UK increased substantially in October, leaping by 29.3 per cent on a month and 45.4 per cent on year to 21,844 tonnes, making it the second-largest supplier of the material to China, GACC data showed. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain The large increase in last month's imports was driven mainly by a steady growth in demand for this scrap material among Chinese secondary aluminium manufacturers, Mysteel Global...
15 countries make it to the headline of Global EV sales 2025 with 90% contribution
World electric vehicle sales in October stood at 1,783,000 units, growing 10.5 per cent year-on-year. The cumulative sales of electric vehicles from January to October 2025 have been calculated to cross 16.5 million with a 23 per cent rise as compared to YTD 2024 (Jan-Oct). In this, China has remained the leading power with 10.3 million sales for the ten months (up 22 per cent), Europe saw 3.4 million sales with a 32 per cent hike, North America sold 1.6 million units, which was 4 per cent higher than the number for the same period last year. The rest of the world registered 1.3 million sales with over 48 per cent boost as compared to YTD 2024, shared RHO motion. Image source: https://www.strategyand.pwc.com/ Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across...
Beyond the ore: How Rio Tinto is rebuilding lives and reshaping communities across the globe
There is another side to Rio Tinto that exists far from its mine sites — a steady, growing effort to support the people and communities round the globe. This year, during the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, the company renewed its involvement with organisations that help women, children and 2SLGBTQ+ survivors rebuild their lives. This year marks the sixth consecutive time it has stepped forward to support these groups. The company has put USD 400,000 into supporting 15 organisations across Canada that offer shelter, counselling, education and other essential services. With this latest round, its total contribution since 2020 now reaches USD 2.335 million. One of the long-standing partners, SOS violence conjugale, has used the support to modernise its tools and...
Modern technology’s role in metal packaging quality testing
The evolution of testing technology is presenting manufacturers with opportunities to build resilience, optimise production and protect brand integrity. But what do these technological advances mean in practice, and how can operations adapt intelligently? Here, Stefan Welker, strategic segment manager, rigid packaging at Industrial Physics, shares his insights. As metal packaging manufacturers navigate increasing complexity, from global supply chain disruptions to sustainability targets and skilled labour shortages, quality assurance has taken on renewed strategic importance. While compliance remains a baseline requirement, many in the industry are beginning to see quality testing differently: not as a gatekeeper, but as a gateway. As a result, many are shifting away from traditional...
WEEKLY: China's alumina stocks reach new high, output remains stable
China's alumina inventories mounted further during the November 14-20 week, with stocks as of November 20 refreshing a new all-time record high, as they have for the past four weeks, Mysteel data show. But despite the persistent supply surplus, production of the raw material remained largely stable last week, as most producers had to maintain normal operations to meet term contract obligations and secure opportunities to conclude new contracts. According to Mysteel's survey, total alumina stocks across the ten major Chinese ports, 44 alumina producers, 89 primary aluminium smelters, and rail yards or in transit monitored by Mysteel increased for the 25th consecutive week to 4.88 million tonnes as of November 20, up by a tiny 0.9 per cent from the previous week but still making for the...
Investment viability check: Surinamese bauxite’s rise, fall and the prospect of resurgence
Suriname is one of those countries that quietly sits on the world map, half-hidden under a canopy of forests, rivers and rain-soaked roads that rarely make it to global headlines. Yet at one point in the twentieth century, this small nation punched far above its weight in the aluminium value chain. Ask anyone old enough in Paramaribo and they’ll tell you how bauxite once shaped Suriname’s identity just as much as its rivers and rainforest. The irony is that today, those same forests and the difficulty of reaching its interior have become the very reasons investors hesitate. Image source - Drone Suriname by Max Breinburg Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain Even now, when you fly into Suriname, you can almost sense the potential...
Global aluminium extrusion market stabilises in 2025 as China rises, Europe slows, and growth builds across Asia, Americas and MEA
As 2025 draws to a close, the aluminium extrusion industry finds itself steadier than it started, as global usage is expected to settle at 35.25 million tonnes, just above 34.27 million tonnes in 2024, a modest 2.8 per cent increase that reflects stability in a market still navigating post-pandemic aftershocks. The pressures haven’t eased: geopolitical tensions continue to shift unpredictably, construction activity remains slower than before 2020, major economies struggle to regain momentum, and energy costs stay elevated. If 2024 proved anything, it’s that China’s grip on the aluminium extrusion market is as firm as ever. The country accounted for around 65 per cent of global usage that year - an extraordinary share by any measure. Europe follows next, then the Rest of Asia Pacific, and...
