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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Government of India to decide the parameters for mining auctions
The new mining Ordinance established by the Union government allows them to set any parameters for bidding of mineral concessions which could be a share in production, payment linked to royalty or any other parameter the Centre sees fit. According to the new Ordinance, the only way for the state to grant mineral concessions would be through auctions but the terms of the auction including conditions, procedures and the bidding parameters for different categories will be prescribed by the Union government. The mining industry also seems fine with the terms as a company has the right to say no to bidding if it is not comfortable with the set parameters, informed Dinesh Kumar Singhi, the MD of a leading mining company in Karnataka. Miners suggest that in order to get the best price in the...
EGA sponsors World Future Energy Summit 2015
UAE aluminium giant Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA") will play a pivotal role as Associate Sponsor when the World Future Energy Summit ("WFES") 2015 is hosted by Masdar at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 19 to 22 January. More than 30,000 delegates from 170 countries representing expertise from industry, technology, finance and government will attend an event widely considered the world's foremost summit dedicated to renewable energies, clean technologies and energy efficiency. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, WFES is a key part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2015.While the summit enjoyed sponsorship support from Emirates Aluminium ("EMAL", an...
Honda presents ‘world’s first all-aluminum supercar’ at North American Auto Show 2015
Honda introduced Honda NSX a mid-engined, hybrid powered and supercar at the 2015 North American International Auto Show that it took centre stage. It is the literal and importantly spiritual successor to the 1990 NSX that had its chassis tuned by Formula 1 legend, Ayrton Senna. Honda says it has the “world’s first all-aluminium supercar” body that complements a carbon fibre floor. It sits on 19” wheels at the front and 20” at the rear. It also has four-wheel-drive, aluminium suspension, multi-piston callipers and carbon ceramic discs. Honda has not confirmed the engine’s full specification, but it takes the form of atwin-turbocharged V6 petrol that is teamed with 9-speed, dual-clutch and transmission. NSX power is at least 550PS that most likely propels it to 62mph in about four seconds....
Announcement : IBAAS 2015 Symposium
International Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Society (IBAAS) has signed an agreement with Suzhou Research Institute for Non-ferrous Metals Co. Ltd (SINR), China to hold the 4th International Symposium in Suzhou (near Shanghai, China) during November 4-6, 2015. The theme of this conference would be 'Aluminium Industry - The Success Story of China: Learning for the World'. The main focus of this conference will be on the outstanding developments of aluminium downstream industry in China; the latest Innovation / R&D work on bauxite processing, alumina & aluminium production of the world will also be highlighted. The IBAAS-SINR conference will be followed by plant visits to modern Chinese aluminium downstream and special aluminium alloy production units. The first circular and details of the...
Government officials are hopeful Alpart refinery will bring development in Jamaica
While everybody is happy about the reopening of the Alpart refinery in 2016, parliamentarians Michael Peart and Richard Parchment say that this should not be seen as just an employment opportunity but a vehicle for overall development, especially in the most affected regions of South Manchester and South-Eastern St Elizabeth. In 1974, a Capital Development Fund was set up that would draw in the levies charged from the bauxite mining companies and use the sums to fund development. However, the Fund ended up supporting the government that was struggling at the time to make ends meet. This time the Fund would be used to serve its original purpose says Peart, who is a Member of Parliament for South Manchester. Parchment, representing South-East St Elizabeth, on the other hand points out to...
Nanshan Aluminum eyeing expansions in high-end aluminum product market
Shandong Nanshan Aluminum Co. is targeting high-end aluminum products to meet growing demand, China Securities Journal reported today. The company is looking to expand its aluminum extrusion capacity by 20,000-30,000-tpy in 2015 and bring its total capacity of industrial aluminum extrusion to 60,000-tpy, the media added. Nanshan Aluminum is planning to increase its annual capacity of cold-rolled aluminum products – mainly used to produce beverage cans – to 480,000 tonnes in 2015 from 430,000 tonnes in 2014. China’s annual demand for pop-top cans stands at 600,00-700,000 tonnes, growing at an annual rate of 10%, it reported. The company, whose high-end aluminum foil capacity stands at 30,000-tpy, has started construction on 40,000-tpy precision aluminum foil to capitalize on robust...
BALCO gets state nod to commence new power plant
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), a subsidiary of Vedanta SSLT, announced that it has received approval from the state government of Chhattisgarh, to start a 1,200 megawatts (MW) captive power plant (4 units of 300 MW each). The move will boost BALCO’s annual aluminium production capacity to 5.7 lakh metric tonnes from the current 3.5 lakh and also make Chhattisgarh, India’s third largest aluminium producer, said the company. “We are very grateful to the Government of Chhattisgarh for the approval granted, at a time when we are celebrating our Golden Jubilee Year. It enables us to further ramp up our state-of-the-art aluminium smelter, thereby taking the aluminium capacity to 570,000 MT per annum. The power plant and Smelter will significantly contribute to the state exchequer and...
Nalco to double wind generation capacity, heads for sustainable growth
National Aluminum Company (Nalco) of India is enhancing its wind power generation capacity by investing around Rs 700 crore. The company has planned to install an additional 100 MW wind power generation capacity to its existing 100 MW capacity. “The project will be set up shortly at a suitable location in India”, says, Ansuman Das, chairman cum managing director, Nalco. Already company owns 100 MW in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. The Gandikota unit with 50.4 MW capacities in Andhra Pradesh was commissioned in 2012. The second wind power plant of 47.6 MW capacities at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan was commissioned in January last year. The central PSU has another proposal to set up a solar power plant in the country to meet its solar purchase obligation. Besides, Nalco has plans to build a 14-MW...
Hydro's Mertens heads first global alufoil association
Supporters of the Global Aluminium Foil Roller Initiative (GLAFRI) have decided to establish a legal trade association. Manfred Mertens, head of Hydro's Packaging & Building unit in the Rolled Products business area, was elected president of this first-ever global foil association. GLAFRI is now operating as an association with 42 member companies, including five supporters, from all major foil producer areas worldwide. This follows the remarkable success of GLAFRI so far, particularly the three annual conferences held to spearhead its activities. Initially the major objective of the new association will be to continue ‘one voice’ on foil promotion and sustainability issues globally, with the aim to support foil market growth in general. The new organization will enable more continuity in...
Brazil is off to slow start in the aluminium market amidst a weakening economy
2014 has been a bad year for Brazil and things do not look much brighter in 2015 as the country still seems to be in a haze of lethargy as the end-user demands remain low and most producers holding enough stocks to sustain them through the first quarter resulting in a quiet marketplace. Buyers complain that the sloth-paced market has forced many of them to extend their year end holidays, some even up to a month. Consumers are still long in aluminium after a disastrous 2014 and the condition is still not conducive for trading volumes in the country’s spot market. The slow Brazil economy has had a great impact on the country’s consumer market in the construction and automobiles sector, both of which use aluminium, dragging the demand for spurred by high energy prices and possibility of...
Estimates of aluminium price of Alcoa Inc. ‘Similar’ to present levels
On Monday, William Oplinger, the Chief Financial Officer of Alcoa Inc. said that the company has used an aluminium price which also includes the benchmark futures and also the regional premiums which are comparable to present level for its forecast for 2015 of $500 million. However, while announcing the fourth quarter reports Oplinger did not mention the aluminium price which the company used in its projects for 2015. He however mentioned that those were "similar to the market situation that we have today." His remarks will possibly start a debate over the issues of physical premiums that are paid according to the futures even for physical delivery. The Australian bank said "with the Chinese surplus expected to slightly widen" it also expects that there will be a trivial aluminium deficit...
Japan’s aluminium stockpiles rise as imports rise and demand falls
Japan’s high aluminium imports and weakening demand in the domestic front and elsewhere in Asia has given rise to stockpiles held at the three important ports of Japan for the ninth straight month, hitting a record high in December. The trading house, Marubeni Corp revealed on Friday that aluminium stocks held at Yokohama, Nagoya and Osaka rose to 413,000 tonnes in December, up by 9% from November which was already the highest level recorded since April 2000. The sudden rise of the stockpiles is due the reduced imports in China where export of the metal was seen to rise 19% last year, a trend that is expected to continue this year. Meanwhile, Japan’s import of aluminium ingot imports rose by 16% to 1.58 million tonnes during the period between January and November, according to the...
Aluminum Window Door Facade Expo 2015 to showcase new products and technologies for growing global market
Organized by Guangzhou Citiexpo Co Ltd, the 21st Aluminum Window Door Facade Expo will be the essential hub for the building envelope industry to view new products and innovative technologies, as well as networking with exhibiting companies and professional visitors. According to Navigant Research's recent report, the commercial and residential segments of global construction markets will experience compound annual growth rates over the next 10 years of 2.1 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. In particular, China's construction boom has fueled extraordinary growth in that country's building stock, with nearly 2 billion square meters added each year. "Thanks to the continuously growing markets, we have increased the 2015 exhibition space 25% percent over last year," said Ms. Shea Xie,...
Hydro-owned casthouse technology provider celebrates 25 years
Hydro’s fully owned casthouse technology provider, Hycast, celebrates 25 years this week. “After some challenging years, the outlook now is promising,” says the managing director of Hycast, Helge Jansen. Over the years, Hycast has developed several game-changing casting technologies for Hydro, including the SIR in-line melt refiner system, which purifies molten aluminium from hydrogen and inclusions, and the RAM station, which removes alkali metals. On Thursday this week, the company marked its anniversary with a seminar on trends in the aluminium industry. “Not only are we celebrating our 25-year-long history, we are also celebrating 25 years without any work-related injuries to our employees,” says Jansen. Following the financial downturn that hit the aluminium industry in 2009, the...
China seen to shift focus from heavy metals to aluminium
There is a distinct shift noticed in the Chinese market from heavy metals to minerals that were once overlooked. The bearish outlook in core industries like iron ore and coal is largely responsible for the shift in focus. The minerals that have gained importance are bauxite – for making aluminium, zinc, copper, natural gas and uranium that are the feedstock for numerous consumer goods like washing machines, air conditioners and cars that are growing in demand amongst the 1.4 billion consumers in China. It has already been noticed that China has become the second largest consumer in the world after US, beating Japan. Euromonitor International forecasts that among the vast population, nearly 90 percent of Chinese households amounting to 470 million by 2030 will have around $15,000 or more...
India's imports of Aluminum waste and scrap rose 11.76% in Dec '14
InfodriveIndia website, India's premier research company in export import statistics, announced on 15th January 2015 that India's Aluminium and Aluminium Articles imports in December- 2014 has grew to US$ 343.28 M, a increase of 12.75% compared to November 2014. According to them the total value of imports in December- 2014 was 143.69 M, compared to November 2014, there is a increase of 15.11 M in December- 2014, growth rate in percentage terms is 11.76%, the major destination countries were Saudi arabia, United arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States and Netherlands and major Indian ports were JNPT, Ahmedabad ICD, Madras Sea, Dadri-STTPL CFS and Noida-Dadri-ICD. This finding is based on India Import items of Aluminium and Aluminium Articles of InfodriveIndia.com and is compiled from...
Novelis China wins the “2014 Excellent Supplier” award from China’s leading automotive manufacturer FAW-Volkswagen
On 15th Jan 2015, Novelis China won the “2014 Excellent Supplier” award at the FAW-Volkswagen (FAW-VW) Purchasing Working Conference held in Changchun, Jilin province, becoming the only flat-rolled aluminum supplier to receive the award. The company was recognized for its strong local and global support and committed supply for FAW-VW’s fast growing production and its important role in assisting the customer with the development of aluminum parts for Audi cars, in cooperation with Novelis Europe. “It is a great honor for Novelis China and the Novelis global automotive team to receive full recognition from FAW-VW which is the biggest aluminum BIW user in China for our excellent service. It is definitely a team achievement from hard working and tremendous efforts through the coordination of...
Manaksia aluminium plant at Haldia resumes operations
The Manaksia plant that had issued work suspension notice in November 2014 in Haldia plant, Kolkata, India has announced on January 17, 2015 that they have resumed normal operations at the plant lifting the suspension order. In early November, the plant had shut down as a result of worker agitation demanding immediate raise in wages, ending in a violent attack on a the plant supervisor N.K. Singh. Singh had to be hospitalized for the injuries and the management decided to issue suspension of work notice. Now the Company has also informed that, the Aluminum Division factory at Haldia, West Bengal has been transferred as a going concern to Manaksia Aluminium Company Limited pursuant to the Scheme of Arrangement as sanctioned by Hon'ble Calcutta High Court effective November 23, 2014.
