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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Expansion on cards for Boyne Smelters Ltd
Boyne Smelters Ltd can now focus on expansion plans after an announcement it would be exempt from the national emissions scheme. This week the Federal Government finalised a deal to remove trade-exposed industries from the renewable energy target scheme. The bipartisan deal means BSL has avoided a $25 million annual fee for its carbon emissions. General manager Joe Rea said the move had not only helped secure the future for Australia's manufacturing industry but would help the business expand. "We are looking at how we can operate line one more efficiently," Mr Rea said. "We've been putting together a case to justify that and I know this decision will only help that business case." Since the scheme was introduced in 2001, BSL has paid $125 million to the RET scheme. The smelter is one of...
ALBA SE, Germany, reports significant earnings growth for Q1 2015
Recycling, trading and waste management company ALBA SE, Cologne, Germany, has reports first quarter earnings before taxes (EBT) of €8.7 million (US$7.651 million), a level more than four times higher than the €2.1 million (US$1.846 million) of earnings before tax the company reported the same time last year. ALBA SE is a subsidiary of the ALBA Group, headquartered in Berlin. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) also improved in the first quarter to €13.0 million (US$14.786 million) from €7.8 million (US$8.871 million) the previous year. Sales increased only slightly by 2.6 percent to €382.4 million (US434.845 million). The company cites as reasons for the significant quarterly improvements between the two years is the merger of the company’s...
Press Metal falls 3.39% on the back of low aluminium prices
Press Metal Bhd ( Financial Dashboard) shares dropped 10 sen or 3.39% to RM2.85 this morning on the heels of a drop in prices of the aluminium futures contract as it is being weighed down by growing supplies. At 12.30pm, a total of 3.18 million shares were traded. Press Metal (fundamental: 0.95; valuation: 2) shares reached a high of RM2.98 and a low of RM2.84. Reuters reported today that metal prices are trading lower as the stronger US$ adds pressure on base metals. The three-month future contract for aluminium traded at US$1,817 on Monday, the lowest since April 24. It traded at US$1,820 compared to US$1,853 last Friday. The current prices of aluminium are below producing costs outside China, which could persuade producers to slash capacity. Reuters said ample supplies of aluminium can...
EAFA releases Auminium foil statistics for first quarter 2015
Alufoil demand starts 2015 weaker, but signs of recovery emerging Deliveries of aluminium foil products fell by 2.5% to 218,500 tonnes in the first three months of 2015 compared with the first quarter of 2014 (224,000 tonnes). But clear signs of stronger demand emerged in February and March, according to figures released by EAFA, the European Aluminium Foil Association. This followed a ‘short’ month in January, due to later than usual production start-ups after the Christmas and New Year breaks. Sales of thicker gauges, used typically for semi-rigid containers and technical applications, rose by 5%, confirming that industrial applications are continuing to recover after a long period of stagnation. However demand for thinner gauges, used mainly for flexible packaging and household foils,...
Sapa ahead of schedule for planned annual cost cuts worth 1 billion crowns
Sapa CEO, Svein Tore Holsether told Reuters that they are ahead of their schedule for the 1 billion Norwegian crowns ($134.68 million) worth annual cost cuts, in a phone interview on Monday. As a result of a joint venture between two of Norway’s biggest industrial firms Norsk Hydro and Orkla, the aluminium extrusion business named Sapa was born in 2013. The majority of the savings came from the benefits of scale in sourcing, disinvestment of four companies and closure of 11 plants. He also says that around 500 million derived from the firm’s synergy programme has been included in its last year’s results. Sapa’s EBITDA earnings for the first quarter of 2015 jumped from 1.2 billion crowns recorded last year to 2.2 billion crowns this year. This surge was largely the effect of cuts and weak...
The 33rd International Conference and Exhibition of ICSOBA to be held in Dubai from Nov 29 to Dec 1, 2015
The 33rd International Conference and Exhibition of ICSOBA will be held in Dubai at the Rotana Al Murooj hotel in the period of 29 November to 1 December, 2015. The selection of Dubai follows ICSOBA’s practice of rotating the venue of International Meetings to countries that play an important role in the global aluminium industry. The resulting scientific and technical material of the conference is published in TRAVAUX volumes. For the event ICSOBA cooperates with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA). Plenary Speakers The list of confirmed plenary speakers at present includes: Dr Ali Al Zarouni - Vice-President Principal, Operations, EGA Dr Li Wangxing - Chief Engineer, CHALCO Claude Vanvoren - Vice President of Technology, R&D, Rio Tinto Limited Viktor Mann - Technical Director, UC RUSAL...
Goldman Sachs predicts a grim future for aluminium
Goldman Sachs Group predicts a not so rosy future for aluminium as aluminium prices are expected to fall along with production cuts after record production levels from the world’s biggest producer. China too continues to add to the world’s aluminium production making surplus a major concern. The bank states that China “cannot be relied on” to cut back on their production so even a decline in price will not be able to balance out the market as China produces a record amount of 2.59 million tons of aluminium in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Aluminium average price for three-month delivery is likely to be around $1,800 a metric ton for the year on LME, predicts Goldman while global smelters will consider production cuts when prices drop below $1,875 including...
Jindal company announce $135M expansion in Louisiana
W.R. Grace & Co. and Chevron Products Co. will build a $135 million residue hydro-processing catalyst production plant and additional alumina capacity at the existing Grace manufacturing facility near Lake Charles. The announcement was made Monday in a news release from Gov. Bobby Jindal and W.R. Grace & Co. Chairman and CEO Fred Festa. The companies' joint venture is called Advanced Refining Technologies which will create 30 direct jobs while state officials estimate another 88 new indirect jobs will result from the project. Grace will retain 295 direct jobs at the site. Construction of the project is expected to start later in 2015 with an estimated completion time projected for early 2018. "Louisiana's top-ranked business climate and state workforce development programs continue to...
Century Aluminum lockout continues
More than 550 United Steel Workers union members are still picketing outside a Century Aluminum plant in Hawesville. The two sides, we're learning, are no closer to a resolution. A vending machine supplier is fighting rumors that it crossed picket lines to service Century Aluminum's snack machines. Canteen Service Company officials would not go on camera, but say the rumors aren't true. Monday, company officials released a statement. They say the labor disagreement between the union and Century Aluminum is unfortunate, but it only exaggerates the problem when rumors like this spread. Canteen Service Company also says they hope there is an early resolution to the disagreement. The company is not legally bound by the union's lockout. However, they are choosing not to cross the picket lines...
The South32 rises: BHP's spin-off gains on day two
The share price of South32, BHP Billiton's spin-off, is the best performer on the ASX on its second day of life as a listed entity. South32 contains a bunch of assets and commodity exposures BHP considered to be "non-core". These include aluminium and manganese, as well as coal and nickel exposures, leaving "The Big Australian" to concentrate on its four pillars of iron ore, copper, petroleum and coking coal (and potash as a potential fifth). Monday marked the first day of trading for South32 as a separate entity, and it was a lacklustre debut. The stock opened at A$2.13, rose as high as A$2.22 and closed at A$2.05. That puts its toward the bottom end of most analysts' valuation range. The slimmed-down BHP closed 0.8 per cent lower on Monday to A$30.13, meaning the combined value of the...
Rexam's joint venture with Envases Universales in guatemala receives international recognition for operational excellence
The Shingo Institute, part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, has awarded Rexam's Joint Venture with Envases Universales in Guatemala with the Shingo Prize. "Receipt of the Shingo Prize is a worldwide recognized symbol of an organization's successful establishment of a culture anchored on principles of enterprise excellence–principles such as respect for every individual, leading with humility, quality at the source, the quest for perfection, creating value for the customer, etc.," said Mark Baker, executive director at the Shingo Institute. "Ultimately, these recipients are in a class of the best organizations in the world, regardless of industry or country. I congratulate all of the good people at Rexam ECA Guatemala for their great accomplishment in...
China changes aluminum alloy cable standard
China’s new 0.6/1kV Aluminum Alloy Cross-Link Polyethylene Insulated Cable Standard (No. NB/T 42051-2015) will take effect September 1, 2015, the National Energy Administration (NEA) announced. The new standard has removed rare earth high-Fe aluminum alloy cable in favor of AA8000 series aluminum alloys defined under the US ASTM standard. Applications of AA8000 series aluminum alloy – widely used in low-voltage cable in North America nowadays – will become more common in China once the new standard takes effect, SMM understands. Henan Zhongfu Aluminum Alloy, Jiaozuo Shenghao Aluminum, and other producers of such aluminum alloy rod will benefit from the new standard, SMM aluminum analyst said.
Call to increase security at ports to stop illegal export of scrap metal
Investigators probing the lucrative cable and metal theft cartels in South Africa believe the illegal industry can be brought to its knees by increasing security at all ports of entry. The stolen metal snoops believe large amounts of scrap metal are being illegally exported without being offered to local foundries, as is required by a scrap metal policy gazetted in September 2013. This policy requires scrap dealers to offer their booty to local foundries first, but at a price that is at least 20% less than that obtained exporting to international markets. The minster of Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel last week called for the tightening of laws in a bid to root out cable theft, which he singled out as a massive threat to the country’s proposed trillion-rand infrastructure...
New data showing high value of scrap exports revealed during world trade week
The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the Voice of the Recycling Industry™, released new, independent data today highlighting the important role scrap commodities play in U.S. exports. According to a new study by the consulting firm John Dunham and Associates, coinciding with World Trade Week, the scrap recycling industry is responsible for creating more than 125,000 U.S. jobs through its exports, which account for more than 26 percent of the industry’s economic activity. “Exporting to more than 160 countries, scrap recyclers play a critical role in helping the U.S. balance of trade,” said Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. “This past year brought many challenges to the industry, including falling commodity prices, and the slow down at the West Coast ports. However, the...
Solomons govt allows limited bauxite export
The Solomon Islands government says a limited shipment of stockpiled bauxite extracted from Rennell Island can be exported by PT Mega Bingtang Borneo. Two weeks ago the government cancelled the company's mining lease and prospecting licence for failing to meet its conditions. And it placed a hold on the bauxite that the company has been stockpiling from a pit in West Rennell since last year. Now the government says exporting the bauxite is in the best interests of stakeholders, including the landowners and the government. The government will impose a 20 percent export duty on the shipments, and the export permit shall only apply for the current stockpile.
Bauxite Resources : Dispute notice issued to Yankuang Resources
Bauxite Resources Limited has issued a dispute notice to Yankuang Resources Pty Limited (YRPL) pursuant to the terms of the Joint Venture Resource Agreement (JRVA) and the Alumina Refinery Joint Venture Agreement (ARJVA). The disputes relate to: (a) the differing views as to how to interpret the terms of the JRVA and ARJVA given that the parties cannot agree on the Annual Program and annual budget for 2015/16, specifically what Annual Program the Manager is required to adopt as governing the activities and expenditure of the joint ventures until such time as the dispute between the parties can be resolved; and (b) the interpretation of the obligations of the parties under the ARJVA to approve an Annual Program and budget which is designed to see a full Refinery BFS completed by the...
RET deal to save Tasmanian company Bell Bay Aluminium $10m in power costs
Tasmania's major industrials have won a full exemption from the Renewable Energy Target (RET) under a deal struck between the major parties over the scheme's future. The Federal Government and Labor agreed to lower the target, meaning 33,000 gigawatt hours of Australia's electricity will be from renewable sources by 2020, down from the previous target of 41,000GWh. Under the deal, trade-exposed industries such as aluminium production are fully exempt from the target. Bell Bay Aluminium, in the state's north, estimated the agreement would save the company $8-10 million a year in energy costs. It estimated the scheme had cost more than $48 million since being introduced in 2001. The company urged Federal Parliament to quickly pass legislation enacting the agreement. Tasmania's Minerals and...
Chinese exports damp aluminium rally
The recent rally in the price of aluminium has lost momentum as Chinese exports of the lightweight metal continue to hit the market. Aluminum for three-month delivery on the London Metal Exchange has fallen 5.7 per cent since it almost reached $2,000 a tonne at the start of the month. On Friday it was trading at $1,857 a tonne, down $11. The market is struggling to digest record production in China, the world’s largest producer. Data released this week showed exports of aluminium, used in everything from drinks cans to motor cars, rose 40 per cent in the first four months of this year, hitting a new record in April. That is putting pressure on producers such as Russia’s Rusal and Alcoa, which are cutting capacity. “The major western producers will need to continue efforts to ensure they...
