Beyond aluminium smelting capacity, we propose to incentivise emissions cuts to support wider decarbonisation: Ed Boyd, Mission Possible Partnership
As the European Council seeks political alignment on the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), the debate over how to accelerate aluminium decarbonisation in bringing emissions accounting and demand for low-carbon metal into focus. Against the backdrop of Mission Possible Partnership’s (MPP) open letter, AL Circle speaks with Ed Boyd, MPP’s Global Policy Lead, about the policies needed to support the European aluminium industry’s transition. Boyd argues that effective decarbonisation must account for emissions from alumina refining and track Scope 2 emissions associated with purchased electricity. On mandatory green procurement and lead-market thresholds of at least 50 per cent for aluminium, he says producers are ready to supply low-carbon metal at scale and considers the proposed threshold...
EU-India FTA, CBAM and carbon costs: Can Indian aluminium crack the European market?
A former Deputy Secretary General of the European Parliament and Director of the EPP Group, Paolo Licandro, has extensive experience in European policymaking, international relations, industry, energy and EU affairs. He is currently the Founder and CEO of eEuropa Belgium and Editor of eEuropa.Blog. He has worked with European prime ministers, ministers and EU commissioners and has held senior roles covering EU enlargement, Mediterranean and Middle East relations, and industry, research and energy. A nuclear engineer, he holds a master’s degree from Politecnico di Milano and has worked with ENI, ARS-Pragma and the EU Joint Research Centre. In this interview, Paolo Licandro shares his perspective on EU–India aluminium trade, CBAM and the opportunities for Indian producers in Europe. AL...
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"By lowering our own emissions, increasing recycling and helping our customers develop products that enable CO2 savings; we aim to make carbon neutrality a reality." Mr. Alberto Fabrini, Executive Vice President - Head of Bauxite and Alumina, Hydro, Brazil
Brazil is Hydro's main source for bauxite and it employs more than 6,000 people in the country for their business in the aluminium value chain. Hydro extracts bauxite in Paragominas and Trombetas and refines bauxite to alumina at the world's largest alumina refinery, Alunorte. AlCircle had an opportunity to talk to Mr. Alberto Fabrini, Executive Vice President - Head of Bauxite and Alumina, Hydro, Brazil and he shared a few crucial aspects of Hydro’s aluminium business in Brazil. AlCircle: Brazil is Hydro's main source for bauxite with two large mines at Paragominas and Trombetas. Please share with us the current bauxite situation in Brazil. Mr. Alberto Fabrini: The bauxite situation for Hydro in Brazil is quite satisfactory. As a result of our ‘from B to A’ improvement program, we have...
“Our niche focus on premium quality, value-added products places us in a strong position to cater to the projected sustained increase in global demand,” Abdulla J M Kalban (Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of EGA)
AlCircle had the pleasure of meeting the team of Emirates Global Aluminium (“EGA”) , one of the top aluminium producers in the world during the Aluminium Middle East 2015 Exhibition in Dubai. Abdulla J M Kalban (Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of EGA) shared with AlCircle a few significant inputs on the business and the Middle East Aluminium Industry. He had been associated with DUBAL since 1985 leading the transformation of the business from a regional primary aluminium smelter into the world’s 5th largest primary producer. He is also the Chairman of the Gulf Aluminium Council and Chairman of the International Aluminium Institute. Excerpts from the interview: AlCircle : Please brief us on the history and objective behind the formation of Emirates Global Aluminium (“EGA”)...
“Outotec is actively involved in providing solutions to the red mud problem, as well as in SPL treatment technologies” Manfred Beilstein, Director of Sales & Process Engineering, Outotec, Germany.
Outotec is a global leader in minerals and metals processing technologies, and has developed many breakthrough technologies over the decades. The company provides complete solutions for anode paste plants, rodding shops, carbon recycling, bath treatment, and casthouses, as well as plant upgrades. Manfred Beilstein has over 30 years’ experience in the Aluminium industry, especially in anode paste plants and Rodding shops and currently serving as the Director of Sales and Process Engineering at Outotec, Germany. AlCircle team had interacted with Mr. Beilstein during Aluminium Middle East 2015 and he shared his input on Outotec’s services to the aluminium industry. Excerpts from the interview: AlCircle: Tell us in brief about the products and services that Outotec offers to the aluminium...
“Aluminum is being chosen over competing materials in the most innovative products available today,” Tom Boney, Chairman, Aluminum Association’s Transportation Group (ATG) and VP & GM, Automotive Value Stream, Novelis North America
The Aluminum Association’s Transportation Group (ATG) is an industry trade group based in Arlington, Virgin that promotes aluminum’s advantages in transportation applications and acts as a central resource for the United States’ automotive industry on aluminum issues. Tom Boney serves as the Chairman of The Aluminum Association’s Transportation Group (ATG) and is currently Vice President and General Manager, Automotive Value Stream, Novelis North America. Tom began his career in the aluminum industry in 1987 and joined Novelis in 2006 as plant manager in Oswego, New York and today he leads all aspects of the company’s North American automotive business, including sales/commercial activities, program development and launch, supply chain and logistics, demand forecasting, service and order...
“One of our main focuses right now is leveraging our sector-leading position in bauxite including in supporting the Middle Eastern aluminium sector.” Amir Mirchi, Regional Vice President, MENA, Rio Tinto
Amir Mirchi is regional head of Rio Tinto for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in charge of Rio Tinto’s regional business management supporting the company’s strategic initiatives, operations, investor relations and joint venture relationship management. He has several years’ experience in various aspects of business such as joint venture and alliance development, corporate strategy development, business acquisition, business realignment, major project implementation and divestiture as well as R&D management. Mr. Mirchi discussed with AlCircle the current projects and future strategy of Rio Tinto in the Middle East Region and the growth prospect of Middle East in the aluminium sector. Excerpts from the interview: AlCircle: Rio Tinto’s aluminium business is taking a back seat for...
“Aluminium is a green metal and it is going to replace a lot of other materials in many places”, Mr. Niu Heng, Senior Manager, Chalieco
Mr. Niu Heng is the senior manager of China Aluminum International Engineering Co. Ltd (Chalieco). He has almost 26 years of experience in the non-ferrous metals industry and more than 10 years of working relationship with Indian Aluminium Industry. He started with international technology and equipment procurement in China National Non-Ferrous Metals Industry Corp. (CNNC) and joined Chinalco in 2001 in the field of Chinese alumina and aluminium technology. AlCircle had the opportunity to interact with Mr. Heng during the IBAAS Symposium in Vizag and he shared some interesting inputs on the Chinese aluminium industry as well as on the aluminium situation in general. AlCircle: Chalieco has been working closely with the Indian aluminium industry for pretty long. Please share with us your...
“I as well as Vedanta’s Chairman Anil Agarwal share the same long term vision that everyone nurtures for India, that is, to be one of the most powerful economies in the world…” Tom Albanese, CEO, Sesa Sterlite.
Sesa Sterlite, a Vedanta Group company is a global diversified natural resource conglomerates, with operations across aluminium, zinc-lead-silver, oil & gas, iron ore, copper and commercial power. It was a privilege for AlCircle to speak to Mr. Tom Albanese, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Sesa Sterlite on the 1st day of the 3rd International IBAAS Conference at Vizag. Being a Mining Engineer and a Mineral Economist himself and with his valuable experience in the Mining industry with some of the top listed companies worldwide including Alcan, he has a lot to contribute towards the information needs of the industry. We are pleased to share with our readers his current and future agenda for Vedanta, his company’s vision for India and how he hopes to regain investor confidence on...
“We look at outputs that are considered waste by an industry and take a holistic approach which takes into consideration all the elements in the waste… Mr. Michael Shenton, CEO, Prima Resources, WA
AlCircle is a platform that strives to promote the advancement of use of aluminium as a sustainable material of choice. In that direction, we would like to highlight not only the established players of the industry who are contributing successfully towards the growth of the industry but also those individuals, companies and associations that are working positively towards sustainability for aluminium industry and making worthwhile contribution towards recycling, waste management and energy management in the R&D and industrial sector. So, we spoke to Mr. Michael Shenton, CEO, Prima Resources, Mineral & Energy Ltd. in West Australia. Prima Resources is a Minerals, and Energy Company with a number of Mining Projects around WA. The company has also been involved with the project management,...
“The deliveries of the European foil rolling industry are very stable at present or even showing slight growth.” Stefan Glimm, Executive Director, EAFA - European Aluminium Foil Association e.V.
Being an Information and business portal for the aluminium value chain, AlCircle has long been associated with European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) as news associate. The European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) is the international body representing the aluminium foil, closure and packaging industry. Very recently, just before the Aluminium 2014 Exhibition, AlCircle has conducted an interview with Stefan Glimm, Executive Director, EAFA. Mr. Glimm is an economist with more than 30 years of experience working in national, European and global organizations in the field of sustainability, energy policy and downstream aluminium. He shared with AlCircle some significant insight into the aluminium foil industry, sustainability concerns and the future outlook for aluminium applications....
“We expect the bullish trend in aluminium to continue in 2015 and probably beyond” Dr. Frank R. Feret – President, ICSOBA
Just a month before the upcoming ICSOBA Conference in Zhengzhou, China, AlCircle had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Frank R. Feret – President, ICSOBA; who is also an Independent Consultant for Feret Analytical Consulting, Quebec, Canada. He is an expert in providing insight into the characterization of materials for metallurgical process control from bauxite exploration to metal recycling and published some 50 scientific papers and contributed in three books in his field. He shared his view on the current trends in the bauxite, aluminium industry and also on the objectives and activities of ICSOBA. AlCircle: Please tell us in brief about the main objectives and the functional areas of The International Committee for Study of Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium (ICSOBA) Dr. Feret: The...
“There is no dearth of knowledge and expertise in our country to develop the indigenous technologies for aluminium, alumina and downstream sector.” Mr. Anupam Agnihotri, Director, JNARDDC
AlCircle had the opportunity to visit Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre, Nagpur, India and interact with its Director Mr. Anupam Agnihotri during the 18th International Conference on Non-Ferrous Minerals and Metals’14 organized by Corporate Monitor and JNARDDC. JNARDDC is a "Centre of Excellence" set up in 1989 to make contributions to the technological growth of the Indian Aluminium Industry. The center has well-established facilities for the study of Bauxite, Alumina and Aluminium. Mr.Agnihotri was working as Head Aluminium Electrolysis & Downstream Division, Scientist-V in JNARDDC before undertaking his responsibilities as the Director. He is a Metallurgical Engineer from IIT Kanpur with PG Degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the Visvesvaraya...
“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...
Constellium is committed to developing, producing and selling sustainable products: Nicolas Brun, VP Communication, Constellium
AlCircle had the opportunity to interact with Mr. Nicolas Brun, Vice President; Communication for Constellium, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of innovative specialty downstream aluminum rolled and extruded products, serving primarily the aerospace, packaging and automotive end-markets. Mr. Brun updated AlCircle about Constellium’s current and future projects, its commitment towards sustainable development and shared his view on the aluminium industry. Excerpts from the interview: AlCircle: Could you tell us in brief about the products and services of Constellium and its new projects and expansions? Mr. Brun: Constellium has a strategic footprint of manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Europe and China. Our business model is to add value by converting...
“Aluminium industry has already established itself to be a major growth driver for the Gulf Economy.” Mahmood Daylami, Secretary General, Gulf Aluminium Council
Gulf Aluminium Council (GAC) is a coordinating body that represents promotes and protects the interests of the aluminium industry within the Gulf. In a conversation with AlCircle, Mahmood Daylami, Secretary General, Gulf Aluminium Council throws light on the objectives and functions of GAC, shares his outlook for the Gulf Aluminium Industry and offers an insight into the current aluminium market. With thirty three years of experience in the Aluminium industry and as the Secretary General of GAC, Mr. Daylami has been playing an important role in improving the international competitiveness of the Gulf Aluminium Industry. Prior to joining Gulf Aluminium Council, he held the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Aluminium Bahrain (ALBA). Excerpts from the interview: AlCircle: What are...
