AL Circle Analysis: Europe’s aluminium scrap curbs, India’s risk and US’s supply opportunity
Aluminium recycling is supposed to be the industry’s easiest win — economic and eco-friendly. Interestingly, this is where the plot thickens. Aluminium recycling is moving from a sustainability objective to a strategic supply-chain issue, with scrap availability, domestic recovery, cross-border waste rules and decarbonisation policy influencing where recycled metal can be produced and consumed. Recent developments across Europe, such as the UK and Greece, in the US and India reveal that investment in recycling is accelerating, but access to suitable scrap and the rules governing its movement are becoming equally important. Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel. Europe wants more recycled aluminium, but what is the...
German downstream aluminium exports fall 13% in H1 2026 but US enters top 5 with 228.1% import surge
Germany’s downstream aluminium export map underwent a noticeable shift in H1 2026. Shipments to the world fell, with most of Germany’s traditional European customers taking less aluminium downstream product. Yet, amid that broad retreat, one market moved in the opposite direction: the United States. German downstream aluminium exports to the world fell to 897,773.19 tonnes in H1 2026 from 1 million tonnes in H1 2025, a decline of 13 per cent year on year. The contrast was particularly sharp in the US market. American imports of German downstream aluminium reached 68,061.61 tonnes in H1 2026, up 228.1 per cent from just 20,743.62 tonnes in H1 2025. The increase of more than 47,000 tonnes was enough to push the US into Germany’s top 5 destinations for the first time. The export map is...
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“Slow growth in Mining Sector retarding industrial growth in India,” Anshuman Das, CMD, Nalco
“The significance of mining sector is determined not by the amount of mineral resources it generates in a country but by the amount of catalytic input it gives towards driving the economy of the country,” said Anshuman Das, chairman-cum-managing director of Nalco during the 18Th International Conference on Non Ferrous Minerals & Metals – 2014 in Nagpur. Mr. Anshuman Das highlighted the significant contribution that the mining sector can have towards the overall industrial growth of a country and expressed his concern over the diminishing growth of the mining industry in India. He told that the total contribution of mining sector towards the GDP of India was about 3.4 % in 1992/93 and it has come down to about 2% at present. Even the standalone growth of the mining sector has also fallen...
ET Foundation recognizes professional designers and students in the 2014 aluminum extrusion design competition
A total of $20,000 was awarded to professional designers and students in the 2014 International Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition. Ninety-five entries were received for the competition, including more than 80 designs from students and universities and technical schools. The awards, sponsored by Sapa Extrusions North America, included a Grand Prize, Professional Class prizes, and Student Class scholarships, which included the Sapa Sustainable Design Award. The Grand Prize of $3,500, awarded across all classes and categories went to David Hornbach, Senior Product Designer for The Morel Company in Batesville, Indiana, for his design of the “Hercules” Patient Repositioner. The Hercules allows a single caregiver to reposition a patient in bed with a simple push of a button. The...
Order awarded for new automotive line
Following a selection process, Hydro decided on BWG Bergwerk- und Walzwerk-Maschinenbau GmbH as general supplier for this part. BWG, headquartered in Duisburg, Germany, develops and designs process lines, machines and special constructions. Hydro has worked with BWG on previous projects. “We are pleased that our important project for the growth market, automotive, is proceeding on time. Thus we will meet the surging demand from our customers for high-performance sheet for lighter car bodies,” says Executive Vice President Oliver Bell, head of Hydro's Rolled Products business area. The new line will increase annual capacity for aluminium car body sheet to 200,000 tonnes. Start of production is scheduled for the second half of 2016.
Constellium NV given average recommendation of “Buy” by analysts
Shares of Constellium NV have been given a consensus recommendation of “Buy” by the thirteen ratings firms that are covering the company, Analyst Ratings Network reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have given a hold recommendation and eight have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $31.51. A number of analysts have recently weighed in on CSTM shares. Analysts at Sterne Agee initiated coverage on shares of Constellium NV in a research note on Thursday, June 12th. They set a “buy” rating and a $30.43 price target on the stock. Separately, analysts at Deutsche Bank reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Constellium NV in a research note on Monday, May...
Wheeler Industries, Inc. announces environmental benefits of aluminum alloy bearing products
Wheeler Industries, the country's leading aluminum bearings manufacturer, is helping companies achieve more reliable performance with lowered environmental impact by switching to Wheeler-manufactured aluminum fluid film bearings. The harmful lead and cadmium content contained in leaded-bronze and Babbitted bearings, www.wheelerfluidfilmbearings.com/babbitt-bearings, has long been a source of concern for companies seeking to reduce their impact on the environment, yet needing a bearings material option, able to decrease cost and weight, at the same time offering improved strength and fatigue resistance. An increasing number of companies in the automotive, transportation, construction, packaging, oil prospecting and applications industries are finding that solution in the aluminum fluid...
LRS Consultancy to study packaging recycling strategies
LRS Consultancy (LRS), a London-based research firm, in partnership with the environmental services company Enval, the waste management and recycling firm SITA UK, the consumer products companies Nestlé UK & Ireland and Coca-Cola Enterprises and the retailer Tesco UK, is undertaking a study that will address various approaches for collecting and treating flexible plastic and aluminum laminate packaging materials. To assist with the study, the U.K’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has provided to LRS and its partnership group with funding. The initial study will explore ways to increase the amount of flexible laminate packaging that is collected and recycled in England. The study also will assess the feasibility of a range of collection and communication...
India hoping for aluminum demand to bounce back
It may have plateaued in the last three years, but analysts are hoping that India’s aluminum demand will grow in the current fiscal year. Demand for aluminum in India is tied into growth in infrastructure, power facilities, consumer durables and automobiles. The country’s demand for aluminum has, on an average, remained stable through the last decade or so, largely because of its dependence on the power sector. Those following the aluminum sector are hopeful that demand would grow five times over present levels by 2030. According to Ajay Srinivasan, director of ratings and research agency Credit Rating Information Services of India (Crisil), the forecast is that both the power and automobile segments will propel a slight recovery in domestic aluminum demand in 2014-15, though...
Chalco’s Jiaozuo Wanfang Aluminum to conduct related party transactions of aluminum alloy bar
Jiaozuo Wanfang Aluminum Manufacturing Co., a subsidiary of Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco), will sell aluminum alloy bar to related parties between July and December, it told Shenzhen Stock Exchange today. Jiaozuo Wanfang Aluminum is expected to sell 1,560 tonnes of aluminum alloy bar with some 21.84 million yuan ($3.54 million), tax included, to Jiaozuo Wanfang Group during the second half of the year. The latter holds 7.63% in its stake. It will also sell 2,400-3,000 tonnes of the same product to Zhengzhou Research Institute of Chalco at 33.60-42.00 million yuan, tax included, the company disclosed. Jiaozuo Wanfang Aluminum announced June 25 to continue to suspend share trading due to major asset restructuring.
Australian Bauxite : Former Tasmanian Premier appointed Chairman
Paul Lennon has been appointed Chairman of Australian Bauxite Limited following the retirement of Mr. John Dawkins AO at the recent AGM. Mr. Lennon is a passionate Tasmanian and takes up the mantel of Chairman at a time when ABx has identified three mines in northern Tasmania and production planned to commence in December 2014. 'I have accepted this appointment as Chairman of Australian Bauxite as I see the potential the company has to offer, not only to Tasmanians, through job creation and project generation, but as the leader in new bauxite exploration in Australia,' Mr. Lennon said. 'I will be leading a dedicated and capable board of directors with a strong management and geological team, who will work diligently to progress and develop Australian Bauxite's projects across the eastern...
Queensland Bauxite looks to feasibility study, off-take at South Johnstone
Queensland Bauxite has returned more positive test results on bauxite from its South Johnstone bauxite project with total alumina ranging from 32% to 38%. South Johnstone represents a new potentially high grade bauxite region, remarkably close to established infrastructure. Significantly, an independent feasibility study is in the offing to look at development options for the initial 30 million tonne resource to and evaluate early mining at South Johnstone given demand resulting from the ban by Indonesia on export of unprocessed ores. The study would also look to establish production targets. As well, already off-take alternatives are being reviewed, pointing to the perceived quality of the project. Notably, the X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) tests show that the bauxite is likely to be mostly...
Emirates Global aluminium project clears Guinea hurdle
Guinea's parliament has approved amendments in a deal with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) which will see the start of bauxite production in 2017 and the construction of a 2-million-tonne-per-year alumina refinery from 2018. "The National Assembly unanimously adopted the amendment of Global Alumina project," Saadou Nimaga, legal counsel of Guinea's mines ministry told Reuters late on Tuesday. The adoption of the amendments clears the path for the project after the West African nation and Abu Dhabi state-owned investment fund Mubadala signed a $5 billion agreement in November to develop a bauxite mine and an alumina refinery in minerals-rich Guinea. The project was previously owned by a consortium that included Dubai Aluminium (Dubal), Mubadala, BHP Billiton and Global Alumina and had...
RUSAL pledges 75% of Aughinish Alumina plant to Glencore
Russian aluminum giant UC RUSAL has pledged 75% of its Irish alumina plant Aughinish Alumina against a credit from Glencore for alumina supplies in 2014-2016, as seen by PRIME economic news agency in a document that metal giant Norilsk Nickel has sent to its major shareholders on Wednesday. The credit agreement includes a $400 million prepayment. The credit is provided at LIBOR plus 4.95% and must be redeemed before the end of 2016. As of April 31, stakes of another 10 RUSAL were used as collateral to secure credits. RUSAL has frozen payments on $5.15 billion worth of syndicated loans from April 8 till July 7. The creditors agreed not to take any action against any company of the RUSAL group not to trigger a default under the initial loan agreement. RUSAL’s net debt amounts to more than...
Rio Tinto Alcan says Bluff smelter hurt by high kiwi, lower prices
Rio Tinto Alcan which holds Rio Tinto's stake in the Bluff aluminium smelter, is mulling its response after losing an appeal against an Employment Court ruling over a claim of $13.4 million. The company took provisions for its share of the claim in its 2013 accounts, of $10.6 million, according to its annual report. It turned a profit of $66.8 million, from a small loss a year earlier, when it took a charge as an impairment against the smelter. Sales fell 13% to $655 million, driven by revenue from related parties. Production at the smelter itself barely budged at 324,835 tonnes of saleable metal in 2013, from 326,963 a year earlier, according to the financial accounts of the operating company, New Zealand Aluminium Smelters, of which Rio owns 79%. Revenue at NZAS rose 16% to $796.6...
“Delivering lightweight technologies to our customers at a good value is the main challenge faced by the automakers” … Craig Renneker, Chief Engineer – Component & Pre-Program, Transmission & Driveline Engineering, Ford
This year’s Global Automotive Lightweight Materials Initiative: Detroit 2014 will feature 20+ brand new case studies focusing on technical solutions for incorporating the materials & manufacturing techniques that are having the biggest impact on reducing the cost of mass produced lightweight vehicles. In 2 days of brand new content from leading OEMs, the agenda this year will focus on: MASS PRODUCTION, MATERIAL SELECTION & OPTIMIZATION AND ALUMINUM & MIXED MATERIAL JOINING TECHNIQUES. With an OEM-led agenda and a number of significant OEM speakers from GM, Ford, Volvo, Chrysler & Toyota, the GALM series is globally renowned for being the key lightweighting conference for automotive manufacturers. Here are some excerpts from an interview with Craig Renneker, Chief Engineer – Component &...
“As an industry we really need to communicate the environmental benefits of aluminium to our policymakers…” Simon MacVicker, President, Aluminium Federation (ALFED)
Standing at the helm of one of Shropshire’s leading manufacturing businesses, Simon MacVicker is a man who enjoys a challenge. He has been serving as the managing director of Bridgnorth Aluminium limited for more than 10 years running this thriving business successfully. Starting in January 2014, he is now helping to further the interests of the aluminium sector as President of the Aluminium Federation (ALFED). After completing a language degree in Spanish and Portuguese, he secured a sales and marketing job with British Steel in South Wales. Ten years later, a sales director opportunity came up with Bridgnorth Aluminium. The Aluminium Federation is a Trade Association which represents the interests of the UK aluminium industry. Based in West Bromwich, the Aluminium Federation acts as the...
“The objective of AAC is to develop an aluminium culture where the material will be put to use by potential end users in the transportation, building and infrastructure sectors”: Mr. Jean Simard, President, Aluminium Association of Canada
AlCircle had the pleasure of communicating with Mr. Jean Simard, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Aluminium Association of Canada (AAC). AAC is the voice of the Canadian aluminium industry and its mission is to be the last word on anything to do with aluminium. The non-profit organization represents the industry in its dealings with citizens, public authorities, current and potential users of aluminium. As President and Chief Executive Officer of the Aluminium Association of Canada (AAC), Jean Simard is the industry’s official representative and spokesperson with governments, business associations and the media as well as with international organisations. Mr. Simard holds a degree in Civil Law from the University of Ottawa, and is a member of the Quebec Bar Association. He...
“At present, the Gulf region is considered as the Aluminium hub of the world”: Tim Murray, CEO, Alba.
AlCircle recently had an opportunity to interview Mr. Murray, the CEO of Alba. Aluminium Bahrain has been consistently ranked as one of the largest aluminium smelters in the world and is known for its technological strength and high quality aluminium along with its strict safety & environmental benchmarks. Mr. Murray joined Alba in 2007 as General Manager Finance & Legal and in July 2009, he was promoted to Chief Finance Officer. Since, October 2012, Mr. Murray has been serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Alba. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of AICPA and has completed various Executive Management Programs at the University Of Chicago Graduate School Of Business. He has completed various Executive Management Programs at the University Of Chicago Graduate School Of...
“Not only is recycling environment-friendly; it’s also smart for business”: John Gardner, VP and Chief Sustainability Officer for Novelis
Recently, Novelis was recognized as a Climate Leadership Award winner by the EPA for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management. The company was acknowledged for demonstrating leadership in managing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in internal operations and throughout the supply chain, as well as integrating climate resilience into its operating strategies. This achievement comes in line with Novelis’ overall disruptive sustainability strategy and goal to achieve 80% recycled inputs across its product lines. On this occasion, AlCircle spoke to Mr. John Gardner, the Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer for Novelis Inc. With more than 25 years of experience at Novelis, Mr. Gardner currently leads the development of a globally integrated sustainability program that reflects the...
