AL Circle Analysis: Guinea’s 150Mt bauxite cap, China’s import swings, US tariffs draw aluminium Q4’26
The global aluminium supply chain is facing a series of changes that extend from bauxite mines and alumina refineries to smelters, regional premiums and finished-metal trade. In 2026, the market’s direction is being shaped not only by production volumes but also by freight costs, export restrictions, shifting Chinese demand and tariffs. Developments across Guinea, Australia, China, Europe and North America point to a market where access to supply is increasingly as important as the availability of raw materials. Bauxite supply: Guinea’s cap meets a well-stocked China, but is it stable? Guinea remains central to the seaborne bauxite market, with its shipment connections to China demonstrating the importance of reliable logistics. A new sea-rail route has enabled a Guinea bauxite shipment...
EU approves Germany’s power relief instrument: Could aluminium producers save €459m annually?
Germany’s aluminium industry could receive some relief from persistently high electricity costs after the European Commission, under the European Union (EU) approved the country’s industrial electricity price scheme for 2026–2028. The measure is intended to ease the burden on energy-intensive businesses, strengthen industrial competitiveness and support Germany’s position as a manufacturing hub. The stakes are particularly high for aluminium producers. Electricity can account for 30–40 per cent of primary aluminium production costs, making power prices a critical factor in operating margins and investment decisions. Explore- Most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report — Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook...
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EC’s intervention over alleged state aid ‘not helpful’
MEP for Ireland South, Deirdre Clune says a decade long battle between Ireland and the European Commission over alleged state aid to Aughinish Alumina is “not helpful” to business development in the west. The European Commission wants €10m of what it believes were illegal tax breaks given to Aughinish Alumina between 2002 and 2004 paid back, and is pressing the Irish government to do this. The case was back in the general court of the European Union this Wednesday for mention. It dates back to 2005 when the commission ruled that Aughinish Alumina - one of West Limerick’s biggest employers with almost 500 people on its books - has received €10m of illegal tax breaks in the three years previously. The Irish government argued it had exempted the aluminium powder producer from paying excise...
Next BMW 5 and 3 Series to benefit from lightweight tech
The next generation of BMW’s 5 Series and 3 Series will be able to use the advanced carbonfibre and aluminium construction techniques from the forthcoming 7 Series, according to comments from senior company insiders. The next 7 Series’ chassis mixes carbonfibre, aluminium and high-tensile steel in a manner in which, BMW claims, “no other company could produce right now”. The techniques wipe 40kg from the bare body and the use of aluminium in other key areas increases the total saving to 200kg, although extra sound deadening and safety kit reduce the net gain to 130kg. However, a senior 7 Series project insider told Autocar: “Arguably, the biggest achievement with the 7 Series is the industrialisation of these processes. We have learned many lessons from i3 and the carbonfibre components...
Presentation of Elval to the Hellenic fund and asset management association
Elval Group’s annual ordinary briefing to the Hellenic Fund and Asset Management Association took place today, Tuesday, May 5, 2015. During the briefing Elval Group shortly presented its progress, production facilities, products and financial results for Financial Year 2014. Elval Group since the beginning of its activity on 1973, with constant investments, achieved to operate today a number of modern industrial facilities in Greece, United Kingdom and Bulgaria, marking acontinuous increase of their production capacity, which today exceeds 350 thousand tons per year. The Group’s rolling and extrusion products, offer solutions in food and beverage packaging, car industry, shipbuilding, constructions, lithography, industrial applications etc. Throughout an international network of...
China stimulus, jobs worry may boost some commodity exports: Russell
China's efforts to re-energise its economy through interest rate cuts are probably not enough to give much of a boost to commodity import demand, but oddly enough may act to boost some commodity exports. The People's Bank of China cut interest rates for the third time in six months on May 10 in the wake of weaker-than-expected trade and inflation numbers. It's no secret that both Chinese steel and aluminium producers have been struggling to stay in the black in recent years, given overcapacity and slower economic growth. Additionally they are confronting pollution issues and government policies that are encouraging a move toward a more consumer-driven economy and less reliance on export-orientated heavy manufacturing. Nonetheless, for now these industries remain vital employers of large...
EGA takes two awards in the 2015 Ideas.Arabia Idea of the Year Competition
The corporate commitment to innovation at Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has once again received independent recognition - this time through the award of top honours in two categories of the 2015 Ideas.Arabia Idea of the Year competition. The latest wins bring the total number of Ideas.Arabia Idea of the Year awards won by EGA to a total of 24, with operating subsidiaries Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL, also known as EGA Jebel Ali) and Emirates Aluminium (EMAL, also known as EGA Al Taweelah) having secured awards in previous years. This year's honours comprised: • Best Sustainable Ideas Scheme, which was awarded to the EGA Suggestion Scheme. This category was introduced for the first time this year by the organisers, Dubai Quality Group (DQG), to award schemes that have successfully been running...
New study affirms metal as a packaging material perfectly suited to a circular economy
Aluminium and steel fulfil the criteria for ‘permanent materials’ as defined in a study by the Swiss consultancy Carbotech AG. The study confirms that the current approach of classifying materials as renewable or non-renewable is insufficient for the development of good practices in sustainable resource management. Carbotech, in collaboration with the University of Applied Science Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), conducted a scientific study to look closely at the characteristics of materials to provide a clear, unambiguous and simple basis for material classification. In the study, permanent materials are defined as those whose inherent properties do not change during use and regardless of repeated recycling into new products. Their recycling does not necessarily require the addition of...
Paulwell to visit Russia in June
Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Minister Phillip Paulwell announced on Thursday that he will be visiting Russia in mid-June for talks with government officials as well as officials of UC Rusal, the aluminium giant which owns Alpart. "The Russian Government has invited myself and a team to visit Russia and we have accepted the invitation and we will be going to Russia on or around 13th of June," said Paulwell, who was visiting Alpart in Nain, South East St Elizabeth for a familiarisation tour. "In addition to meeting at the highest levels within Rusal, we will be having discussions with the ministry of energy in Russia," Paulwell said. The minister said discussions with Russian officials would also include the future role of Russia and other BRIC member-countries in relation to "the...
Alpart ready to export bauxite to Rusal as it awaits its December 2016 reopening
Timothy O’Driscoll has been promising the reopening of the Alpart alumina refinery ever since he took over as managing director in 2009. Although there is still an expected 18-19 months time for that dream to be realized, last Thursday there was a glimmer of hope with the visit of Phillip Paulwell. The Mining minister got a rare walkthrough of Alpart, the mining operations as well as Port Kaiser that is being prepared for bauxite shipment in July. While the refinery plans to reopen, the mining and stockpiling operations of fresh bauxite have begun in March. Under a recent agreement between the Jamaican Government and Alpart’s Russia-based company Rusal, two million tons of raw bauxite will be exported to Russia bringing home revenue US $60 million. Igor Dorofeev, country manager for UC...
Noranda eyes boost in bauxite exports, but tax matter unresolved
Now that it has completed the expansion of its port in Discovery Bay, St Ann, Noranda Aluminum Holding is looking at boosting bauxite exports from Jamaica. Its current lease gives it room to sell at least an additional 400,000 tonnes of bauxite each year, but the company suggested that it might go after even greater tonnage. "Although the economics of this investment (the US$11-million port expansion project) are supported by the savings in shipping costs, the project also provides the opportunity to increase our third-party bauxite volume based on demand at a sufficient price and approval by the government of Jamaica," said Noranda in its filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The mining company shipped 1.24 million tonnes of bauxite during the three months to March...
Middle East draws in Spanish-based aluminum extrusion manufacturer Tecalex
The Aluminium Middle East held in April revealed a lot of interest among industry participants to invest in the aluminium sector of Middle East particularly downstream segment. Low energy costs and cheap labour are the main attractions in the Middle East and companies like Spanish-based Tecalex have shown interest to set up multiples units in the Middle East to develop their designing and manufacturing equipment for aluminium extrusion business. "We are also finalizing plans to expand our operations in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman. The expansion plan includes two more plants in Saudi Arabia, a second plant in Qatar and two additional extrusion units in Oman," said Miguel-Angel Calvo, Senior Sales Manager for Latin America, Middle East and Africa, Tecalex, which is participating in the...
Union leaders want to continue contract negotiations with Century Aluminum
United Steel Work Local 9423 leaders announced they want to continue contract negotiations with Century Aluminum. Union President Mike Gaynor released a statement Wednesday afternoon that says the union urges Century Aluminum management to take back its unfair and unnecessary threat to lockout union members. Union leaders say they are committed to resolving the remaining issues at the bargaining table so members can focus on their jobs instead of preparing for a labor dispute. Century Aluminum recently announced a lockout for May 11.
Bell Bay Aluminium acquires deal from Tasmanian government securing 1,500 jobs
Bell Bay Aluminium had urged the government of Tasmania in February that increasing the electricity rates will hit the company hard and may result in large scale jobs cuts. In return, the government has struck a secretive deal with the firm that could secure the 1,500 jobs that were in risk. The details of the deal were not revealed by either Tasmania’s Energy Minister Matthew Groom or GM of Bell Bay Ray Mostogl citing commercial sensitivities. What is known is that Bell Bay has assured they will be increasing their power consumption by 10 percent and investing $30 million to upgrade the plant. Mr. Mostogl says that the deal was not indicative of creation of new jobs but rather securing of the existing ones. The new investment of $30 million made by the parent company Rio Tinto Alcan is...
Indian aluminium scrap prices remain flat; MCX Aluminium settles down
Indian aluminium scrap prices on Scrap Register Price Index remained flat on Wednesday, while aluminium futures prices at India's Multi Commodity Exchange traded down. As per Scrap Register Price Index, major copper scrap commodities like aluminium accessories scrap, aluminium ingots, aluminium rod company, aluminium rod local, aluminium sheet cutting, aluminium utensil scrap, aluminium wire scrap traded almost flat on Wednesday. However, the most active May aluminium contract on Multi Commodity Exchange last traded down by 2.20% to Rs. 121.85 per kilogram from previous close of Rs. 124.60 per kilogram. The MXC aluminium prices touched an intra-day high of Rs 125.60 per kilogram and an intra-day low of Rs 120.90 per kilogram. MCX aluminium settled down on Wednesday gave back most of gains...
Canyon Resources in halt ahead of capital raising
Canyon Resources has been granted an ASX trading halt in relation to a capital raising. The halt will last until the earlier of the announcement being made or the start of trade on Friday, 8th May 2015. Canyon is focused on advancing development of the Birsok Bauxite Project in Cameroon. During the March 2015 Quarter, it completed geological mapping, drill target definition and access clearing of newly defined bauxite plateaux ahead of the upcoming drilling program.
BJD opposes divestment of National Aluminum Company
Government's plan to divest 10 per cent of its stake in navratna firm National Aluminum Company (NALCO) was today opposed in the Rajya Sabha by the BJD which said profit-making firms should not be sold. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Dilip Kumar Tirkey (BJD) said Nalco was a profit-making PSU and warned of labour unrest if the government went ahead with the divestment plan. He said BJD and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik were opposed to disinvestment and urged the government to withdraw such plans. He said the government should choose loss making PSUs for stake sale. Presently, Government of India holds 80.93 per cent equity in Nalco. Sanjiv Kumar (JMM) raised the issue of Fertilizer Corp of India's (FCI) Sindri plant in Jharkhand lying shut since 2002. He said during the Lok...
Presezzi Extrusion to upgrade Kato Light Metal Industry's existing presses
The company Kato Light Metal Industry has entrusted to Presezzi Extrusion the replacement of two existing presses with two 23MN front Loading presses equipped with double tooling for 6" and 8". Both presses are designed end engineered to serve the automotive industry and to meet its technical requirements and quality. These presses are equipped with the most advanced automation systems and innovative system for energy saving, which is based on a patent developed by the R&D centre of Presezzi Extrusion called PE.ESS PATENT. Particular attention was paid by the technical staff of Presezzi in the optimisation of the layout and thanks to the reduced number of pumps and small size, it ideally suits to small spaces typical of Japanese industry.
Novelis Inducted into Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Circular Economy 100
Novelis, the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, today announced its induction into the Circular Economy 100 (CE100), a global platform bringing together leading companies, emerging innovators, cities and regions to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The news was announced during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's 2015 Sustainability Forum in Washington, D.C., an event hosted in partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to explore the powerful impact of the circular economy with U.S. businesses and stakeholders. An early adopter of circular economy principles, Novelis has increased the recycled content of its products from 33 percent to 50 percent since 2011, closing the loop on global aluminum production and consumption for society to use again and...
Alumina sees a jump in earnings for Q1 2015
Alumina says average earnings per tonne jumped at its AWAC joint venture during the first quarter of the year amid "healthy demand" and lower costs, while the longer-term outlook is likely to benefit from a global supply squeeze. Chief executive Peter Wasow said average alumina earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased to $US102 a tonne in the first quarter of 2015 from $US85 in the fourth quarter as positive momentum from last year continued. The Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals joint venture, in which Alumina has a 40 per cent interest, had average EBITDA per tonne of $US54 in 2014, up from $US45 in 2013. Mr Wasow told the Alumina annual general meeting today that the industry had been experiencing a strong demand-pull. "Aluminium demand growth has...
