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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UC RUSAL invests RUR 160 mln to modernise the VgAZ powder production facilities
UC RUSAL, a leading global aluminium producer, announces that its RUR 160 mln (USD 3 mln), investment programme, which began early in 2015, to modernise powder production at the Volgograd Aluminium Smelter (VgAZ) is progressing as planned. As part of the modernisation, VgAZ is working to expand the range of aluminium powders and pastes used in the production of aerated concrete for the construction industry. A project to develop a grinding unit fitted with a classification system for the production of a wide range of aluminium powders is currently underway. In addition, the commissioning of a mixer unit for the production of hydrophilic pastes with a capacity of 50 tonnes per month is ongoing. VgAZ is undergoing a comprehensive upgrade to its grinding equipment, as well as the...
ALUMINUM USA: premiere well on track Light Metal Age on board as main media partner
The debut of ALUMINUM USA in Detroit on 11 and12 November is fast approaching, and the list of exhibitors and partners is growing steadily. Numerous international companies have registered to participate. With the trade magazine Light Metal Age, the trade show just brought on board a key media partner and additional supporter. Light Metal Age is the most important US magazine dedicated to the primary production and processing of aluminium. The first ALUMNUM USA will take place at the Cobo Center in Detroit on 11 and 12 November. Adding the new trade show to its portfolio, Reed Exhibitions – the world’s largest organiser of trade fairs and conventions – continues to expand its global operations. ALUMINUM USA joins the ALUMINIUM World Trade Fair in Germany (Düsseldorf) and aluminium shows...
Hydro enters into new long-term power contract for Neuss aluminium plant in Germany
Norwegian aluminium company Norsk Hydro ASA’s fully owned subsidiary, Hydro Aluminium Rolled Products GmbH , has secured a power contract with Axpo Trading AG, a Switzerland-based energy company with captive power production and international trading activity, totaling 0,9 TWh (100 MW) annually in the eight year period from 2018 to 2025. The new power contract will replace parts of an existing combination of internal and external power arrangements entered into in 2012, supplying Hydro Neuss primary aluminium plant with a total of 2.2 TWh (250 MW) annually in the period from 2013 to 2017. In the period from 2018 to 2020, the remaining 1.3 TWh (150 MW) of the expiring power sourcing arrangement will be replaced by an internal power contract supplied by Hydro. “Together with ongoing...
Alumina Ltd benefits from Alcoa boost
Australian company Alumina Ltd says it received $US71 million in income in the first half, while its joint venture partner Alcoa has announced a small quarterly earnings boost. Alumina is a 40 per cent partner in the global aluminium giant's Australian interests and its chief executive Peter Wasow in May said its debt was low enough to pass on most earnings to shareholders. Mr Wasow on Thursday said that while margins were strong in the latest quarter, the outlook for third quarter aluminium and alumina prices was weak.
Outotec to deliver two alumina calcination plants to Emirates Global Aluminium in the United Arab Emirates
Outotec to deliver two alumina calcination plants to Emirates Global Aluminium in the United Arab Emirates. Outotec has agreed with Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA") on the design and delivery of two alumina calciners to the alumina refinery that EGA plans to construct in Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi. The contract, valued at over EUR 80 million, has been booked in Outotec's second quarter order intake.
Alcoa raises aluminum surplus forecast on China output
Alcoa Inc., the largest U.S. aluminum producer, more than doubled its estimate for the global supply surplus this year amid increasing output from China. Supply will exceed demand by 762,000 metric tons, the company said Wednesday in its second-quarter earnings presentation. That’s up from an April estimate of 326,000 tons. Total demand is expected to reach 57.5 million tons this year, Alcoa said. The revision was driven by lower expectations of Chinese capacity curtailments, Chief Financial Officer Bill Oplinger said on a conference call. China will add 2.8 million tons of production capacity this year, Alcoa said in the presentation. The country already accounts for half of the world’s aluminum output and is on pace to export record amounts of products made from the lightweight metal...
Alro continues the long-term development strategy
Alro SA, one of the largest aluminium producers in Central and Eastern Europe, invested over USD 500 million to modernize and to increase the efficiency of its operations. The Company will continue to focus on the increase of the production capacity for high added value products and the improvement of the technology. “This year, we celebrate 50 years since we started producing aluminium in Slatina and we are proud that we managed to achieve excellent performances, thanks to our vertical integration strategy and production diversification, focused on high added value aluminium”,said Gheorghe Dobra, General Manager Alro Slatina. “In 50 years we managed to become a major aluminium producer in Central Europe, a trustworthy partner for our clients and suppliers, a responsible employer and a...
Central Square and Swansea Bay Campus contract wins for Dudley's Aluminium
Dudley’s Aluminium is set to finish a third landmark contract in South Wales in just a matter of months with a combined value of £5.2m. The aluminium fabricator will provide structural architectural aluminium and glazing for the 1 Central Square 135,000 sq ft office scheme at the Central Square regeneration scheme in the centre of Cardiff. The building, which is close to completion, represents the first development at Central Square from property development firm Rightacres Property, which eventually could see up to one million sq ft of office, residential and leisure space developed around Cardiff Central Railway Station. Central Square is the preferred location for BBC Cymru Wales’s new headquarters. Once finished, Dudley’s £1.5m contract at 1 Central Square will conclude a trio of...
Noah's Spring Water brings environmentally-friendly, re-sealable aluminum package to consumers
Noah’s Spring Water has added the Rexam 24 oz. Cap Can® with closure technology from Dayton Systems Group (DSG) to its packaging mix, becoming the only bottled water available in this innovative, re-sealable aluminum container. Noah’s Spring Water comes from Adobe Springs in California, has a natural 8.4pH quality and contains110 mg. of magnesium per liter, nearly 20 times the amount in other bottled spring waters. Researchers have found that Magnesium is an essential mineral that provides substantial health benefits. Noah’s chose the Rexam Cap Can because it provides an environmentally-friendly option for bottled water consumers as it is 100 percent recyclable. It gives municipalities, educational and corporate campuses that have banned plastic containers another option. It features a...
AlCircle makes its presence felt at ALUMINIUM CHINA 2015
AlCircle again joins hands as a media partner and exhibitor with ALUMINIUM CHINA 2015 trade fair, currently underway at the Shanghai New Int’l Expo Centre from 8th to 10th July. The team has been displaying its range of services and portfolio of products, current and planned for the near future, to a global audience at Booth no- 2F42, Hall- N2, on Asia‘s top trading, sourcing, networking and branding platform for the entire Aluminum industry value chain. Every year, ALUMINIUM CHINA 2015 brings together leading industry figures, cutting edge technologies and advanced applications on a single platform. Annually held in Shanghai, the event engages the global Aluminium community with new customized matchmaking programs linking application buyers with emerging and established demands, as also...
Antam and Inalum signs MoU to build Smelter Grade Alumina (SGA) plant
PT Antam Tbk and PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) signed a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) to cooperate in the construction of Smelter Grade Alumina (SGA) plant. The signing of the MoU has been conducted between the Director of ANTAM Tedy Badrujaman and Director of Inalum Winardi in Jakarta. "The cooperation of ANTAM with Inalum is an important step in our efforts to continuously increase the value of Indonesia's large bauxite reserves and support synergies between SOE," said President & Director of Antam, Tedy Badrujaman. Meanwhile, Director of Inalum, Winardi added, the partnership with Antam will further support the utilization of bauxite in Indonesia in value added downstream industries. "This cooperation will also be a positive momentum to support integration in the bauxite...
Platts launches spot primary aluminum assessment for South Korea
Platts, a leading global energy, petrochemicals and metals information provider and a premier source of benchmark price references, this month launched a weekly primary aluminum assessment for aluminum spot cargoes delivered to South Korea. The new price reference, known as Platts CIF Korea Spot Premium Weekly, is Platts' first price assessment for South Korean metals products and augments Platts' existing suite of metals price references serving regional and global markets. It reflects the transactable value of physically-traded aluminum as a premium or discount to the London Metal Exchange (LME) cash price for P1020A ingots on a cost, insurance & freight (CIF) Busan basis. The assessment reflects the cost of physically delivering primary aluminum to Korean users, expressed as a...
Alumeco India Extrusion Ltd gets approval for name change as Golkonda Aluminium Extrusions Ltd
Alumeco India Extrusion Ltd have got the approval of Registrar of Companies regarding the name change of the Company from ALUMECO INDIA EXTRUSION LIMITED to GOLKONDA ALUMINIUM EXTRUSIONS LIMITED. Shares of ALUMECO INDIA EXTRUSION LTD. was last trading in BSE at INR 6.8 as compared to the previous close of INR 6.94. The total number of shares traded during the day was 2985 in over 16 trades. The stock hit an intraday high of INR 6.8 and intraday low of 6.6. The net turnover during the day was INR 19965.
Alcoa reports solid second quarter result despite dwindling metal prices
Lightweight metals leader Alcoa has reported solid second quarter 2015 results on July 9, 2015 as the Company’s transformation showed strong progress. Profitability from Alcoa’s growing aerospace and automotive businesses increased year-over-year as mid and downstream investments delivered positive impact. In the upstream, the Primary Metals business was resilient in the face of market headwinds and the Alumina business delivered its strongest first half results in eight years. The Company’s portfolio reshaping is driving results. Alcoa reported second quarter 2015 net income of $140 million, or $0.10 per share, including $143 million in restructuring-related charges, primarily to optimize the Company’s upstream portfolio. Year-over-year, second quarter 2015 results compare to net income...
Alcoa continues to project steady growth in its end markets in 2015
Alcoa’s strategy to build its innovative value-add portfolio, both organically and inorganically, remained on course in the second quarter. And the company continues to project steady growth in 2015 across the majority of its end markets. In the aerospace sector, the Company expects global sales growth of 8 to 9 percent in 2015. The 2015 forecast shifted one point on a slower ramp up primarily in the A350 and Bombardier C Series, and future estimated growth rates have been revised upward. Projections for 2016 and 2017 aerospace sales growth have nearly doubled to 8 and 13 percent, from 4 to 5 percent and 6 percent, respectively, showing the ongoing strength of the sector. Alcoa sees increasing orders in the North American heavy duty truck and trailer market, and projects 9 to 11 percent...
Harrison Castings wins contract with Caterpillar
Harrison Castings' financial new year got off to a buoyant start. The maker of aluminium castings, based in Gough Road, Leicester, landed an early boost to current year profits after winning new business with Caterpillar just one day after the its year end on June 30, 2014. Turnover for 2013/14 was £7.5 million, with sales expected to grow to around £8 million for the year just ended. Managing director Mick Jenney said the management team had expanded the site by purchasing neighbouring premises and investing £2 million in capital equipment. Mr Jenney said: "This is all in added value equipment so we can bring more processes in-house. "It means we have the control on site and can save the customer money." Harrison Castings is known for making large sand castings up to 400kg but the...
ISRI releases updates to the scrap specifications circular
The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) recently announced new specifications have been published in the Scrap Specifications Circular 2015. There are three amendments, as well as two additions and one deleted specification that have been approved by the ISRI Board of Directors. “Our specifications serve both as broad guidelines and as a starting point in discussions between scrap buyers and sellers in the U.S. and around the world,” according to ISRI Chief Economist and Director of Commodities Joe Pickard. “The new and amended specifications were made to more accurately reflect what is being traded in the scrap marketplace and to facilitate trade.” The following additions are categorized under nonferrous specifications: • VADER - SEALED UNITS shall consist of whole steel cased...
Bearish aluminum market piles pressure on world’s biggest smelters
The world’s biggest aluminum makers will be under even more pressure to make deeper production cuts and stave off a price slump that saw the metal trade near its lowest level in six years on Wednesday. China, which accounts for half of the world’s aluminum output, is on pace to export record amounts of metal products this year, helping to deepen a worldwide glut. Producers outside China, including Alcoa Inc. and United Co. Rusal, had already cut back capacity through last year. Still, 1 million metric tons more, enough to supply Japan for six months, will probably be curtailed within a year, according to Macquarie Group Ltd. China’s economy is poised to grow at its slowest pace in a quarter of century. As the country shifts toward a consumer-driven economy, more of its processed aluminum...
