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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Vedanta looking to clinch domestic deals to cut alumina imports
After degrading capacity of its one million tonne alumina refinery at Lanjigarh by 35%, Vedanta is looking at options to source alumina from the domestic market to cut its dependence on high cost alumina imports. To feed its smelting unit at Jharsuguda, Vedanta is in talks with Aditya Birla Group promoted Hindalco Industries and Anrak Aluminium ( a joint venture between Andhra Pradesh based Penna Group of Industries and Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority of UAE) for sourcing alumina. "We are in talks with players like Hindalco and Anrak Aluminium. Hindalco has assured us 25,000 tonne of alumina supply in the next three months. Anrak would be in a position to offer alumina after it commences bauxite mining. Vedanta is looking at all possible options to cut cost of its aluminium business",...
Alba on track to meet its production growth targets
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), one of the world’s leading aluminium smelters, is on track to exceed its annual production growth targets according to a statement issued by the Chairman of Alba’s Board of Directors, Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa. The statement was made following the third quarterly meeting for the year 2015, which was held on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at Alba. The Board approved the appointment of Khalid A. Latif as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) with immediate effect. The Board also approved the 2016 Marketing Plan, the half-yearly financial statements along with the recommendation to distribute interim cash dividends of BD 7.77 million (US$ 20.66 million). The Chairman of Alba’s Board of Directors, Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa said: “I,...
ALFED's Alutomotive Group meeting held at Morgan Cars in Malvern
The first meeting of ALFED's recently-formed Alutomotive Group took place in September at Morgan Cars in Malvern. The meeting, which featured presentations by Professor David Bailey of Aston University and Patrik Ragnarsson of European Aluminium, was attended by more than 20 Members and guests. The meeting was followed by a factory tour and the opportunity to drive Morgan Cars.
Lightweight vehicles demand to spur growth of aluminium in global automotive industry
The market for aluminium in the global automotive industry is likely to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% over 2015-2020, a recently published market report data reveals. A high demand for lightweight vehicles will catalyse the growth across major economies of the world. The demand of lightweight vehicles is highly influenced by factors such as high fuel price, government regulations (CAFÉ and Euro emission standards), and environmental impacts (carbon footprint). Aluminium is the fastest growing material in the automotive industry, as it offers the cost-effective way to boost fuel economy and reduce carbon emissions. Asia Pacific (APAC) has been identified as the the top region in terms of total automotive aluminium consumption, followed by North America, Europe, and Rest of the World (ROW) in...
Sumitomo Electric readies improved aluminum wire harness
Sumitomo Electric Industries has developed an automotive wire harness from a special aluminum alloy that is strong enough and skinny enough to replace around 70% of all copper wire harnesses now used in a car, including in the engine compartment and doors. The average modern car with all its electronic control systems is equipped with around 1,000 wire harnesses. Typically made from copper, they collectively add around 20-30kg to a vehicle's weight. The new aluminum harness weighs half as much as a conventional harness, enabling automakers to trim the added weight to 10-20kg. The Japanese autoparts maker said it has already received unofficial orders from some leading Japanese automakers and plans to begin mass production at the factory of a subsidiary in Japan this year. By 2017, it also...
China bauxite consumption increases on rising alumina production
China’s bauxite consumption has increased on the back of continuous growth in alumina production. During the first eight months of 2015, a total of 92.24 million tonnes (mlnt) of bauxite was used in alumina production. Bauxite consumption hit 12.08 mln t in August, up 15.4% year on year. Consumption of domestic bauxite has grown by 14.7% on year to 7.95 mln t and imports have risen by 16.7% on year to 4.13 mln t. During August, the consumption of domestic bauxite increased by 300kt month on month while the consumption of imported bauxite climbed about 10kt. Xing’an Chemical Co., based in Xiaoyi City, Shanxi Province, resumed production and the second phase of Guizhou Huayin Aluminium Co’s. 800kpty capacity aluminium project come online - both producers using domestic bauxite. Alumina...
CSIRO unveils new Lab-at-Rig technology for mining industry
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has teamed-up with Imdex and Olympus Scientific Solutions Americas, as part of the Deep Exploration Technologies Cooperative Research Centre (DET CRC), to introduce new technology for miners. The new Lab-at-Rig technology enables analysis of chemistry and mineralogy of rocks found within a drill hole within a short space of time after drilling. CSIRO Lab-at-Rig futures project leader Dr Yulia Uvarova said: "Lab-at-Rig is an important breakthrough for the industry because of the potentially massive cost savings in drilling, exploration and overall mining operations. "If mining or exploration companies have real-time information about the mineralogy and chemistry in the drillhole, they can efficiently plan what to do...
StrikoWestofen presents "Schnorkle" and "Westomat Plus+" at GIFA 2015
StrikoWestofen, the market leader for melting, holding and dosing furnaces for lightweight metal casting presented dozens of innovations at GIFA 2015, Düsseldorf. The new “Westomat Plus+” with its optimized technology and its revised design as well as the pneumatic transport and filling system “Schnorkle” were two special highlights. Managing Director Rudi Riedel was very gratified by the reactions of those visiting the booth: “The large sums we have invested in research and development since the last GIFA four years ago were the right strategy. Now we can offer our customers products which meet the considerably higher demands of foundries in an optimum way.” The GIFA 2015 in Düsseldorf focused on the subjects of energy efficiency and the careful handling of resources – the core...
Jinfei Group to invest $157 million in aluminum alloy wheel project
Jinfei Holding Group Co. Ltd recently signed an agreement with the government of Fuyuan County, Yunnan to build aluminum alloy wheel project there.The 1 billion yuan ($157.4 million) project is designed to have a capacity of 5 million pieces of aluminum alloy wheels per annum. Headquartered in the Development Zone of Jinhua City, Jinfei Group excels in making auto parts and high-end technology devices. The production scale of "Jinfei" brand motorcycle wheels, auto wheels and e-bike wheels rank the second, the third and the first in China respectively. The three major products from the company's product portfolio, namely auto wheels, motorcycle wheels and e-bike wheels are supplied to famous domestic OEMs such as Indian Honda, Bajaj, Japan Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, France Peugeot, Italian...
Japan Q4 aluminium premiums set at $90/T
Japan's aluminium premiums for October-December shipments were set at $90 per tonne, down 10 percent from the previous quarter on high domestic inventories and weaker overseas rates, five sources directly involved in the talks said on Wednesday. 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. Two end-user sources and two buyers at trading houses said all deals were done at $90, while a source at one of the producers said most shipments were booked at $90. The fourth-quarter premiums, against $100 per tonne PREM-ALUM-JP paid in the July-September quarter, marked the third straight quarterly decline. Premiums hit a record high of $425 in...
China primary aluminum imports surged 40.65% MoM in August
China’s primary aluminum imports surged 40.65% MoM to 21,800 mt in August, customs data showed. The average SHFE/LME aluminum price ratio rose 3.91% MoM to 7.62 in August, favorable for imports. Aluminum premiums in Asia held largely steady around USD 100/mt in August. In August, primary aluminum imports were largely under two trade modes, namely feeding processing trade and goods in bonded areas (including pilot areas under customs supervision). Primary aluminum imported under these two trade modes is either sold overseas after being processed or stored in bonded zones, rather than being traded in China’s domestic market. China’s primary aluminum imports will grow slower in September, as the average SHFE/LME aluminum price ratio dipped to 7.38 during the first three weeks of the month.
Glencore share plunge casts doubt over future of Aurukun bauxite mine
The shock collapse of Glencore's share price this week has cast doubt over the future of a bauxite mining project in remote Far North Queensland. Shares in the Swiss-based commodities giant plunged 30 per cent on Monday, September 28 after an investment bank warned its stock could become "worthless" if commodity prices fail to recover. As the company pledged to dramatically reduce its $US30 billion debt, resources analysts said Glencore would be reassessing all projects that require more spending to get off the ground. That leaves a question mark over its ambitions to develop a rich bauxite deposit on land belonging to the Wik and Wik Waya people in Aurukun on the western Cape York Peninsula. "At the moment [Glencore] probably has bigger problems inside its balance sheet and that may in...
Altech Chemicals secures Johor land for its High Purity Alumina plant
Altech Chemicals Limited announced that it has now secured land in the Tanjung Langsat Industrial Complex, Johor, Malaysia for its proposed high purity alumina (HPA) plant. The company has reserved a ~4 hectare site in a section of the industrial complex that is set aside for chemical facilities. The site is initially reserved until 30 December 2015 and upon execution of an option to lease, will be leased for a period of thirty years, with an option to renew. The land reservation and option to lease has been secured with a non-refundable deposit of MYR300,000, that is credited against the 30-year lease payment on exercise of the option. As previously announced, the company selected Tanjung Langsat as the location for its proposed HPA plant based on significant economic and developmental...
Century announces continued operation of two potlines at Hawesville, KY Smelter
Century Aluminum of Kentucky, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Century Aluminum Company, today announced that it expects to continue to operate its Hawesville, Kentucky smelter at approximately 40% of capacity (two potlines) following October 24, 2015. Century had previously announced its intent to curtail 100% of its Hawesville operations beginning on October 24th, but now will only reduce its operations to 40% of capacity. The remaining operations at the Hawesville smelter will primarily produce high-purity aluminum and provide molten metal to local customers. Continued operations at 40% of capacity will be dependent on acceptable commercial conditions, including aluminum prices, product premiums and operating costs. "We are pleased to be able to announce that partial operations will...
Sapa molds metal memorial for Tyrell Cameron
A Louisiana manufacturer has created a metal memorial for fallen Franklin Parish Patriot football player Tyrell Cameron. Sapa, an aluminum manufacturer and the largest private employer in the Louisiana Delta, molded an aluminum jersey with Cameron’s name and his number 48 on a Patriot blue background. “It just an effort to show we have an awareness and heart for our community,” said Ron Ballman, Sapa’s general manager for the company’s extrusion and fabricating plants in Delhi. “We wanted to use the tools and material we had to commemorate his life — something permanent and beautiful that might in some small way help the family and community heal.” Cameron, who was a freshman, died after suffering a fatal injury during a Sept. 4 game. Ballman said Sapa employee Michael Joe Spann, the...
Aluminij d.d. Mostar BoD Dismissed; Acting Directors named
The members of the Supervisory Board of Aluminij d.d. Mostar adopted today the Decision on the dismissal of Nikica Ljubic from the position of CEO of the company, and also the entire Board of Directors, i.e., Executive Directors Ivan Grle, Tomislav Lovric and Amar Hadžiomerovic. The session was convened, after the rejection of the proposed Annual Report for 2014 at the last Shareholders' Assembly session of Aluminij, with the aim of vote of confidence for the current Board of Directors. The Decision on dismissal was passed with six votes in favour and one vote against, and the president of the Supervisory Board Dalibor Miloš thanked Nikica Ljubic for his past engagement, pointing out the necessity of those changes, given the fact that the accumulated problems would culminate in a very...
Sohar Aluminium graduates multi-function technicians
Under the patronage of H.E. Hamed bin Khamis Al Amri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Manpower, Sohar Aluminium (SA) proudly graduated two batches of Multi-Functional Technicians during a special ceremony held at Crowne Plaza Sohar. The 55 employees successfully completed a 2 year in-depth development programme at the SA Training Centre which allowed them to be promoted from Operators to Multi-Functional Technicians. On the occasion, Eng. Said bin Mohammed Al Masoudi, CEO of SA, said, “Today marks a very important milestone for Sohar Aluminium as we witness 55 of our employees enhance their professional skills through hard work and dedication but above all, ambition to grow and progress in their careers. Congratulations to one and all.” He added, “From the onset, Sohar Aluminium has...
Granco Clark exhibits at ET'16 Hyatt Regency Hotel, Chicago
Granco Clark, a world leading extrusion equipment manufacturer, will be exhibiting at the ET'16 show at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, May 2-6, 2016. The team with its array of exhibits will be there at ET'16 show at booth 403. From ideas to manufacturing processes to delivering a final product to consumers, innovation makes Granco a leader as a “single source” supplier to extruders. The company works closely with its customers to understand their needs and provide solutions suited to their particular processes. Some of the best-selling brands from Granco Clark's product basket incliude Log Table/Pusher, Log Washer, Hot-Jet Furnace, Hot Saw, FusionBond®, Billet Taper Quench, High-Pressure Spray Quench, Double Pullers, Stretchers, and complete Heating and Handling Equipment.
