Aluminum investment across North America and Asia: Who leads reshaping the next phase of growth?
Aluminum investment has been spreading across the entire value chain, from primary smelting and alumina refining to recycling, rolling, extrusion and battery foil, building more integrated and higher-value supply chains. During the past 5 years, the US and Canada in North America and China in Asia have been grabbing headlines pertaining to the aluminum industry. These updates have involved growth stories or have shed light on volatile market situations. How have these headlines contributed to a greater picture for the benefit of the aluminum industries of the two continents? Between 2021 and 2026, major projects across North America and Asia have targeted new primary capacity, lower-carbon production, recycled aluminum and higher-value downstream products. But the investment pattern is...
AL Circle Analysis: From 13% costlier cans to 317 GW solar, aluminium trade enters new territory
As aluminium continues to draw the spotlight as a strategic variable in global trade rather than a merely traded commodity. Tariffs imposed at the border are now showing up in the cost of cans, auto components and downstream products, while high copper prices are encouraging manufacturers to redesign products around aluminium. Meanwhile, India is tightening protection around selected aluminium products even as domestic downstream manufacturers question the cost of protecting primary metal. China’s extrusion industry is adjusting to weaker construction demand by moving towards solar, batteries and other clean-energy applications. In North America, deeply integrated supply chains are confronting the consequences of suddenly changing tariff economics. To know the global production, demand...
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Orbite provides update on HPA construction
Orbite Aluminae Inc. today provided an update on the construction of its high purity alumina plant. Refractory Material and Project Update Orbite had announced on October 29th that, following quality control testing by the Company’s Technology Development Centre (TDC), product non conformities had been identified with some of the refractory materials supplied by Outotec which could have led to mechanical integrity problems during operations. Specifically, the non-conformities were found in the mortar and the castables supplied. Orbite then identified and tested replacement materials that could be used to replace the brick and mortar inner lining of the decomposer and calcinator (castable monolith), with no detrimental impact on product quality. Orbite reported on December 4th, following...
Ford ships thousands of aluminium pickups after extra checks
Ford Motor Co has shipped thousands of aluminium-bodied F-150 pickups, and their introduction isn’t being delayed by extra quality inspections for the re-engineered model, the company said. “We’ve shipped more than 5,000 all-new F-150s to dealers across North America, and we’re shipping more each day,” Kristina Adamski, a Ford spokeswoman, said in an e-mailed statement. “We are on plan to be at full production at Dearborn Truck Plant by the end of this month.” Additional inspections have led the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker to park hundreds of finished trucks in lots around Detroit. While automakers sometimes stockpile models that need repairs, Adamski said that isn’t the case with the new F-150, which is lighter and more fuel efficient. Ford is taking special care to ensure its top...
Russian mining firm keen on partnership in bauxite sector
Russian metal and mining major Basic Eelement has evinced interest in forging partnership for developing bauxite-related sector in India. Chairman of the supervisory board of Basic Element, Oleg Deripaska, expressed company's interest at a meeting with Steel and Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar yesterday, an official statement said today. The company intends to explore partnership potential in developing bauxite related sector in India, the release said. "Deripaska principally expressed interest in associating with Indian aluminium industry by developing high-end and sophisticated downstream facilities," it said. Basic Element is the leading player in the field of metal, mining, hydropower and nuclear energy in Russia. "Aluminium is the metal of future, and we are keen to help Indian...
Hudson produces specialty grade calcined alumina using White Mountain Anorthosite
Hudson Resources Inc. is pleased to announce that it has produced calcined alumina suited to specialty non-metallurgical applications using the calcium feldspar anorthosite from its White Mountain Project in Greenland. Specialty grades of alumina (such as calcined, white fused and tabular alumina) are typically used for refractories and ceramics. These types of alumina command a significant premium over smelter grade alumina (SGA), which is primarily used in the production of aluminum. Alumina production is one of three potential revenue streams Hudson is pursuing for the White Mountain project. Hudson has produced a high quality specialty grade alumina with the following key attributes: -- High quality Alpha alumina content measured at 99.8%. -- High alumina content of 99.5%, including...
UC RUSAL announces the 100% consolidation of WINDALCO
UC RUSAL, a leading global aluminium producer, announces that it has completed its transaction to obtain the remaining 7% of the property rights of West Indies Alumina Company (WINDALCO). As a result, RUSAL now owns 100% of the complex. The relevant agreement was reached and signed between RUSAL and the Government of Jamaica in May 2014 as part of RUSAL’s asset consolidation programme. The assignment of the 7% stake was completed to partially satisfy the Jamaican government’s debt obligations to RUSAL. ‘This agreement to fully consolidate the bauxite and alumina complex is in line with RUSAL’s strategy to provide its plants with in-house raw materials. WINDALCO is an important raw material supplier of RUSAL’s smelters. As part of RUSAL’s on-going modernization programme we are planning to...
China aluminum alloy consumption to grow in 2014, SMM sees
China’s aluminum alloy consumption will grow in 2014 due to robust demand from wheel manufacturers, Shanghai Metals Market foresees. Strong exports of China’s aluminum alloy wheels will support aluminum alloy consumption. China exported 71,500 tonnes of aluminum alloy wheels in October, up 13.0% year-on-year. Year-to-date exports through October also grew 12.5% on the year to 660,100 tonnes, customs data showed. The average operating rate at major Chinese A356 aluminum alloy producers changed little from October at 67.35% in November, SMM’s survey of 15 A356 aluminum alloy producers showed. Output at the surveyed producers totaled 114,500 tonnes in November, basically flat with October’s level. Processing fees stayed around RMB 700 yuan ($114) per tonne for delivery to factory.
Dominant holder highlights problems in aluminium market
For years buyers of aluminium have put the metal in warehouses, borrowed against it, and waited for prices to rise. It was an obvious trade. Now the metal is finally starting to leave warehouses, but much is still held up in long queues. That has opened up space for large trading bets that have raised questions over how efficiently the market is functioning. Aluminium is one of the world’s most important metals, used in cars to cans and aeroplanes and valued for its lightweight properties. It is being used increasingly by US carmakers to meet fuel-efficiency standards. The London Metal Exchange acts as a source of metal at times when aluminium is in short supply elsewhere. Exchange data shows that at the end of November one entity had accumulated an aluminium holding of between 50-79 per...
China aluminum-foil makers face threat of wider EU duties
The European Union threatened to widen tariffs on heavy rolls of aluminum foil from China, highlighting the Chinese challenge to manufacturers in Europe. The EU began an inquiry into whether Chinese exporters of aluminum foil in rolls weighing more than 10 kilograms (22 pounds) and with a thickness of less than 0.021 millimeter sell the wrapping in the bloc below cost, a practice known as dumping. The EU already applies anti-dumping duties on aluminum foil from China in rolls weighing more than 10 kilograms and as wide as 650 millimeters (25.6 inches), with a thickness between 0.008 millimeter and 0.018 millimeter. This foil is excluded from the probe announced today. The investigation will determine whether rolls from China weighing more than 10 kilograms and with a thickness of less...
HVAC aluminium solution earns gold award for Panasonic
A material substitution project by Panasonic’s air-conditioning business unit led to an aluminium solution from Sapa that saved costs and struck gold for outstanding performance. Aluminium is replacing copper tubing in industrial A/C units because the solutions can offer more competitive costs and better heat transfer performance. At the same time, the change requires careful planning, material selection and design of the new system. Consequently, Panasonic’s A/C business unit turned to Sapa to acquire the best support available. Panasonic’s project team selected the most advanced round tube developed by Sapa, the zinc-coated helical inner-grooved tube. The inner grooving increases surface area and thereby heat transfer potential, and the zinc coating improves the corrosion performance of...
Japan Aluminium stocks hit record high on increased imports
Aluminium stocks held at three major Japanese ports rose for an eighth straight month to hit a record high at the end of November on rising imports and softer demand at home. Aluminium stocks held at Yokohama, Nagoya and Osaka rose 14 percent in November from a month earlier to 378,000 tonnes, the highest level in data going back to April 2000, trading house Marubeni Corp said on Friday. "An increased number of aluminium ingots are coming to Japan to look for buyers amid slowing demand elsewhere in Asia as China steps up exports of cheaper aluminium products to neighbouring countries," said a Tokyo-based trader, who declined to be named. Japan's import of aluminium ingot rose 16 percent to 1.43 million tonnes in the January-October period from the same period in 2013, according to the...
EGA continues to 'beat the heat'
The first joint summer 'Beat the Heat and Be Safe'campaign conducted by Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA") at both its smelter operations in Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah has resulted in the organisation achieving no lost working days as a result of either heat rash or heat stress during the punishing summer months of 2014. "This is the eighth and ninth consecutive years respectively that we have achieved and sustained these milestones,"said Abdulla Kalban (EGA: Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer). "It's a particularly remarkable achievement given that Ramadan fell in the peak of summer." EGA's annual campaign highlights the dangers of heat exposure and related summer-time health issues. This year's programme featured a number of initiatives, including training sessions for more than...
BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities supports Australian Science Olympiads
On 8th December, BHP Billiton, through Company charity BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities, announced a A$1.65 million contribution over three years to the Australian Science Olympiads, the flagship program of Australian Science Innovations. This support will help fund the addition of the Earth and Environmental Science Olympiad and see the development of a suite of online training programs that will improve equity of access for students and schools who are preparing for the Olympiad selection exams. Speaking at a launch event in Melbourne, BHP Billiton’s President - Corporate Affairs Tony Cudmore said the Company was delighted to help grow the Australian Science Olympiad. “As a global resources Company with 130 operations across 21 countries, scientists are vital members of our 123,000...
Carlsberg teams up with Rexam to launch a Christmas-special beer
Rexam, a global leader in the beverage can manufacturing has secured the contract with Carlsberg to launch a limited edition can for the Christmas season. Carlsberg has brewed special beer for the winter season named Tuborg Pilsner and they want Rexam’s special 1 litre and 750ml King Cans to launch the product. The 1 litre variety is the largest two-piece aluminium can available in the global market and thus it will create a stand-out effect on the shelves which is essential for a new launch. Speaking about the partnership, Dr. Linda Boos, Director of Corporate Communications and CSR Carlsberg Germany GmbH says: "Working with Rexam last year was a fantastic success. Rexam's King Can allows for large 360° branding, giving us maximum visual impact at point of sale, which is particularly...
Bauxite transporters complain of partiality towards local truck-owners: Margaon
On Thursday, transportation of bauxite ore from the Naqueri plateau was disrupted as other ore transporters form Quepem, Salcete and Mormugao complained that there was a preferential treatment given to the local Fatorpa-Naqueri belt transporters, depriving the transporters from outside. The transporters from these three talukas insisted that they have seen distinct biasedness towards the local truck-owners as opposed to the outside owners when it came to transporting ores. They even said that the payment differed between the two and that the local people received better payments which should not be the case in democratic set up. Ulhas Desai, a truck owner from Cuncolim said that the truck selection should be on a rotational basis instead of other external factors like the local status....
Aluminium Corporation of China signs up for clean energy for its plants
In a bid to provide cleaner energy, Jiangsu Tianwo-SES Clean Energy Technologies Ltd. (TSEC) China joint venture partner, Zhangjiagang Chemical Machinery Co., Ltd. (ZCM) has secured orders worth over RMB 650 million for three syngas supply plants which will create seven gasification systems using SES technology. On December 8, 2014, Aluminium Corporation of China and ZCM’s subsidiary, Innovative Coal Chemical Design Institute (ICCDI) signed an agreement in which the latter will serve as the general contractor providing the engineering and the physical constructions of the three projects. The new proposed gasification plants will provide approximately 175,000 normal cubic meters per hour of industrial syngas. This is a much cleaner energy fuel which can then be used to power the three...
Alcoa doubling high-tech coating capacity in Michigan to capture growing aerospace demand
Innovative Technology Improves Jet Engine Fuel Efficiency • $16.7 million expansion in coating capabilities to improve performance of blades and vanes in hot section of bestselling, next-generation jet engines • Construction to begin this month, production expected in 2016 • Investment supported by customer agreements • Supports Company’s strategy to grow aerospace business, capture demand for advanced jet engine parts Alcoa Power and Propulsion, a unit of lightweight, high-performance metals leader Alcoa (NYSE: AA), is doubling its high-technology coating capacity at its Whitehall, Michigan facility. The $16.7 million investment will position the Company to further capture growing demand for advanced jet engine parts. The 7,700 sq. ft. building expansion will be located at the Company’s...
Hybrid aluminium rocket-car attempts to break the land speed record
In 2016, a team of engineers will attempt to smash the land speed record by reaching more than 1,000mph in their Bloodhound supersonic car (SSC). The project has been seven years in the making and has been a dream of former RAF pilot Andy Green since he set the current record in 1997. Now, it has moved a step closer to reality - with the hybrid rocket engine the car will use being fired for the first time. The upper chassis is made of strong, but lightweight aluminium, onto which titanium stringers and titanium skin will be fixed using glue and 1,400 aircraft specification rivets. The lower chassis, below the jet, is made of aluminium and steel, and houses the Nammo hybrid rocket. The pencil-shaped car will be 44ft (13.4m) long, 6ft (183cm) in diameter, and weigh 7.5 tonnes when...
UC RUSAL launches powder business development programme
UC RUSAL, a leading global aluminium producer, announces the start of its powder business modernisation programme. The programme, with a total investment set to reach USD52 million, will renovate the powder metallurgy plants in Volgograd and Shelehov. The programme aims to increase production of aluminum powder from 20k to 25.5k tonnes per year and expand the Company’s market share in the Russia and CIS market from 54% to 76%. The program will be implemented from 2014 through to 2022. RUSAL is investing in the development of modern dry and wet grinding technology that will allow the Company to penetrate the aluminum paste segment. Alongside this, the Company will also invest in the development of new technology to reduce powder production costs, to produce new types of gas developing...
