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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Amtek Auto closed acquisition of Asahi Tec Corporation, Japan
Amtek Auto Limited, through its overseas subsidiary, has entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with Japan based Asahi Tec Corporation to acquire the substantial business interest of Asahi Tec. To this effect, the company would like to update you that the Company has successfully closed the acquisition of the Iron Casting, Aluminium Casting, Forging and Machining business of Asahi Tec. The Business comprises three manufacturing facilities in Japan, two in Thailand and a strategic holding in a joint venture in China. The acquisition of the joint venture interest is expected to close at a subsequent later date. The Business has year ended March 2015 revenues of US$ 375mn.
Bon Affair expands into single-serve with Rexam's FUSION aluminum bottle
Bon Affair, the innovative beverage company had released a line of wine spritzers keeping with their "vice meets virtue" motto and formulated to appeal to consumers with an active, healthy lifestyle. The comapny has now expanded into the single-serve market, launching its Sauvignon Blanc Wine Spritzer in Rexam's 11.2 oz. FUSION aluminum bottle. Bon Affair is one of the first companies in the U.S. to utilize Rexam's FUSION aluminum bottle which mixes the premium look and feel of a bottle with the functionality and inherent benefits of a can. In addition to providing portability, this package is shatterproof and lightweight to help reduce shipping costs. It also features the unique ability to re-close, due to a re-sealable twist off cap that helps keep the beverage fresh longer. Like all...
10 tonnes of aluminium recovered in recycling fraud in California
California’s recycling regulators are trying to put the lid on out-of-state fraud and have busted two accused illegal haulers in the last two months, officials say. Investigators with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery staked out a recycling center in Phoenix on May 12 and watched workers load about 10 tons of aluminum and plastic onto a semi-truck bound for the Golden State. In California, consumers are charged a 5- or 10-cent fee when they buy drinks in aluminum cans or plastic bottles. The state incentivizes recycling by allowing people to recoup money if they return the containers to a recycling center, depending on its California Refund Value. Out-of-state consumers and containers are ineligible. On a small scale, the money is pocket change. But for heavy-duty...
Aluminum industry partners with Department of Energy
The Aluminum Association recently announced a new partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) to increase the number of aluminum industry jobs in the U.S. and explore new, sustainable technologies to advance U.S. manufacturing. The DOE’s Aluminum Industry Jobs Partnership will identify opportunities to expand plant capacity and improve workforce development systems to help bring qualified candidates to the industry. Currently, the $65 billion aluminum industry directly employs around 155,000 workers in the United States. The Aluminum Industry Jobs Partnership will be composed of participants from the Aluminum Association and its member companies as well as the DOE Jobs Strategy Council (JSC) and Office of the Secretary. The JSC is a cross-cutting initiative that integrates the...
EGA raises profile in the US at Harbor's 8th Aluminium Outlook Summit
Aiming to raise awareness of its industry leadership status, Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA") is proud to be a lead sponsor of HARBOR's 8th Aluminium Outlook Summit, organised and hosted by HARBOR Aluminium Intelligence in Chicago, USA, from 2 to 4 June 2015. EGA's sponsorship activities at the event include hosting the main registration area and conducting a networking lunch for delegates on 3 June. More importantly, Walid Al Attar (Chief Marketing Officer at EGA) will participate in the 'Strategic Market Panel' on 3 June, during which key industry topics will be discussed. No stranger to the annual HARBOR Outlook Summits, Al Attar has been a regular attendee and speaker at the event since EGA and its operating subsidiaries began participating in 2010. "2015 marks the third consecutive...
China’s primary aluminum imports rose 65.09% MoM in April
China imported 17,500 mt of primary aluminum in April, down from a year ago, but up 65.09% MoM, customs data showed. The SHFE/LME aluminum price ratio climbed from 7.1 in early March to 7.5 in April, favoring aluminum imports. In addition, overseas aluminum premiums continued falling, with premiums in East Asia down from USD 400/mt at the end of last year to around USD 150/mt, another incentive for imports. Overseas aluminum prices will be pressured by growing supply while aluminum prices in China will be relatively resistant to declines. As such, the SHFE/LME aluminum price ratio will increase further, which will boost imports.
Inalum praised for doubling profits
The Indonesian Resources Studies (Iress) praised on Sunday the performance of state-owned aluminum producer PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) for doubling its April-December 2014 profits from the same period of the previous fiscal year. “Inalum’s increased net profits show that Indonesians in charge of the company’s management have mastered aluminum processing,” Iress president director Marwan Batubara said as quoted by Antara in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday. According to official data, Inalum’s production of aluminum bars reached 199,692 tons from April to December 2014, up 4.1 percent from 190,363 tons in the same period of the previous year. Marwan said the company’s success could not be separated from the work performance of its management. With its doubled profits, he said,...
Nalco to invest INR 5,540 crore in 1 million tonne alumina refinery
The board of National Aluminium Company (Nalco) has approved a significant capacity expansion plan to set up a one million tonne alumina refinery at Damanjodi, Koraput, Odisha at a proposed investment of INR 5,540 crore. Nalco already has a captive bauxite deposit at Pottangi in the state, which will be utilized in this project. This is the first major expansion in the state run aluminium company in step with the Modi government's Make in India campaign. The aluminium major reported a more than two fold rise in net profit to INR 354.87 crore in Q4 FY15, due to an exceptional gain. Against this the company had posted a net profit of INR 172.45 crore in the previous corresponding period. Total income, however, declined by 2% to INR 1,801.25 crore in January-March quarter of 2014-15 from INR...
Oman plans to increase mining royalties from July 1, 2015
The Public Authority for Mining in Oman, a body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has declared a rise in royalty rates from 5 to 10 percent which will be implemented from July 1, 2015. Companies and establishments in the mining sector are being urged by the Authority to "to settle all financial arrears relating to revenue submission before the rate rise decision comes into force on July 1". Although the Authority is a part of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, it functions as a separate entity working towards regulating the country’s mining industry which has been experiencing a boom in recent years, inviting interest from foreign and local operators. In 2013, the mining and quarrying sector contributed RO 107.7 million to the GDP, at a compound annual growth rate of 23 per...
Domestic aluminum extrusion consumption grows 7.6 percent in 2014
The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) and the Aluminum Association today released industry estimates of aluminum extrusion shipments in North America by major market for 2014. Among key findings, domestic consumption of aluminum extrusions in the United States and Canada, which includes imports, totaled an estimated 4.90 billion pounds in 2014, an increase of 7.6 percent over the revised 2013 total of 4.55 billion pounds. This is the fifth year in a row that shipments of extrusions have grown and reflects a nearly 44% increase in annual shipments compared to 2009. Aluminum extrusions, in which heated aluminum is pushed through a hydraulic press fitted with a die that results in a linear profile that is further processed into end products, are the third-largest product segment in the...
Modelo invests $180m in Mexican brewery and can production plant
Grupo Modelo has revealed plans to invest MXN 2.8bn ($182.17m) in the construction of a new aluminium can production facility in eastern Mexico. The owner of brands such as Modelo and Corona will build the plant 20 miles west of Mérida, in the state of Yucután. It will provide cans for a new brewery in the state, cutting production costs and enhancing its competitiveness by providing beer cans at a lower price than it currently pays, according to Grupo Modelo’s general manager. The company announced plans to build a new 500m litre brewery earlier this year – increasing its capacity by more than 8% – which will be built adjacent to the can production facility announced this week. The announcement follows news that Dutch brewing giant Heineken will invest $470m in a new production facility...
Metro Mining reports 398% increase in its bauxite hills ore reserve
The ore reserve at Metro Mining Ltd’s Bauxite Hills Project near Weipa has increased by 398% – from 12.1 million tonnes to 48.2 million tonnes. The company requested a share trading halt yesterday (Monday 1 June 2015) pending an announcement to the ASX today. Geological modelling updates provided by the Brisbane based miner to the ASX show a Proved Ore Reserve of 41.8 million tonne coupled with a 6.4 million tonne Probable Ore Reserve. Metro Mining says latest technical data also extends the mine life from 21.5 to 27 years. Earlier the company announced a Total Direct Shipping Ore Reserve – Measured, Indicated and Inferred – of 56.3 million tonnes with a significantly improved resource quality. Metro Mining CEO Simon Finnis says today’s announcements are “fantastic news for Far North...
"By lowering our own emissions, increasing recycling and helping our customers develop products that enable CO2 savings; we aim to make carbon neutrality a reality." Mr. Alberto Fabrini, Executive Vice President - Head of Bauxite and Alumina, Hydro, Brazil
Brazil is Hydro's main source for bauxite and it employs more than 6,000 people in the country for their business in the aluminium value chain. Hydro extracts bauxite in Paragominas and Trombetas and refines bauxite to alumina at the world's largest alumina refinery, Alunorte. AlCircle had an opportunity to talk to Mr. Alberto Fabrini, Executive Vice President - Head of Bauxite and Alumina, Hydro, Brazil and he shared a few crucial aspects of Hydro’s aluminium business in Brazil. AlCircle: Brazil is Hydro's main source for bauxite with two large mines at Paragominas and Trombetas. Please share with us the current bauxite situation in Brazil. Mr. Alberto Fabrini: The bauxite situation for Hydro in Brazil is quite satisfactory. As a result of our ‘from B to A’ improvement program, we have...
Falling Coal prices cut power costs at China aluminum smelters
Continuous coal price fall has further cut power costs at Chinese aluminum smelters using captive power, SMM has learned. The Bohai-Rim Steam-Coal (5,500 Kcal) Price Index (BSPI) fell for 19 weeks running to 414 yuan ($67) per tonne as of May 22. As much as 70% of the country’s operational aluminum capacity relies on captive power, with the rest 30% using on-grid power, SMM statistics found.
Indian aluminium producers ask for government intervention against “Chinese dumping”
Indian aluminium companies have raised an alarm demanding quick action from the government to put a stop to “Chinese dumping” which is affecting their business adversely, industry leaders say. Hindalco’s managing director D Bhattacharya says that since the Chinese GDP growth rate has slowed and has now become lower than India’s, there is little growth in the manufacturing sector. The aluminium sector however receives ample boost from their government in terms of subsidies and incentives. If the Chinese economy does not pick up, and the overall manufacturing sector does not improve, they will continue to dump their highest produced commodity, aluminium, causing a serious impact on all manufacturers outside China. Some countries have already imposed anti-dumping duties on imports from...
Manaksia Aluminium Company reports standalone net loss of INR 2.75 crore in the March 2015 quarter
Sales decline 36.38% to INR 56.39 crore Net loss of Manaksia Aluminium Company reported to INR 2.75 crore in the quarter ended March 2015 as against net profit of INR 0.16 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2014. Sales declined 36.38% to INR 56.39 crore in the quarter ended March 2015 as against INR 88.63 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2014. For the full year,net loss reported to INR 6.24 crore in the year ended March 2015 as against net profit of INR 2.51 crore during the previous year ended March 2014. Sales rose 67.35% to INR 295.05 crore in the year ended March 2015 as against INR 176.31 crore during the previous year ended March 2014. ParticularsQuarter EndedYear EndedMar. 2015Mar. 2014% Var.Mar. 2015Mar. 2014% Var.Sales56.3988.63 -36 295.05176.31 67 OPM...
New aluminum foil tape from EcoFoil® features increased durability, superior quality
EcoFoil, a leading manufacturer of radiant barrier and foil bubble insulation products has recently updated its selection of insulation tape to include a new, higher-quality aluminum foil tape in a longer, 180' length. The tape, available in both a 2" width and a 3" width, offers customers increased durability for a wide range of environmental conditions. Matt Bruckman, sales specialist in the company, says the decision to upgrade the tape to a higher quality offering came about from the growing market for heavy duty eco-friendly products that can handle a range of temperatures. “This type of tape is excellent for use with our bubble insulation products and solid radiant barrier products, and can be used in temperatures ranging from -35 degrees up to 260 degrees Fahrenheit,” says...
Parth Aluminium reports standalone net profit of INR 0.03 crore in the March 2015 quarter
Net profit of Parth Aluminium reported to INR 0.03 crore in the quarter ended March 2015 as against net loss of INR 0.02 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2014. Sales remain constant at INR 0.03 crore in the quarter ended March 2015 and also during the previous quarter ended March 2014. For the full year,net profit reported to INR 0.01 crore in the year ended March 2015 as against net loss of INR 0.13 crore during the previous year ended March 2014. Sales rose 1733.33% to INR 0.55 crore in the year ended March 2015 as against INR 0.03 crore during the previous year ended March 2014.
