Germany’s construction aluminium demand falls 12%, but 2027 recovery and recycling offer fresh growth prospects
Germany’s construction industry has endured several years of contraction, weighed down by elevated financing costs, expensive building materials and subdued residential investment. The downturn has also affected the country’s aluminium industry, with estimated construction-related aluminium consumption declining by around 12 per cent between 2022 and 2025. However, the outlook is beginning to change. With Germany’s construction industry projected to return to growth in 2026 and accelerate further in 2027, opportunities are emerging for aluminium suppliers across residential construction, transport infrastructure, energy networks and commercial developments. At the same time, efforts to strengthen closed-loop aluminium recycling in buildings could provide an additional avenue for growth....
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...
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Novel mobile ballistic test cell manufactured at Boldman’s aluminium profile system
<p>Modular aluminium profile manufacturer Boldman has developed a mobile ballistic test cell to increase efficiency and reduce costs in oil and gas industry testing. The cell uses a lot of the innovations that are used in Boldman’s existing large fixed cells, but has the added benefit of being movable, which many clients demanded as their testing locations were not always permanent.<br /><br />The maximum size the of the high pressure test cell is 6 m by 6 m by 4 m high and it will be used to test small assemblies up to 30 000 psi.<br /><br />The ballistic glass test cells are manufactured from Boldman’s aluminium profile system and specially manufactured safety glass, giving 360° visibility when testing oil and gas equipment. This visibility means companies testing their...
China’s aluminium exports fall again in July, was production cut back?
<p>One of the causes of falling aluminium prices over the past few years was the rise in China’s aluminium exports. But Chinese exports started to calm down this year, helping aluminium prices to recover.<br /><br />China exported 390,000 metric tons of unwrought aluminium in July, down 9.3 per cent from July of last year. Chinese aluminium exports have fallen around 7 per cent for the first seven months of 2016. Lower Chinese aluminium exports suggest stronger aluminium demand in China coupled with some supply cuts.<br /><br />According to the latest figures released by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), Chinese aluminium production has now fallen on a year-over-year basis in five out of the last six months. For the first half, Chinese aluminium production has fallen by...
64% Chinese aluminium smelters see aluminium prices stabilize this week
<p>SMM surveyed 44 Chinese aluminium smelters about their opinions over aluminium price outlook. About 64 per cent of them expect SHFE 1610 aluminium to stabilize between RMB 12,200-12,350/mt and LME aluminium between USD 1,630-1,655/mt. Aluminium stocks in domestic five major markets continued growing on Monday, up another 7,000 mt from last Thursday. <br /><br />China’s investment, consumption and industrial value-added data all weakened, and financial data for July also pointed to declines. These will prevent aluminium prices from rising. SHFE 1610 aluminium has met resistance at the 5-day moving average, but found support at the 60-day moving average. <br /><br />Another 22 per cent expect SHFE 1610 aluminium to fall below RMB 12,200/mt and LME aluminium below USD 1,630/mt,...
LME aluminium to consolidate at highs next week, SMM expects
<p>Aluminium prices on the LME and SHFE will consolidate at current highs while searching for direction next week, SMM foresees.</p> <p>SMM sees ME aluminium between $1,630-1,680 per tonne and SHFE 1610 aluminium between 12,100-12,500 yuan per tonne. Low aluminium stocks in China will offer support to SHFE aluminium.</p> <p>Spot aluminium in east China market is expected to trade at premiums of 100-150 yuan per tonne over SHFE 1609 aluminium.</p>
Granco Clark supplies Whitehall Industries with Taper Quench and Precision Saw
<p>Whitehall Industries of Paducah, KY, has selected Granco Clark to supply a Taper Quench and Precision Saw.<br /><br />The taper quench will allow for isothermal extrusion while maintaining extrusion speed throughout the entire extrusion cycle without compromising product quality.<br /><br />Whitehall’s new Precision Saw has exceptionally close tolerances combined with highest levels of productivity, speed, accuracy, safety and ease of use.<br /><br />Founded in 1947, Granco Clark began manufacturing billet furnaces and has evolved into a worldwide, cutting-edge, single-source supplier and leading equipment manufacturer in the aluminum extrusion industry.<br /><br />With a proven track record of manufacturing the most dependable and durable equipment in the business, Granco Clark...
Ma’aden Aluminum Awarded ISO 9001:2015
<p>Ma’aden Aluminum, a joint venture of Saudi Arabian Mining Company "Ma’aden" and Alcoa, announced that its smelter & cast house has been awarded the ISO 9001:2015 which is the latest version of the accredited standard & specifications certificate of quality management published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).<br /><br /><img style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="http://www.alcircle.com/uploads/images/Maaden.jpg" alt="News" width="500" height="334" /><br /><br />Eng. Abdulaziz Al Harbi, Ma’aden Aluminum CEO, highlighted that this achievement demonstrates Ma’aden Aluminium’s commitment to innovation and to meeting the changing needs and expectations of its customers....
India major aluminium scrap prices continue to stay flat; MCX aluminium down
<p>India major aluminium scrap commodities prices continued to stay flat on Tuesday, while aluminium futures prices at Multi Commodity Exchange settled down due to seasonally weak demand in top metals consumer China and concern that Beijing may not cut rates soon. <br /><br />The major aluminium scrap commodities continued to show a flat trend during Tuesday. India's major scrap commodities like aluminium accessories scrap, aluminium cable scrap, aluminium ingots, aluminium rod company, aluminium rod local, aluminium scrap 6063, aluminium scrap taint/tabor, aluminium sheet cutting, aluminium utensil scrap, aluminium wire scrap remained flat during the day.<br /><br />The most active August aluminium contract on Multi Commodity Exchange settled slightly down by 0.09 per cent to INR 109.60...
Granting China MES will be ‘catastrophic’, aluminium industry warns
<p>If the European Commission grants China Market Economy Status (MES) the consequences for the EU aluminium sector will be enormous, an industry group has said. The EU executive said last month that it would focus on new measures to tackle Chinese dumping and illegal subsidies, but won’t decide whether China’s economy is market-driven.<br /><br />MES is controversial because, if granted, trade partners will have to treat China as a free market equal when it comes to settling disputes.<br /><br />Gerd Götz, director general of trade association European Aluminium, recently said that the EU steel crisis has skewed the debate on China’s MES and distracted Brussels from other European industries, such as the aluminium sector, which could face the same fate.<br /><br...
Tianjin Zhongwang succeeds in rolling 7055 aerospace aluminium plate
<p>Tianjin Zhongwang, China Zhongwang’s subsidiary, has recently succeeded in rolling 7055 aerospace aluminium plates in different specifications, it said on its website today. <br /><br />The success, which is rare in China for now, will lay the ground for its production of 7055-T7751 product in the future. <br /><br />Domestic aerospace industry mainly adopts 7xxx aluminium alloy, such as 7075, 7050, 7150, etc., whose strength is not as strong as 7055 aluminium alloy.</p>
Abundant coal gives Xinjiang aluminium smelters competitive edge
<p>Aluminium smelters in Xinjiang, China’s major aluminium producing region, have been enjoying a competitive edge over their competitors in the rest of the country, thanks to abundant coal reserves there. <br /><br />Coal reserves in Xinjiang are estimated at 2.19 trillion tonnes, claiming over 40% of national reserves, Huatai Futures said.<br /><br />Aluminium smelting industry, an industry that relies heavily on power, is developing in full swing in Xinjiang, where aluminium capacity totals 6 million tonnes for now. <br /><br />Aluminium capacity in Zhundong Economic Development Zone, where China’s biggest coal mine is located, totals 2.4 million tonnes at present. Aluminium smelters in the economic zone are allowed to build captive power plants, with their captive power...
BURNDY announces aluminium lay-in lugs for solar panel applications
<p>BURNDY, a manufacturer and provider of connector, grounding and tooling solutions to multiple markets, announces new additions to its grounding product line. The aluminium lay-in lugs are most suitable for solar panel applications. The connectors are for use with frames with a maximum thickness of 1/4 in. They may also be used for cable to bus or cable to steel connections where the lay-in feature is necessary.<br /><br /><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="http://www.alcircle.com/uploads/images/enduser%209.8.png" alt="News" width="463" height="240" /><br /><br />Manufactured using high strength aluminium alloy, these connectors have the versatility to be used with aluminium and copper conductors. The serrations are provided to establish better contact and cut through oxidation,...
68% Chinese aluminium smelters see aluminium prices stabilize this week, SMM survey
<p>SMM surveyed 44 Chinese aluminium smelters about their opinions over aluminium price outlook.<br /><br />About 68% of them expect SHFE 1610 aluminium to stabilize between RMB 12,100-12,400/mt and LME aluminium between USD 1,625-1,650/mt. Aluminium stocks in domestic five major markets stopped falling on Monday, up 8,000 mt from last Thursday. China Monetary Policy Report Q2 2016, released by the PBOC on August 5, weakened hopes for interest rate and RRR cuts. If SHFE aluminium keeps rising, prices will face short selling from aluminium smelters for hedging purpose. Despite positive non-farm payrolls, the US dollar index lost upward momentum after breaking through the 40-day moving average, which will give some relief to base metals prices. </p> <p>Another 25% expect SHFE 1610 aluminium...
Kazakh Aluminium Smelter seals six-year agreement for €3 MM
<p>Natural resources firm Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) has entered into an agreement with financial services firm VTB Group to finance a six-year aluminium supply worth an estimated €3 million (US$3.3 million).<br /><br />VTB Capital has reportedly already released an advance payment for the purchase of 660,000 metric tons for the life of the loan to supply Kazakhstan Electrolysis Plant (KEP) in Pavlodar. VTB Capital has already entered into additional long-term contracts for sale of the metal in question to end users.<br /><br />According to reports, the parties have developed a hedge strategy to protect them against potential drops in the aluminium market by fixing a floor for the sale of the metal in the contract. Accordingly, KEP will not sell below a particular price within...
CBIX retreats 2.7% to close at US$46.9/dmt
<p>CBIX retreated 2.7 per cent (US$1.3/dmt) over the week, closing at US$46.9/dmt. The fall signalled the return of some Malaysian bauxite to the Chinese market, which is typically priced lower (on a value-adjusted basis) than cargos from other countries. Malaysia’s return weighed heavily on this week's closing price. Malaysian FOB prices remain unchanged at US$26/dmt for unwashed material, with washed material still selling for US$37/dmt FOB.<br /><br /><img style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="http://www.alcircle.com/uploads/images/Bauxite%20Index%209.7.16.jpg" alt="News" width="621" height="421" /><br /><br />Guinean bauxite continues to be exported to China in increasing volumes, with both cape and panamax vessels now...
London Metal Exchange cuts fees after pressure from members
<p>The London Metal Exchange has bowed to pressure from disgruntled members and slashed fees for one of its most popular trades in an attempt to stem falling activity.<br /><br />The move is a climbdown for the world’s centre for metals trading and its parent company Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, which bought the 139-year-old exchange for £1.4bn in 2012.<br /><br />Charles Li, chief executive of HKEx, had defended the LME’s fee structure as recently as June, saying its charges were not excessive and it was not “ripping off” its members.</p> <p><img style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="http://www.alcircle.com/uploads/images/lme.jpg" alt="News" width="512" height="288" /><br /><br />The LME said late on...
DEHN Africa introduces earthing and short-circuiting device with aluminium cable
<p>DEHN Africa has introduced a novel aluminium earthing and short-circuiting solution which is supposed to find wide-scale use in railway overhead line installations. <br /><br />When using aluminium-cable earthing and short-circuiting devices instead of copper-cable for railway systems, switchgear installations or overhead lines, the advantage of the weight-reduced cables becomes immediately evident. The new aluminium earthing and short-circuiting device (single-pole, 50 mm² or 70mm²) from DEHN Africa is considerably easier to transport and use than conventional devices.<br /><br />In the past, high copper prices led to material theft and damage, meaning that the new earthing and short-circuiting device with aluminium cables offers. The new offering from DEHN Africa comes in a...
Hull shipyard MMS builds first aluminium catamaran
<p>A 100 per cent "made in Hull" workboat, which will support the offshore wind farm industry, has had its official launch. The MMS Crusader is the first in a series of aluminium catamarans to be purpose-built to support the offshore renewable energy sector.<br /><br />Capable of carrying out a number of roles, from fuel or crew transfer to dive support or guard work, the aluminium vessel was built by MMS based at Alexandra Dock, Hull.<br /><br />Established for 28 years, the company has mainly been involved in ship maintenance and repair and, in addition, has built various workboats. Operating vessels is a new and separate division of the company called MMS Offshore Renewable Services, for which MMS Crusader has been built.</p> <p><img style="vertical-align: middle; display: block;...
Rio Tinto’s H1 aluminium production at record levels
<p>Anglo-Australian mining titan Rio Tinto reported financial results for the first half of 2016 yesterday. The firm credits strong performances in bauxite and aluminium as contributing to their strong performance in the half.<br /><br />“Rio Tinto has generated net cash from operating activities of $3.2 billion and reported underlying earnings of $1.6 billion, against a backdrop of continued volatility and lower commodity prices,” explained Rio Tinto chief executive Jean-Sébastien Jacques. “We focus on delivering value to shareholders. This focus is unrelenting, with further cost reductions achieved in the half and EBITDA margins of 33 per cent. With our strong operating cash flows, tight control over capital expenditure and progress on divestments, the balance...
