AL Circle analysis: How do Germany’s 32.8% automotive aluminium share, 40% Diet Coke can price rise & 3.54Mt North American extrusion demand matter?
Aluminium’s downstream and end-user world is having one of those fortnights where a beer can, a luxury sports car, a German construction site and an Indian furnace all end up in the same conversation. The metal may begin its life far upstream, but its real fuss is playing out in cans, cars, extrusions, buildings and factories, where tariffs, trade policy, energy costs and demand cycles decide who wins. This fortnight highlights that aluminium demand is moving towards electric vehicles, lightweight transport and long-life infrastructure, even as packaging and construction feel the pinch of cost and weak activity. Meanwhile, producers from Vietnam to New Zealand are arguing over the oldest question in the business of how much protection, taxation or openness does a downstream industry need...
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...
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Rexam teams up with Tin Man Brewing Co. to package craft beer
Rexam Beverage Can North America (Rexam BCNA), largest manufacturer of beverage cans in the world, has teamed up with Tin Man Brewing Co., based in Evansville, to develop aluminium cans for the brewery's craft beer. Tin Man Brewing is passionate about aluminium packaging and says the same on its website where they go into detail to explain why aluminium cans are the best mode for craft beers. The light metal packaging protects the beer from sunlight and oxygen conserving flavor, it is cheap to ship, cheaper to produce and easier to distribute especially at public events as they are unbreakable, says the company website. Rexam BCNA sector director Claude Marbach said: "Our cans are the perfect packaging for craft beers as they help attract attention on store shelves, maintain beverage...
Ford F-150 enters Tucson, receives warm reception
The Ford F-150 is slowly but surely making way to the dealers and the latest roll-out has been to Tucson where it has apparently received a warm reception. Although no one is quite sure about what the final verdict on the all-aluminium pick up truck will be, the general manager of the area’s biggest dealer Steve Smith says that the initial response has been very good with more test drives that even the new Mustang with people almost lining up for it. It is a general trend among customers to avoid new models or major revamps as the they may have bugs that may need to be worked out. Although this tendency might work against the new pick up but Ford believes the fuel-efficiency and the advanced technologies used will compel the customers to shift their loyalties to the new model. Besides,...
Grandweld delivered 42M Aluminium Fast Crew Boat to ADNOC group
Grandweld Shipyards successfully delivered 42M Aluminium Fast Crew Boat “SHAH 1” to ADNOC group on the 14th January 2015. The contract for construction of the 42M Aluminum Crew Boat for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was signed on the 31st of December 2013. ADNOC awarded Grandweld after winning an international tendering for the Fast Crew Boat project and enhancing a successful business relationship. The 42M crew Boat is powered by 3 high speeds diesel engines driving 3 fixed pitch propellers and capable of developing a speed in excess of 21knots. The Boat shall be a Fast Crew Boat with diving support capability to provide various Services required in the offshore operations. The vessel has luxury features of 30 person’s crew seating capacity, with 104 sqm loading area for over 90...
Polish aluminium can manufacturer plans further expansion in the Middle East
Can-Pack, a Polish beverage can manufacturer plans to expand its operations in Dubai, producing an additional 1.75 million cans a day through its Dh200 million factory unveiled in Dubai Investment Park on Monday. The company will now be able to produce 5 million aluminium cans per day catering to big names in the beverage industry including Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co and other beverage makers, and planning to invest another Dh70 million for further expansion. The Managing Director of Can-Pack Middle East, Michal Sloniec says that the European market is saturated but the Middle East holds a lot of promise thanks to the growing population and the large influx of people coming into the land. There are plans of further expansions by the company reaching out to countries as far as the Philippines...
A paradigm of premium aluminium production
Qatalum, led by a precision culture, has a casthouse which produces more than 60% of its alloys for the automotive industry. This is a direct result of the manufacturing proficiency within one of the world’s most efficient aluminium smelters. Over three years into full production and Qatalum’s products have gained a global customer base. What makes Qatalum’s Casthouse unique is that over 60% of its products are destined for the automotive industry. On its own, such an achievement stands as a testament to stringent manufacturing standards and robust marketing strategies. The only other industries that place higher demands on a casthouse product are electronics and aerospace, which however, require smaller volumes and specialised processes, respectively. The reason for Qatalum achievement...
Alba wins three major awards at MEET ICT Bahrain 2014
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba)’s commitment to international standards of excellence and workplace efficiency resulted in major achievements at MEET ICT Bahrain 2014 Awards by winning the ‘Business & Commerce Application Category’ Award for Implementation of BI Solution using Microsoft BI; ‘On the Cloud Project Category’ Award for its Private Cloud Solution based on Windows Server 2012 and the MEET ICT Personality of the Year of 2014. The awards were accepted by Alba’s Chief Operations Officer, Isa Al Ansari and Senior Manager IT, Esam Hadi. Isa Al Ansari expressed pride at being honoured by the GCC region’s IT industry experts and said: “I would like to congratulate Alba’s IT Department for their hard work in developing processes and promoting efficient operations throughout the...
Hidden energy exports through primary aluminium remain a concern
Consecutive years of below five per cent economic growth and 0.7 per cent contraction of the manufacturing sector last year ensured a 6.2 per cent fall in the country's primary aluminium use to 1.58 million tonnes (mt) during 2013-14. Even while India is to grow at 5.5 per cent in FY15, aluminium will likely again experience a fall in growth. This is happening when Vedanta and Hindalco are raising production by a significant amount. Government-owned National Aluminium Company (Nalco), exercising production discipline for the sake of profit improvement, is now engaged in reviewing whether more capacity use at this juncture will prove beneficial. A demand fall for two years in a row has led the Indian aluminium sector to sell the rising surplus abroad. Primary producers' exports climbed...
Chalco’s plan to hold inventories to boost prices may fail says analysts
Shanghai Metal Exchange had found that Chalco was planning to withhold aluminium inventories of up to 1.2 million tonnes along with 10 other leading aluminium producers of China in the hope of boosting aluminium prices. However such a stance seems difficult at the moment given the current market scenario. Considering the losses incurred by the high-cost smelters holding onto large volumes is unreasonable even the low-cost smelters, although more profitable cannot commit to stocking large inventories of unsold materials. Stockpiling works when the demand is high and supply is plenty to boost the price. Although there is no dearth of supply of aluminium in China demand is uncharacteristically low given the looming Chinese New Year ahead on February 19. Analysts believe that the impulsive...
Bauxite resources limited positive export DSO bauxite scoping study results received for 100% BRL Fortuna Project
Highlights • Existing Mineral Resource and rail logistic chain can support a Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) production target rate of 3Mtpa for a 12 year mine life • FOB operating cash costs estimated at A$30 (US$26) per tonne excluding royalties and landowner compensation* • A$26M capital expenditure (excluding port capital expenditure) • Level 2 environmental baseline studies underway • Contractor selection underway for desk top hydrogeology, hydrology and aquatic ecology studies • Conventional, shallow open cut mining method with no requirement for beneficiation • BRL retains 100% of project • Company well funded to advance project Scoping Study Outcomes Bauxite Resources Limited is pleased to advise that the pit-to-port scoping study on the Company’s 100% owned Fortuna bauxite resource has...
China alumina production to slow down on cash shortage Q1 2015
Cash shortages caused many new alumina projects to be shelved or delayed in 2014, and should continue to affect production in Q1 2015, Shanghai Metals Market foresees. China’s alumina output rose 8.2% from a year ago to 4.54 million tonnes in December 2014, SMM data showed. High margins inspired refineries to restart mothballed lines or commission new capacities. However, tight cash led to slower output growth in 2014.
Rio Tinto releases robust fourth quarter production performance
Rio Tinto chief executive Sam Walsh said “We have had a successful year of production, capped off with a robust fourth quarter. Output is in line with our targets across all of our major products. In a challenging market Rio Tinto remains focused on operating and commercial excellence to leverage our low-cost position and maximise value for shareholders.” Below are the highlights for its Bauxite, Aluminium and Coal business: Q4’14 vs Q4’13 vs Q3’14 2014 vs 2013 Bauxite kt 10,794 -6% -1% 41,871 -3% Aluminium kt 842 -1% -1% 3,361 -1% Hard coking coal kt 1,656 -31% -14% 7,471 -9% Semi-soft and thermal coal kt 5,502 -16% -10% 25,099 -6% Global bauxite production was temporarily reduced by three per cent in 2014 as Gove transitions to bauxite exports following the curtailment of the refinery...
Rare 1966 aluminium bodied Ferrari 275 GTB fetches $9.4 million at auction
A rare 1966 edition Ferrari 275 GTB has been sold for a whopping $9.405 million at an auction after getting an aluminium makeover, courtesy Bonhams. This Ferrari 275 Competizione Scaglieti was part of the 60th Anniversary celebration of the Italian firm conducted in Beverly Hills. The car was one of the 12 examples of the same ever built and was owned by the Georges Filipinetti who was a race team owner and a racer himself taking part in the 1967 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as the Spa- Francorchamps endurance race in 1969 in this car winning the first position in both the races. After retiring from racing the car became a part of the American collection before getting damaged by fire in 1985. It was restored soon after in Italy using blue leather upholstery and a brand new...
Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co. opting for smaller aluminium cans and bottles for packaging
Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co. the two leading brands of aerated drinks in the world are slowly switching over to smaller-sized cans as the world grows more health conscious. The beverage giants who had ruled the market for years are now coming up with smaller 7.5 ounces mini cans and 8.5-ounce aluminium bottles so that they can appeal to calorie-conscious majority and restrict the portion intake. The soda industry has endured a lot of criticism, being blamed for the increased obesity in the world and as a result the people have started cutting back on the their soda consumption consistently in recent years. Some people even demanding special taxes and warning labels on can. As a counter reaction, the beverage companies are pushing smaller cans. The companies will not be facing much losses as a...
EAA investigates aluminium recycling at Vienna event
The European Aluminium Association (EAA) is organising the 13th edition of its International Aluminium Recycling Congress for February 23-24 this year. The venue will be the Vienna Marriott Hotel in Austria's capital city. 'More than half of all the aluminium currently produced in the EU originates from recycled raw material and this trend is increasing,' notes the EAA. 'The well-being of aluminium recycling depends on the supply of scrap, and in the global economy there is fierce competition for this precious commodity.' Speakers at the annual event will seek to identify the impact of recent market developments on the European and global aluminium recycling industry. Key topics will include: recovering non-ferrous metals from bottom ash; new recycling methodologies in Volkswagen cars; a...
Logan Aluminium to start production ahead of schedule
The repairing work at Logan Aluminium Inc is running six days ahead of schedule with the repaired reversing motor ready to be installed at the company’s hot mill at Russellville, Kentucky. Novelis, who is a part-owner of the plant, along with Tri-Arrows Aluminium Inc. is happy that the repaired motor has already been delivered to the plant and they have let their customers know about the accelerated timeline, said Novelis spokesperson. Logan Aluminium is a leading manufacturer of primarily beverage-can sheets with two kinds of flat-rolled aluminium alloys, the 5182 alloy sheet for the top and tab of the aluminium can and 3104 alloy for the bodies. The approximate can sheet production capacity of the company is estimated at around 2 billion lb annually making it one of the largest...
EGA laboratory excels against industry peers
As part of a corporate quest for excellence across the business, Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA") continually benchmarks its operations against industry peers. For example, to ensure proficiency and accuracy in laboratory testing, the DUBAL Technical Laboratory at EGA Jebel Ali has regularly participated in Round Robin testing schemes for independent verification of the laboratory's competence since the laboratory was established in 1980. Over the years, the DUBAL Technical Laboratory has ranked among the five best laboratories worldwide for Accuracy in both the Raw Material and Quantometer sections. For instance, the laboratory has maintained excellent standards in Round Robin testing of Anode Cores, Petroleum Coke, Coal Tar Pitch, Aluminium Metal, Alumina and Aluminium Fluoride. In the...
Invitation - Hydro's fourth quarter results 2014
Hydro's fourth quarter results 2014 will be released at 07:00 CET (01:00 AM EST, 06:00 UK time), on Wednesday February 11, 2015. The quarterly report and presentation slides will be available on Hydro website at the same time. Presentation in Oslo Hydro will host a combined analyst and press conference, in English, at its corporate headquarters at Drammensveien 260, Oslo at 08:30 CET the same day. The presentation will be held by President and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg and CFO Eivind Kallevik and can also be seen on web TV. To attend the presentation in Oslo, please register on ir@hydro.com Q&A / Conference Call There will be a Conference Call at 15:00 UK Time (16:00 CET, 10:00 AM EST,) the same day. The Q&A will be held by President and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg and CFO Eivind...
UAE companies to have strong presence at Aluminium Middle East 2015
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will have a strong presence at the Aluminium Middle East 2015 exhibition with top industry players from the Arab world's second largest economy confirming their participation. Aluminium Middle East 2015, to be held from April 14 to 16 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC), will see more than 200 exhibitors from 25 countries participating. This year, more than 10 per cent of the confirmed exhibitors are from the UAE. Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director at Reed Exhibitions Middle East, organisers of the event, said: "The exhibition comes at a right time where the global aluminium industry can explore new opportunities as a result of the boom in projects in the region. By bringing participants from across the world, we will also...
