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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Nabaltec AG's revenues and earnings increase in the first nine months of 2015
Nabaltec AG, the leading supplier of specialized raw materials for technical ceramics, posted EUR 115.4 million in revenues in the first nine months of 2015, up 5.3% from the year before, and reported a strong gain in operating profit (EBIT) as well, which was up 12.5% to EUR 11.7 million. In general, the company was able to maintain its strong revenue growth in the third quarter, exceeding the comparison value from the year before. The company's product portfolio features industrial compounds such as aluminium oxide, aluminium hydroxide, and ceramic bodies among others, which are used as raw materials in various sectors. Consolidated revenues were up 3.0% in the third quarter of 2015, from EUR 36.5 million in the same quarter of last year to EUR 37.6 million. Typical seasonality had an...
Vedanta seeks Indian government's help to tide over raw material crisis
Faced with acute raw material shortage for its refinery at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district, the Vedanta Group on Tuesday requested the Odisha Government to honour the MoU which assures supply of 150 million tonnes of bauxite for its processing facility in the State. Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the company Abhijit Pati, who discussed the raw material shortage with Chief Secretary GC Pati here, told reporters that the plant was running at 50 per cent capacity and incurring a loss of `3 crore per day in the absence of assured raw material linkage to the plant. Sources said Abhijit Pati requested the Chief Secretary to revive the South West Bauxite Mining Company (Pvt) Ltd, a joint venture (JV) between OMC and Sterlite Industries, India for supply of bauxite from deposits in Kalahandi...
Constellium to build manufacturing facility for automotive structures in Georgia
Constellium N. V. announced today that it will construct a new manufacturing facility in Bartow County, Georgia, in response to growing demand for its automotive structures in North America. This project represents a $20 million investment by Constellium and an additional $12 million investment by developer Seefried Properties, for a total project value of $32 million. Construction of the plant will begin in early 2016 with start of production anticipated in 2017. Constellium expects to create approximately 150 high-tech manufacturing jobs at this location by 2019. “The new Georgia plant demonstrates Constellium’s commitment to work in partnership with automakers in North America and to be near their assembly plants,” said Paul Warton, President of Constellium’s Automotive Structures and...
Malaysia shipped 18,000,370 mt bauxite to China during Jan - Oct 2015
China's total bauxite import grew 74 per cent year-on-year in October and 42.36 per cent during January-October period of 2015. Bauxite import during the first nine months of 2015 stood at 43,363,610 million tonnes (mt), showed data released by the General Administration of Customs. Malaysia ranked as the top bauxite supplier to China. Shipping volume of the aluminium ore from the country stood at 2,173,679 mt in October and at 18,000,370 mt during the January-October period of the current financial year. Malaysia was followed by Australia, the once top supplier of bauxite to China. Australia shipped 16,425,348 mt of the ore during first nine months of 2015. India ranks third in the bauxite suppliers' list published in the Customs report released today. Bauxite shipment to China from the...
Aluminum Extruders Council releases 2015-2016 Buyers’ Guide
The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) has released the latest edition of its popular publication, the AEC Buyers’ Guide. The Buyers’ Guide is a comprehensive directory of AEC aluminum extruder members, and features such information as company headquarters, plant locations, contact information, maximum press circle size, forms produced, and types of services offered. The guide is organized in a convenient format, arranged alphabetically, geographically, and includes an extensive capabilities chart. The Buyers’ Guide also includes listings for AEC Supplier and Producer Members. The Buyers’ Guide also includes valuable content that provides readers with interesting facts about aluminum and aluminum extrusions, and articles highlighting some of the best and latest applications for aluminum...
TaeguTec unveils aluminium cutting high-speed machining solution
TaeguTec recently unveiled the XEVT 16 and 22 for high-speed machining as part of its Chase-Alu family. Aluminium has its challenges but this alloy’s high strength-to-weight ratio makes it an imperative material in many industrial fields, including automotive, aerospace and mould making. Yet, the main problems in machining aluminium remain the formation of built-up edges due to the adhesion of the materials used, Taegutec says. The cutting tool company has tackled these concerns by minimising the tendency of aluminium to stick to the tool cutting edge, ensuring good chip evacuation, and assuring the tool core strength to withstand breaking. Taegutec recently unveiled the XEVT 16 and 22 for high-speed machining as part of the Chase-Alu family that amalgamates the line’s power of machining...
North American Aluminum scrap prices fell on Index
The North American Aluminum scrap prices declined on ScrapMonster Price Index as on November 20th, Friday. 1100 Scrap and 3003 Scrap prices remained unchanged on Index. A down move of $0.01 per Lb was witnessed in 356 Aluminum Wheels and 6061 Extrusions. 5052 Scrap prices too dropped by $0.01 per Lb. 6063 Extrusions and 6063 Extrusions/Fe declined by $0.01 per Lb over the previous day. The prices of Al/Cu Radiators, Aluminum Radiators and Al/Cu Radiators/Fe remained flat over the previous day. Aluminum Radiators/Fe prices went down by $0.01 per Lb. Aluminum Transformer prices held steady on Nov 20th. Breakage 50% Recovery prices remained flat. E.C Aluminum Wire prices too slipped by $0.01 per Lb. The prices of Litho Sheets witnessed decline of $0.01 per Lb. Old Cast and Painted Sliding...
Bauxite mining in Visakhapatnam mired in controversies
Bauxite mining issue in the dense hilly terrains of Visakhapatnam has witnessed several twists and turns ever since the powers-that-be allowed a Dubai-based company to make an aerial survey of bauxite blocks in the region in 2001. Each time the move had triggered a ruckus those in power have announced to make a re-look at the proposal. However, what intrigues many is the fact that despite so many controversies the agreements signed with Jindal South West Aluminium Limited and Anrak Aluminium Limited during 2005-07 to supply bauxite ore by APMDC have not been cancelled. GO suspension Even the State government recently announced the suspension of GO Ms. No. 97 – which give clearance to APMDC to mine in Jerella area instead its withdrawal – a demand being raised consistently by the...
Fiji government approves bauxite mining lease among five other projects
Five mining leases have been approved by the Fiji government. Director of Mineral Resources Malakai Finau says out of the five, only two are currently operating at the moment and that is the Bua bauxite mine and the Vatukoula Gold mine. More than 1 million tonnes of bauxite have been exported so far for Nawailevu. In terms of royalty the department has collected approximately $1.2 million, he said. According to the industry sources, more than 100 workers have been employed by Aurum Exploration Limited. Finau says two other mining leases have also been granted to Asia Pacific Resources Limited for the Wainivesi Gold mine in Korovou, Tailevu and Amex Resources Limited for Iron sand mine at the Ba River.
Wanji Aluminum mulls over 600,000-tpy alumina expansions
China's Luoyang Xiangjiang Wanji Aluminum Co. plans to expand its annual alumina capacity by 600,000 tonnes. Annual alumina capacity of the company is 1.4 million tonnes at present. Expansions by the company are in contrast with others who cut output against losses from falling alumina prices.
Iran outdoes Australia as China’s top primary aluminium supplier
China’s primary aluminium imports zoomed to 34,927 metric tonnes (mt) in October, recording a significant 506.75 percent year-on-year rise, while the first nine months of 2015 saw a 47.57 percent decline in imports, as per data released by the General Administration of Customs. The data released today shows, shipment was highest from Iran. The Middle East country overtook Australia as the major supplier of primary aluminium to China. Imports from Australia declined 71.08 percent y-o-y during the January-October period of 2015. New Zealand also shipped a major volume of primary aluminium to China. Imports from the Kiwis increased to 2,533 mt in October and 17,374 mt during the January-October period of 2015.
Primary aluminium market ended in deficit during Jan - Sep 2015
The latest report published by the World Bureau of Metal Statistics (WBMS) indicates that global primary aluminium market has recorded a deficit during the initial nine months of the year. As per the report, the market reported a deficit of 370,000 tons when matched with the deficit of 654,000 reported during entire year 2014. The production of primary aluminium was up by 7.5% during the nine-month period from January to September this year. The global production rose by 2,986 kt during this period, when compared with a year ago. The total reported stock of metal has declined further by 135,000 tonnes during the month of September. The stocks at the end of the initial nine-month period stood at 4,145 kt, which is sufficient to meet 28 days demand. It must be noted that the stock levels at...
LME announces successful launch of ferrous and premium contracts
The London Metal Exchange (LME) yesterday announced the successful launch of LME Aluminium Premiums, LME Steel Rebar and LME Steel Scrap, the first new contracts to be offered by the Exchange in more than five years. “Today’s announcement highlights the LME’s new approach to market engagement,” says Garry Jones, CEO of the LME. “This has been an extremely customer-focussed product launch, and we have collaborated with participants throughout the metals value chain to ensure we have created contracts that people want to trade.” The new Scrap and Rebar contracts will be traded on LMEselect, allowing industry participants to reduce their risk exposure by hedging more steps in the steel production process. The contracts are cash-settled against physical Turkish scrap and rebar price indexes....
Downstream units 'crucial for aluminium sector,' said EGA officials at Arabal 2015
Development of the downstream aluminium industries in the region will have positive implications for the aluminium sector as a whole, said a senior Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) official. Abdulla Jassem bin Kalban, managing director and CEO at EGA, was speaking at the annual Arab International Aluminium Conference (Arabal), which took place recently in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The Arabal 2015 event, comprising a strategic conference and industry exhibition, focused on the integration of the aluminium upstream and downstream sectors in the GCC, said a statement. On the first day of the conference Kalban participated in a keynote panel discussion on ‘The prospects for the GCC aluminium sector’, it added. In his presentation he focused on the downstream industry in particular, highlighting...
JW Aluminum proactively positions its balance sheet for growth
JW Aluminum Company announced that a majority of its shares have been acquired by a group of leading institutional investors, including business development companies managed by Franklin Square Capital Partners and sub-advised by an affiliate of Blackstone’s GSO Capital Partners LP (“GSO”). The group also provided financing to effect a recapitalization of the company. The recapitalization competitively positions the company in the flat rolled aluminum market, reinforces its status as a long term domestic producer and furthers its ability to deliver exceptional value to its customers. Commenting on the transaction, Chief Executive Officer, Lee McCarter said “With the completion of this transaction, JWA has secured a lower cost capital structure that enhances our competitive position in the...
Gulf Industry Fair to showcase aluminium sector's potential
The importance of the aluminium sector and ‘value added’ products will be showcased at the upcoming Gulf Industry Fair 2016, which will take place in February 2016, in Bahrain. The event will take place from February 9 to 11, at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. Led by Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), one of the world’s leading aluminium smelters, and supported by the Gulf Aluminium Council (GAC), the Aluminium Zone at Gulf Industry Fair 2016 promises to reflect the trends of the global aluminium industry, which continues to drive opportunity for downstream suppliers such as Bahraini companies Balexco, Midal Cables, Ameeri Industries and Turk Mechanical. Alba’s Line 6 Expansion Project, will add approximately 514,000 tonnes to the company’s current annual capacity of...
Qatalum’s aluminium output up 6% above capacity in 2014: CEO
Qatalum’s aluminium production scaled up 6% above the plant’s design capacity in 2014, said CEO Khalid Laram. He was speaking at the Arab International Aluminium Conference and Exhibition (ARABAL) in Dammam, Saudi Arabia recently. Qatalum was the platinum sponsor of the event. On another milestone achieved by the Qatar-based aluminium industry leader, Laram said Qatalum recently achieved the globally recognised environmental ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification. With Qatalum’s ISO/TS 16949 certification for foundry alloy products, it produces premium quality value added products with 60% production being sold to meet the growing and precision orientated automotive sector. “The aluminium industry is growing year on year and the increasing number of milestones Qatalum is able to present...
LME aluminum to fall further to $1,450-1,480 this Week
LME aluminum will fall further to $1,450-1,480 per tonne next week, SMM expects. A firm US dollar amid high expectations for US rate hike this year and concerns over China economic slowdown all bode ill for LME aluminum. Another six Chinese aluminum smelters announced production cuts this past week, but not enough to reverse poor market fundamentals. Positions of SHFE 1602 aluminum, the most active one, were as high as 277,000 as of November 20, many of which are believed to be short bets. SMm expects SHFE 1602 aluminum to drop to 9,650-9,950 yuan per tonne next week. In China’s spot market, despite falling stocks in trading markets, it still takes time for demand to recover. Spot discounts are expected at 80-120 yuan per tonne over SHFE front-month contract.
