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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Constellium to exhibit innovative aluminium decorative surfaces at the Automotive Interiors Expo 2015
Constellium N.V. announced today that it will be exhibiting its latest innovative aluminium surfaces for decorative applications at the Automotive Interiors Expo 2015 from June 16 to 18, 2015 in Stuttgart, Germany. Constellium will introduce its latest developments in 3D surfaces that give aesthetic appeal to automotive parts such as gear boxes and panels. "We have started the industrial production of our 3D surface solutions and they are fully compatible with all surface treatment options associated with our standard non-3D bright surfaces offer, including anodizing, brightening and lacquering. This allows automobile designers to use aluminium surfaces with attractive decorative characteristics without sacrificing technical performance," said Laurent Saury, Technical Customer Service...
Aluminium shines at WBQA World Barbecue Champion 2015
The British Bulldog BBQ team is the winner of the official WBQA World Barbecue Champion 2015. The Global Aluminium Foil Roller Initiative (GLAFRI) and the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) supported all of the 60 competing teams from around the globe with aluminium foil and semi-rigid foil container which were major components in the preparation of creative barbecuing. Over two days the competition took place in the city centre of Gothenburg, Sweden. All teams very much appreciated the aluminium household foil especially produced for the event by international foil roller Hydro and Dutch rewinding company ITS, as well as the sets of aluminium foil containers produced by Danish Plus Pack. Aluminium foil is practical and versatile in use for preparation and the actual barbecuing....
New chief dust extractor makes repairing aluminum less explosive
Chief Automotive Technologies introduces a dust extractor that collects and contains the harmful aluminum particles released when aluminum vehicle body panels are sanded. The dust extractor features all-stainless steel construction and high-efficiency immersion separation technology, which make it an ideal solution for modern collision repair facilities. Aluminum is increasingly being used in vehicle bodies to save weight. When sanded, it produces dust that can corrode any bare steel it contacts. Aluminum dust is also explosive if a spark is present to ignite it. Therefore, collision repair facilities should isolate aluminum jobs from steel repair, and collect aluminum dust at its source as it's generated. "A dust extractor ensures that no metal particles become airborne and travel...
AMIRA calls for broader alumina collaboration
The nature of collaboration in the global alumina sector must be broadened to take the industry to the next level, according to a paper released by AMIRA International. The paper was authored by AMIRA program manager Gray Bailey and managing director Joe Cuzzuca and presented to the recent Alumina Quality Workshop forum in Perth. It found that while collaborative research into the alumina industry was active, moves taken by companies to cut costs put them at risk of missing the full opportunities presented by collaborative technology development. The authors pointed out that aside from the electrolytic process to extract alumina and the development of the Bayer process to make aluminium oxide from bauxite undergoing improvement since the 19th century, the basic industry processes had...
Noranda obtains project financing to complete New Madrid rod mill
Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation announced today that it has obtained $15 million of project-specific financing that will allow it to complete a state-of-the-art redraw rod mill at its aluminum smelter in New Madrid, Missouri ("New Madrid"). The new rod mill will increase Noranda's production capacity by approximately 43% and will exemplify the latest cutting-edge technology in the North American marketplace. The rod mill is geographically located in an advantageous section of North America which affords customers shorter transportation distance and lower freight costs. Consequently the Company has already received interest from customers for a majority of the new rod mill's capacity. The Company expects the new Rod mill to cost approximately $55 million, of which approximately $15...
Rio Tinto launches C$12 million project to develop AP44 technology at its Alma aluminium smelter
Rio Tinto will launch a C$12 million project aimed at enhancing the aluminium smelting technology currently employed at several of the company's plants to drive productivity gains. The project will be conducted by Rio Tinto's aluminium technology teams at the Arvida Research and Development Centre in Saguenay, Quebec and Voreppe, France and will be tested at the Alma aluminium smelter in Quebec's Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean region. Arnaud Soirat, president and chief executive officer, Rio Tinto Alcan Primary Metal said "This project demonstrates how our leading technology position supports our business through innovative and cost-effective solutions to drive performance enhancements. Rio Tinto operates the aluminium industry's largest, most modern, most competitive fleet of smelters and we...
European Aluminium warns of Chinese imports growth
Chinese exports of aluminium products to Europe have increased by almost 30% since the beginning of 2015, posing an unprecedented threat to the European aluminium industry. The latest trade data shows rapid growth in Chinese exports to Europe in the first four months of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014. In most market segments, the growth of these exports to Europe is two to three times bigger than the growth of Chinese exports to the rest of the world. At this rate, the volume of Europe’s imports of Chinese aluminium will exceed the forecasted 2 to 3 percent growth of European aluminium markets in 2015. Chinese exports are supported by a set of measures covering primary to downstream aluminium products while Chinese industry continues being heavily backed by state and provincial...
Dubai Cable to build $60 million aluminum plant in Abu Dhabi
Dubai Cable Co., the second-largest cable manufacturer in the Middle East, is building its first aluminum plant as customers in Saudi Arabia to the U.S. seek cheaper alternatives to copper for power transmission. The $60 million factory in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates will have capacity to produce 50,000 metric tons of aluminum rod and overhead conductors annually, Andrew Shaw, managing director of Dubai Cable, said in an interview Monday at the company’s copper rod plant in Dubai. The project, called Ducab Aluminium Co., will create 120 to 140 jobs with its opening planned for the first quarter of 2016, he said. Copper is losing about 2 percent a year of demand to less costly materials such as aluminum, or about 500,000 tons, London-based researcher CRU estimates. Aluminum is...
Alba appoints financial advisors for Line 6 Expansion Project
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), one of the leading aluminium smelters in the world, announced the appointment of financial advisors for its Line 6 Expansion Project - J.P. Morgan, Gulf International Bank (GIB) and National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) - at a signing ceremony held on Monday June 15, 2015. The signing ceremony, held in Alba, was attended by Alba's Chairman of Board of Directors, Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa and the Chief Executive Officer, Tim Murray; the Senior Country Officer and Managing Director of J.P. Morgan in Bahrain, Ali Moosa; the Head of Wholesale Banking for GCC (excluding KSA) & International at GIB, Ravi Krishnan, Head of Debt Capital Markets at GIB, Roderick Gordon and the Head of Equity Capital Markets/ Investments at GIB, Fakhr-e Fazli; in addition,...
USW Ratifies New Contract at Hawesville, Kentucky Smelter
Century Aluminum of Kentucky General Partnership, a subsidiary of Century Aluminum Company, announced today that a new, five-year collective bargaining agreement was ratified by the United Steelworkers Local 9423 on June 11, 2015 for the Company's Hawesville, Kentucky smelter. The new contract is effective today through April 1, 2020. "We welcome this positive development for the smelter, its entire workforce and the community," commented Mike Bless, CEO and John Hoerner, SVP North American Operations. "Century's employees have always been and will always be a critical part of our success. We now look forward to working with everyone who shares our commitment to make the Hawesville plant the safest and most productive business it can be." Workers will return to their regular shifts...
Vedanta Group announces merger of Vedanta Limited and Cairn India Limited
Vedanta Limited, Cairn India Limited ("Cairn India") and Vedanta Resources plc ("Vedanta plc" together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"), today announce a merger between Vedanta Limited and Cairn India (the "Transaction"). Key Highlights • Minority shareholders of Cairn India will receive for each equity share held: - 1 equity share in Vedanta Limited - 1 redeemable preference share in Vedanta Limited with a face value of INR 10 • Implied premium of 7.3% to the previous close. • Strategy remains unchanged, with continued focus on delivering attractive growth, sustainable development and long-term value for all shareholders. • Commitment to growth and to sustain strong dividend distribution. • Completion expected in first quarter CY 2016 Mr Anil Agarwal, Chairman of Vedanta plc, said:...
Northwest Iceland Municipalities sign co-operation agreement for new aluminum project
Northwest Iceland Municipalities and Klappir Development ehf. have signed together a declaration of intent and an agreement of cooperation for the construction and operation of an aluminum smelter with a capacity of 120,000 tpy at Hafursstaðir in Skagabyggð. The municipalities of Blönduósbær, Húnavatnshreppur, Húnaþing vestra, Sveitarfélagið Skagaströnd, Skagabyggð and Sveitarfélagið Skagafjörður published a joint statement on Friday 12th June declaring the same. At present the existing smelters have a cumulative annual production of around 800,000 ton with Straumsvík contributing around 190,000 tons, Grundartangi at around 260,000 tons and Reyðarfjörður at 350,000 tons. The new smelter is expected to contribute to the total aluminium capacity in Northwest Iceland. According to the joint...
More aluminum vehicles likely to hit the roads
Although the vast majority of vehicles on the road today are manufactured with a steel body and chassis, aluminum has slowly but surely found a home in the automotive industry. Once found mainly in luxury vehicles, aluminum made the leap to the mainstream in 2014 when it was announced that the Ford F-150, the nation's top-selling vehicle, would become the first pickup truck with an all-aluminum body. Scott Oldham, editor-in-chief for Edmunds.com, a car shopping website, says manufacturing of full or partial aluminum vehicles is likely going to increase, as manufacturers look for sleeker, lighter-weight vehicles to increase fuel efficiency. According to Ford, the switch to the lighter-weight aluminum — coupled with increasing the strength of its frames — shed 700 pounds from the Ford...
2016 Lexus RX Facelift: first taste of aluminium
The upcoming Lexus RX Facelift is going to be the carmaker’s first ever vehicle to be built with aluminium parts. Lexus has already revealed that the RX Facelift is going to come out with aluminium for its hood, tailgate and closures. Lexus claims that they have decided to use aluminium because of its lightness. The move comes with the intention of reducing the weight of the RX Facelift drastically. With a lighter body, the RXX Facelift will definitely be better optimized for fuel economy as well as power. Of course, Lexus is still pending to share on how big the improvement with the car’s performance is going to be. This will have to wait until Lexus fully unveils the future RX SUV in the near future. The RX Facelift is expected to make its official debut somewhere in Q4 this year.
Nigerian manufacturers protest low patronage of local metals, aluminium
Producers of primary and secondary aluminium products, cold rolled coils, enamel wares, galvanised iron and steel, nails and wires as well as steel pipes in Nigeria have expressed disappointment over lack of government patronage of their products, stressing that this is further encouraging influx of substandard products into the country. Nigeria’s government is seen as the biggest spender. Its departments, agencies and parastatals often embark on projects that require the use of metals and aluminium products. However, they prefer to import these products rather than patronise local manufacturers. “The sector has emphasised the need for government to patronise made-in-Nigeria products as a way of curbing the obvious challenge of influx of sub-standard imported products and to encourage...
EGA to strengthen relationships in Europe at GIFA 2015
Aiming to solidify ties with the European market and take advantage of growth opportunities, Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA") will participate at GIFA 2015, which takes place in Germany from 16 to 20 June. Taking place every four years, GIFA provides a platform for industry networking as well as showcasing innovations that will shape the future of the sector. It is the largest aluminium exhibition in Europe and the most important trade fair in the world for foundry technology. This makes GIFA a key event for EGA, which is one of the largest and leading suppliers of foundry alloys to the automotive industry where they are used in the manufacture of wheel rims, sub-frames, suspension parts, cross members, engine blocks and engine cradles among various other applications. Consistency of...
China Hongqiao builds more power plants and secures materials abroad
China Hongqiao Group, which is poised to surpass Russia's Rusal as the world's biggest aluminium producer, plans to spend 10 billion yuan on building power plants and expanding smelting capacity in China and on projects in Indonesia and Guinea. The Shandong firm aimed to raise its output by 22.5 per cent to about 4.1 million tonnes this year, said Wong Yuting, Hongqiao's head of corporate finance. Wong also said the firm planned to increase its annual output capacity to about five million tonnes by the end of the year. This is likely to make Hongqiao the largest aluminium producer since Rusal has indicated its plan for output to remain flat at 3.6 million tonnes this year, while Aluminum Corp of China produced 3.38 million tonnes last year and suffered a record 16.2 billion yuan net loss...
Orbite provides update on financing and HPA construction
Orbite Aluminae Inc. provides an update on the construction and financing of its high purity alumina plant (HPA) located in Cap-Chat, Quebec on Friday June 12. Financing • The Company recently received confirmation from its tax consultants that it should be eligible to receive up to $7.5 million in tax credit refunds for the investments carried out in fiscal 2015. • Along the same lines as the bridge loan announced in January (see January 14, 2015 press release), Investissement Quebec ("IQ") has agreed to provide Orbite with a $5.0 million bridge loan, collateralized against the Company's investment tax credits receivable for the year 2015. • The loan is conditional on the finalization of customary documentation and Orbite expects the conditions to be similar to the collateralized bridge...
