AL Circle analysis: Germany’s aluminium trade surplus, Novelis’ US expansion, Asia’s EV demand & India’s underutilised downstream capacity
Aluminium’s next growth phase is increasingly being shaped by downstream processing, supply-chain resilience and demand from specialised applications. Germany continues to generate a substantial trade surplus in flat-rolled products despite a shrinking primary aluminium base, while North America is investing in recycling and rolling. Across Asia, new manufacturing capabilities and growing demand from electric vehicles, railways and batteries are creating further opportunities. However, declining exports, underutilised capacity and uneven profitability show that investment alone does not guarantee success. For industry leaders, the challenge is to identify where demand is shifting, develop products that meet customer requirements and ensure that new investments translate into sustainable...
AL Circle Analysis: From Guinea to Gulf, how bauxite, tariffs and logistics redraw aluminium map
Aluminium markets in late 2026 are being shaped by more than the headline LME aluminium price. Bauxite security, alumina availability, geopolitical disruptions, tariff negotiations, logistics diversification and regional premiums are increasingly determining where metal moves and what buyers pay. From RUSAL reassessing Caribbean assets and Vedanta securing Odisha bauxite to Brazil extending mine life and EGA rebuilding its Guinea supply chain, producers are strengthening control over critical raw materials. At the same time, the US remains heavily dependent on imported bauxite and alumina, while Europe and Asia are experiencing sharply different premium dynamics. These developments point to a market where physical availability is becoming a regional factor even as aluminium itself remains...
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“EGA plans to build a 150,000 tonnes per year aluminium recycling facility, which will be our first and the largest of its kind in the UAE”, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium
Abdulnasser Ibrahim Saif Bin Kalban is Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA). Before he was appointed CEO in 2020, Mr Bin Kalban had served as an Alternate Board Member of EGA since May 2017. He is a member of EGA’s Technical and Project Committee and its Finance and Commercial Committee. However, he also sits on the Board of Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), EGA's bauxite mining subsidiary. As Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bin Kalban is responsible for managing EGA’s ongoing operations and business and reports to EGA’s Managing Director. Mr Bin Kalban joined DUBAL in 1996 and worked in both Major Projects and the Power and Desalination Department. (DUBAL merged with EMAL to form EGA in 2014). In 2014, Mr Kalban left his position as General Manager of Power and...
“The aluminium industry’s specific issues related to regulation, geopolitical risk, legal limits on the use of natural resources, have created additional challenges”, Frederic Pereira, Head of Marketing at Fives Aluminium
Frederic Pereira is Head of Marketing at Fives Aluminium. In this role among others, he is responsible for leading the business strategy for services and digital innovation. After studying industrial engineering in France, he started working within the automotive industry moving to the aluminium sector in 2006, joining French company ECL which now forms part of the Fives Aluminium division. He has extensive experience in engineering, project management, and business development. AlCircle: How do you think the year 2022 will shape the demand-supply scenario of the global aluminium industry? Mr Frederic Pereira: We can see that the demand for aluminium is set to grow at an increasing rate going forward, driven largely by a growing appetite for environmentally friendly solutions in...
“The current situation, with its significant dose of uncertainty regarding the future, has pushed many companies in the sector to reconnect with their essence. In the case of Insertec, we are facing this new era of aluminium by dedicating our efforts to developing solutions that reconcile people, technology and the environment”, José Ignacio Sesma, General Manager at Insertec
AlCircle: How do you envision the year 2022 for the global aluminium industry and foundry segment following the economic impact caused by the Covid pandemic? Mr José Ignacio Sesma: In Europe, just as we were recovering from the pandemic, where all industrial sectors have been impacted over the last two years, we are now facing an unprecedented increase in energy prices. This situation is causing a mismatch in raw material prices and production costs, affecting all sectors including the aluminium industry. On the other hand, the automotive industry is trying to migrate from the combustion engine to other more environmentally friendly technologies (electric motors, hydrogen, etc.), which has caused consumer uncertainty, slowed down vehicle sales, and directly affected the aluminium smelting...
Progesys has been very active in helping clients with projects targeting the net-zero emission”, Riad Four, CEO at Progesys
Riad is the founder and CEO of Progesys that is responsible for providing leadership and managing the growth of the company. He has over 23 years of experience in project management and executive leadership throughout North America and abroad. He started his career in the aluminium industry in Canada and then the USA. He worked with owners of assets and projects as well as, and engineering firms before he founded Progesys in 2003 and has since been responsible for its growth and expansion to many industries and regions including Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. He received the UQAM performance award in 2016 for leadership, entrepreneurship, and international development. Riad is a registered professional engineer. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering from École...
“Although higher aluminium prices may add to the financial bottom line in the short run, we must also remember that aluminium as a material competes with other materials, so artificially high prices over time will also have a potential downside”, Hilde Merete Aasheim, President & CEO at Norsk Hydro
Hilde Merete Aasheim is the President & CEO of Norsk Hydro. A Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, Norsk Hydro ASA is headquartered in Oslo. It is one of the largest aluminium companies worldwide, with operations across 50 countries. Starting from bauxite and alumina, Hydro produces low-carbon aluminium, extruded profiles, building systems, precision tubes, rolled products, and casthouse products. Besides, the company has reckoned a name in the industry by offering a variety of services with unmatched capability and knowledge. It currently has 16 ASI certified extrusion and fabrication facilities. We are grateful to have Hydro with us in our flagship e-magazine LeaderSpeak 2022, where the company’s President and CEO have shared the new plans and strategies for 2022 and also...
“We also believe that aluminium is an important component for a growing and greener society and are fully committed to this industry for the long term”, Jean-Denis Carrier, Global Director for Aluminium & Alliances at Hatch
Mr Jean-Denis Carrier is passionate about the development and delivery of aluminium smelter projects and technologies for over 20 years. He currently is the Global Director for Aluminium & Alliances at Hatch where he leads one of the largest technical teams in the aluminium industry. Mr Carrier’s career has taken him from North America via North Africa to the Middle East, where he was previously the Regional Director for the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) for Hatch’s portfolio in the region for the Aluminium, Minerals and Infrastructure industries. This role included the realization of several large execution projects as well as long-term service agreements with Hatch’s key clients in the region. Mr Carrier is a chartered Civil Engineer holding an Executive MBA from INSEAD. Throughout...
“Modern smelters fitted with EnPot modulation technology can maximise operating performance and reduce their CO2 emissions profile by flexing their energy use to match electricity generation fluctuations”, Karyna Young, CEO of EnPot
We are glad to have Karyna Young join us at LeaderSpeak 2022, a Chief Executive Officer of EnPot since early 2021, after being involved with the company since its inception in 2016. EnPot is an innovative new technology that fundamentally changes the way smelters use energy to produce aluminium. It is helping the world achieve net zero emission sooner by reducing aluminium’s carbon footprint. Karyna started her career as a commercial lawyer and finance company director in both New Zealand and Australia. In addition to leading EnPot, she is a CEO of Yunca Group, a manufacturing and engineering business and supplier to the global aluminium industry. AlCircle.com: How is EnPot technology supporting the world to attain net-zero emissions? Karyna Young: EnPot supports the rapid uptake of...
“For 2022 we will see high aluminium prices throughout the year and even further on. This will increase investments in the aluminium sector and therefore the project pipeline will further grow”, Patrik Ernst - Director Aluminium Division at REEL International
AlCircle: What was the motive behind the screen that drove REEL International to acquire the Aluminium Emission Control business of GE Steam Power in Norway? Mr Patrik Ernst: Over the last years REEL realized that our clients would always go for bigger packages when executing either brownfield or Greenfield projects in the aluminium industry. This was particularly true in the courtyard of an aluminium smelter where the Gas Treatment Center (GTC) was often awarded together with all materials handling equipment. With the expert materials handling company Alesa already in the REEL portfolio, the missing link was the emission control aspect to provide our clients out of one hand the full courtyard portfolio. REEL has worked in the past with the emission control team of GE either as a supplier...
“BALCO is a strong proponent of leveraging next-generation technology to make its manufacturing process sustainable”, Abhijit Pati, CEO & Director of Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO)
AlCircle: What is the present situation of BALCO’s capacity and products manufactured? Mr. Abhijit Pati: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) is India’s iconic aluminium producer. It is owned 49% by the Government of India and 51% by Vedanta Limited. BALCO is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium. BALCO operates a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. With its world-class smelter and power plants, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow. BALCO specializes in ‘Hot Rolled Products’ and has several firsts recorded under its name such as we have one of the earliest mills in the world...
“Over recent years, the automotive industry has been the key driver for aluminium casting, and I believe that the industry will continue to keep this position”, Mr Alexander Krokhin, Director - Developments of Casting Technologies and New Materials at RUSAL
Alexander Krokhin graduated from the National University of Science and Technology and is a qualified engineer specialising in “Machines and Technology of Metal Processing by Pressure”. Alexander was previously the Technical Director of the Rusal's "Moskabelmet" plant based in Moscow, which focused on the production of rolled non-ferrous metals and cable and wire products. Whilst there, he was responsible for the Company’s technological development, research, and innovation activities. He is a highly regarded individual in his field, recognised as a pioneer for technological processes and aluminium materials. AlCircle: What are the major challenges global aluminium foundries are experiencing? What are the ways forward to overcome these challenges to sustain the aluminium foundry industry?...
“Our focus will be on continuing to progress our technology roadmap to enable decarbonization across the value chain, growing demand for our leading portfolio of low-carbon products and drive sustainable value”, Benjamin Kahrs, EVP and Chief Innovation Officer at Alcoa
Benjamin (Ben) Kahrs, the Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer of Alcoa is responsible for the American industrial corporation’s breakthrough innovation and global Information Technology and Automated Solutions (ITAS). He is also a member of Alcoa’s Executive Leadership Team, which sets the strategic direction for the Company. Ben holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University and an MBA from The Citadel plays a vital role in the company’s breakthrough innovation. He oversees Alcoa’s Technical Center, the Company’s Research and Development (R&D) facility for breakthrough smelting technology. He also administers progress on Alcoa’s technology roadmap and his responsibilities for the ITAS team focus on optimizing our global information technology...
“Currently, the EV car and truck industry is growing in addition to the aircraft industry. They will likely have the largest effect on the global aluminium foundry,” Charles W. Vivian, Director - Light Metal Applications & Special Projects, Inductotherm Corp.
Charles W. Vivian started at Inductotherm Corp. in Rancocas, NJ in 1975, working as a mechanic on the manufacturing floor. However, in 1980, he moved from manufacturing to the Sales Department. In 1990, Charles was promoted to District Manager. During his years as District Manager, he covered Mexico, Michigan, the Midwest States and Ontario, Canada. His work took him to all types and sizes of melt shops, including foundries, vacuum casting suppliers, ingot makers, shot makers, recycling operations, precious metal refiners and other scrap reclaiming operations. Charles was promoted to Sales Manager-NAFTA Region in 2017. Currently he is Director of Light Metal Applications and Special Projects. AlCircle: Being a producer of foundry equipment, how far do you think the use of technology has...
“BALCO has been an early adopter of smart technologies for heightened operational efficiencies, which further bolsters the culture of energy optimization, safety, and productivity that we have meticulously fostered across the organization”, Abhijit Pati, CEO & Director of Bharat Aluminum Company Limited (BALCO)
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) was established in 1965 as a Public Sector undertaking in Korba, Chhattisgarh. After its disinvestment in 2001, the Vedanta Group has taken over its management. The plant is hailed as one of India’s greatest disinvestment turnaround success stories, with a massive production capacity of 575,000 tonnes from its initial production of 100,000 tonnes when Vedanta acquired a 51% stake in the plant. Mr Abhijit Pati is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Director of Bharat Aluminum Company Limited. Mr Pati is a name to reckon with the Aluminium Industry for the past three decades and he has joined BALCO after a long stint as Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta Limited’s, Jharsuguda unit, which is one of the largest single location smelters in the world,...
“Looking ahead, production is expected to largely recover by mid-2022, with 2023 on track to again be a record year for Australian bauxite production”, Marghanita Johnson, CEO at Australian Aluminium Council.
Marghanita Johnson has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Aluminium Council since 2019. She has over 20 years of experience in the Australian mining and manufacturing sectors, predominantly within the aluminium industry. Before joining the Council she led government engagement and advocacy on behalf of Rio Tinto’s Pacific Aluminium assets and before that held key climate and sustainability roles at Rio Tinto. Marghanita has Environmental Engineering and Chemistry degrees from the University of Western Australia. She is currently a board member of the Energy Users Association of Australia and Vice-Chair of the Australian Industry Greenhouse Network and has previously been a non-executive director on the boards of the New Zealand Aluminium Smelter and the Tomago Aluminium...
“Arctus Aluminium Ltd. is scaling up its production cells for a pilot plant at Trimet Aluminium in Germany”, Eng. Jon Magnusson, Founder and CEO of Arctus Aluminium
Sustainable Carbon Free Aluminium Process A report from December 2021 by the World Economic Forum and the Energy Transmission Commission with the title “Closing the Gap for Aluminium Emissions” is a described possible technology to reduce CO 2 emissions from the aluminium industry. In this report are listed three corporations developing carbon-free aluminium processes, all based on vertical inert anodes and cathodes in low-temperature electrolyte: Elysis informing to have the technology commercially available in 2024, Rusal to be ready in 2030 and the Icelandic Arctus Aluminium claims to have their technology available also in 2030. AlCircle wanted to know about Arctus Aluminium, the company and process and contacted its CEO and Founder, Eng. Jon Magnusson. AlCircle: What is the status of...
“Aluminium producers are eager for alternative applications for bath, to avoid the unpalatable options of on-site storage or landfill”, Dr Mark Cooksey, CEO of ABx Group
Dr Mark Cooksey is the CEO of ABx Group, which he joined in early 2020. He previously held process improvement and process development leadership positions with Rio Tinto, GE and CSIRO, the national science agency of Australia. Dr Cooksey has focused on process innovation throughout his 25-year career and he has extensive experience in developing and commercialising new processes in the minerals industry, particularly in the aluminium value chain. AlCircle: Congratulations on being appointed as CEO of ABx Group. Could you share Alcore’s success story of producing commercial grade aluminium fluoride from smelter waste products? How is it important to the aluminium smelter? Dr Mark Cooksey: Sodium enters the smelting process as an impurity in the alumina. Aluminium fluoride must be...
“EPIQ Mecfor Casthouse Solution brings the right solutions by considering the holistic and long-term success of the cast house”, EPIQ Mecfor.
EPIQ Machinery is a world leader in heavy equipment for the aluminium, pulp and paper, and rail equipment industries. The company has diversified activities on various niche markets providing a solid installed base and a strong capacity for its aftermarket services. All at EPIQ share the same passion for challenges. The growth is based on deeply embedded values with active listening and the capacity to adapt the offer for greater flexibility. It was a great opportunity for AlCircle to get an interview with the top executives of EPIQ Mecfor. Yannick Beaulé, Chief Revenue Officer Kevin Williams, General Sales Manager – Primary Metals Marty De Goey, Business Development / Application Specialist - Primary Metals Isabelle Gaudreau, Marketing and Communication Coordinator AlCircle: What new...
“As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, IAI will spotlight the industry's products, people and progress as part of demonstrating how aluminium is shaping a better tomorrow”, Miles Prosser, Secretary General, International Aluminium Institute.
On the 50 th anniversary landmark of the International Aluminium Institute, we are really glad to get an interview from Mr Miles Prosser discussing the role in guiding the global primary aluminium sector toward a more sustainable future. AlCircle: How would you describe the journey so far? Mr Miles Prosser : Over the past fifty years, some things have remained constant while other aspects of the journey have seen some major changes. The IAI has always been focused on sustainability issues – this was present right from the start, along with the idea of building a forum where our members can collaborate to get things done. The specific nature of the sustainability issues may have changed, but our desire to promote aluminium and assist the industry on its sustainability journey hasn't...
