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...
Grow with
AL Circle
Rexam PLC announces its Half Year results 2015
Rexam PLC, a leading global beverage can maker, and business partners to some of the world’s most famous and successful consumer brands announced its results for the first half of 2015. Key Highlights: • Beverage can volumes including UAC up 3% (2% organic) • Organic2 underlying operating profit down 9%, primarily due to higher metal premium • Interim dividend unchanged at 5.8p • Ball offer proceeding as planned, timetable unchanged Commenting, Graham Chipchase, Rexam’s chief executive, said: “Results for the half year were in line with our expectations. Trading in the first half was strong in Europe and the Rest of the World, but with some weakness in the Middle East. In the Americas, standard cans continued to decline whilst specialty cans continued to grow. Our operating profit was...
Hindalco seeks RBI’s 5/25 protection
Non-ferrous metals producer Hindalco is in talks with banks to refinance around R7,000 crore of loans for two projects - Aditya Aluminium and Utkal Alumina International (UAIL) - under the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) 5/25 scheme, two bankers aware of the development told FE. “Although the company’s financials are not really stressed at the moment and it has been repaying its loans on schedule, it wants to free up some liquidity by stretching loan repayments,” a banker explained, adding that the refinance has not yet been approved. The Aditya Aluminium project comprises a R13,000-crore smelter-power plant complex at Lapanga in Sambalpur district of Odisha with a smelter capacity of 3,60,000 tonnes. The UAIL project in Rayagada district, Odisha, comprises a 1.5 million tonnes per annum...
Severe frost delays bauxite shipment from Tasmania's new mine
Operations in Bald Hill mine, Australian Bauxite's newest aluminium ore mine near Campbell Town, Tasmania are being hit badly by severe frosts that have been bringing temperatures below average over the last couple of months. Workers are facing difficulty coping with the unexpected ice. This has led to delay of the first shipment of bauxite from the mine by about six weeks. Ian Levy, Managing Director, Bald Hill said that he was waiting for the arrival of spring that would help the frost to thaw making screening process much easier. He was hopeful that the production rate at the mine would accelerate in summer. "It'll be a rush to accumulate a good stockpile so that we can be an all-round shipper of high quality material, even in the winter months," he said. There is no real monsoon in...
Aluminium up 60 paise on global trend
Aluminium futures traded a shade higher at INR 104.50 per kg, largely in tandem with a firming trend in base metals at the London Metal Exchange (LME). Besides, increased demand at domestic spot markets also influenced prices. At Multi Commodity Exchange, aluminium for delivery this month rose 60 paise to INR 104.50 per kg in a business turnover of 544 lots. Metal for delivery in August contracts also rose by a similar margin to trade at INR 106.20 per kg in 51 lots. Market analysts said the rise in aluminium prices in futures trade was mostly due to a firming trend in base metals at the LME and rising demand at the domestic spot market here.
Alumina Limited downgraded by Goldman Sachs to sell
Goldman Sachs cut shares of Alumina Limited from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday morning. Goldman Sachs has also modified their ratings on a number of other stocks in the few days. The firm lowered its price target on shares of Lloyds Banking Group PLC from $90.00 to $89.00. They have a neutral rating on that stock. Also, Goldman Sachs lowered its price target on shares of Lloyds Banking Group PLC from GBX 90 ($1.40) to GBX 89 ($1.38). They have a neutral rating on that stock. Finally, Goldman Sachs raised its price target on shares of British American Tobacco plc from GBX 3,170 ($49.20) to GBX 3,230 ($50.13). They have a neutral rating on that stock. A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Credit...
Aluminum foil imports from Russia to the EU to be subjected to anti-dumping tax
Aluminum foil, imported from Russia to countries in the EU, will be subject to a provisional anti-dumping duty, according to the Official Journal of the European Union. The 34% tax will cover imports of foil rolls, originating in Russia, of a weight exceeding 10kg, with a thickness of the sheets of not less than 0.008mm and not more than 0.018mm. Evidence of dumping The proceeding was initiated following a complaint lodged on August 25, 2014 by AFM Aluminiumfolie Merseburg, Alcomet, Eurofoil Luxembourg, Hydro Aluminium Rolled Products and Impol d.o.o. (‘the complainants’) on behalf of producers representing more than 25% of the total Union production of aluminium foils. The complaint contained prima facie evidence of dumping of the said product and of resulting material injury that was...
ZTE introduces Star 3 premium handset having an exclusive aluminum built
ZTE has released a number of really compelling, high-end devices this year, including the Nubia Z9, Nubia Z9 Max and the ZTE Axon variants. The company has, however, announced yet another press conference quite recently, and scheduled it for July 29th, which is today. It was rumored that the company plans to announce the ZTE V5, a handset which has leaked quite recently. Well, has announced that handset, but it’s not called ZTE V5, but ZTE Star 3, a naming which we’ve heard plenty of times thus far. The ZTE Star 3 features a 5.5-inch 1080p (1920 x 1080, 401 PPI) display, and it is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 615 64-bit octa-core processor running at 1.5GHz which ships with an Adreno 405 GPU. This device will ship with 2GB of RAM and 16 GB of expandable internal storage (expandable up...
Rexam expands design centre capabilities
Following successful launches last year, Rexam has expanded design capabilities in its UK and Russian Design Centres. The investment in Luton (UK) sees the installation of a fully operational design reproduction studio, whilst new state of the art technology is now available in the Russian centre based in Moscow. The new in-house design capabilities at Luton, offer a simplified design process for not only creation of designs, but also full design reproduction. This investment now enables the customer to collaborate with Rexam experts through every step of the process, from design creation, ink rematching, colour separation and design reproduction, right through to proof can production. Rexam now leads the industry, as the only beverage can maker to currently provide a full suite of design...
Regeneration project in Scotland chooses aluminium building systems
A high-specification glass and aluminium façade has been created using advanced Wicona-brand curtain walling solutions for a £24 million regeneration project overlooking the River Clyde in Glasgow. The new administrative headquarters for Police Scotland will provide Grade “A” office accommodation for more than 1,000 officers and civilian staff. Designed by Cooper Cromar Architects and built by Morgan Sindall, Riverside East forms part of Clyde Gateway – Scotland’s largest and most ambitious regeneration project which is delivering a physical, social and economic transformation on either side of the Clyde in the east end of Glasgow and South Lanarkshire. Constructed to the highest possible technical and environmental specifications, the building’s design had to respond to specific...
Hind Aluminium Industries Ltd board recommends final dividend of 15% for 2014-15
The Board of Directors of Hind Aluminium Industries Ltd at its meeting held on May 30, 2015, have recommended a Final Dividend of 15% on the equity shares of the Company for the year ended March 31, 2015. (Previous year @ 15%). The Register of Members & Share Transfer Books of the Company will remain closed from August 25, 2015 to August 27, 2015 (both days inclusive) for the purpose of Payment of Final Dividend & Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company. Shares of HIND ALUMINIUM INDUSTRIES LTD. was last trading in BSE at Rs.67 as compared to the previous close of Rs. 67.1. The total number of shares traded during the day was 1308 in over 17 trades. The stock hit an intraday high of Rs. 68.7 and intraday low of 64.5. The net turnover during the day was Rs. 87543.
Rusal sees 2015 aluminum output to be flat with 2014
Rusal has no intention of restarting aluminum smelters idled in 2013 and sees its aluminum output this year to be flat with 2014, it said in its quarterly report. The aluminum giant produced 908,000 tonnes of aluminum in Q2, up 0.8% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) and 1.1% year-on-year. However, its aluminum sales fell 5.1% QoQ to 880,000 tonnes in Q2. It attributes the decline to higher-than-normal sales in Q1 2015. The average price fell 7.7% QoQ to $ 2,124 per tonne in Q1, due to lower LME cash prices and falling physical premiums across key export markets.
Global slump in bauxite demand leads to stockpile rise to 70,000 tonnes
In the face of declining demand for bauxite, worldwide, a total quantity of 70,000 tonnes of the ore valued at about $1.4 million is reported to have been stockpiled at the Aurum Exploration (Fiji) Ltd in Nawailevu, Bua. Mr Derek Qiu, executive Aurum Exploration said about half of the mining operations across the world would close if the situation persisted. The company reported of having only two shipments this year against a standard six or seven that were done in the previous years. Mr Qiu attributed this lowering in number of shipment to the negative demand scenario of bauxite in the global marketplace. The company is also feeling the heat due to economic slowdown that is prevailing all over the world and sharp decline in prices of other ores, he said. Aluminium prices had indeed...
Alba H1 results jump but industry is facing strong headwinds
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) announced the release of its second quarter and first half of 2015 results on Wednesday, July 29, 2015. Commenting on Q2 & H1 2015 Results, the Chairman of Alba’s Board of Directors, Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa: “Alba was able to outperform the industry and continue to deliver on Safety. We plan to use this positive momentum as we gear-up for Line 6 Expansion Project which will make Alba the largest single-site aluminium smelter in the world.” Alba’s Chief Executive Officer, Tim Murray added: “Alba continues to excel in what we control -- which is Safety, Production and Cost. As we look ahead for the remainder of 2015, we see a large drop in the all-in-aluminium prices; however, we expect to deliver solid results despite these challenges.” Alba's...
Vedanta Limited announces Q1 Results
Vedanta Limited (formerly known as Sesa Sterlite Ltd./Sesa Goa Ltd) today announced its unaudited consolidated results for the first quarter ended 30 June 2015. A summary of the results below: Financial Highlights: • Revenues at INR 16,952 crore • EBITDA at INR 4,039 crore is flat sequentially; EBITDA margin1 at 31%, improvement sequentially from 28% • Attributable PAT at INR 866 crore, 76% higher sequentially • Strong balance sheet with Cash & Cash Equivalents of over INR 47, 000 crore Aluminium section reports record quarterly aluminium production notwithstanding domestic and international weaker markets. Mr. Tom Albanese, Chief Executive Officer, Vedanta Limited, said: "In Q1 we saw continued volatility in commodity prices, but Zinc has held up quite well in view of its strong...
AAMA releases updated aluminum finishes documents
The American Architectural Manufacturers Association, Schaumburg, Illinois, updated and released two documents specific to aluminum finishes: AAMA 612-15 and AAMA 2603-15. AAMA 612 describes test procedures and performance requirements for architectural quality combined finishes of anodic oxide sealed with a transparent organic coating, commonly referred to as the “combined coatings,” applied to aluminum extrusions and panels for architectural products. Similarly, AAMA 2603 covers procedures and requirements for pigmented organic coatings applied to aluminum extrusions and panels. This standard covers factory-applied coatings only. According to Spectrum Metal Finishing’s Neil Chrisman, chair of the AAMA Aluminum Material Council (AMC) Finishes Committee, both of these documents needed to...
Noranda announces special meeting to seek stockholder approval of reverse stock split
Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation announced today that it has received written notice from the New York Stock Exchange that the Company is not in compliance with one of the NYSE's continued listing standards because the average closing price of its common stock was less than $1.00 per share over a 30 consecutive trading day period. The Company also announced today that it has set August 24, 2015 as the date it will hold a special meeting of stockholders to seek approval of an amendment to its amended and restated certificate of incorporation that would effect a previously announced proposal for a 1-for-7 reverse stock split of its common stock (the "reverse stock split") and a similar reduction in the number of authorized shares of its common stock. Proxy materials regarding the...
Bauxite miners' land title claims in Solomon Islands declared legal
The land title claims by two bauxite mining companies in Rennel and Bellona Province in Solomon Islands have been declared legal by the attorney general. Bintan Company Ltd and Asia Pacific Investment Development have been embroiled in complicated battles for land and mining rights which have resulted in the sackings of at least one minister and several staff from the Ministry of Mines. James Apaniai's declaration comes after the Renbell provincial government and the West Rennell council of chiefs and landowners questioned the validity of both companies land title claims. Mr Apaniai says both companies have legally acquired the titles for their respective holdings.
Jinjiang Group to build 2 Mln-tpy aluminum project in Guizhou
Jinjiang Group has reached a consensus with the government of Qianxinan Prefecture, Guizhou Province, to build a coal-electricity- aluminum project in Xingren County. The vertical project consists of 2 million-tpy aluminum liquid, 4 million KW power generating units and supporting aluminum processing facilities. The project will be built in three phases, with phase one targeting 500,000-tpy aluminum liquid production.
