The year 2023 started with a lot of hope keeping behind the fear of the pandemic and with an anticipation that the geopolitical crisis will conclude; however, it seems challenging to happen soon. In January 2023, the aluminium industry witnessed a lot of events, out of which the most difficult was Slovakia's sole aluminium producer, Slovalco, closing its smelters after 70 years of operation. The energy crisis persists, and the primary aluminium industry in Europe is countering the challenges. AlCircle launched the "Global Aluminium Outlook 2023", which revealed that World aluminium usage, including primary and recycled metal, increased by about 1.9 per cent in 2022 and stood at 95.3 million tonnes. High inflation and the continuing threat of recession will negatively impact global aluminium demand, at least during the first half of 2023.
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The largest country in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, has recently announced a bauxite export ban, which will be implemented from June 2023. This is a government policy to increase domestic production of metal ores and industry since bauxite is a crucial component in manufacturing aluminium. The nation had already prohibited nickel exports starting around January 2020.
To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/impact-of-indonesia-s-bauxite-export-ban-on-the-aluminium-industry-88592
Alcoa Corporation, the world’s eighth-largest aluminium producer, announced on Monday, January 9, that it expects to cut nearly 30 per cent of production at its partially-owned Kwinana alumina refinery in Western Australia. Alcoa explained that the shortage of gas supplies is the reason behind the production cut.
To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/alcoa-to-cut-30-production-at-kwinana-alumina-refinery-for-natural-gas-shortage-88664
Slovakia's sole aluminium producer, Slovalco, is closing its smelters after 70 years of operation. Slovalco, based in the central Slovak town of Žiar nad Hronom, stated that after decades of operation, it could no longer afford to operate its last ten remaining furnaces. However, Slovakia will be forced to procure aluminium from foreign sources in the absence of the producer.
To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/slovak-aluminium-producer-slovalco-to-shut-down-after-70-years-in-business-88672
The Saudi Arabia state-owned mining company headquartered in Riyadh, Ma'aden, announced on Wednesday that due to operational issues, the company had curtailed output at the aluminium smelter it jointly owns with Alcoa Corp.. Still, the firm is currently scaling output back up.
To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/ma-aden-curtails-output-at-its-aluminium-smelter-due-to-operational-issues-89692
The Goldman Sachs Group, a leading global investment bank and financial services company, shared aluminium price forecasts whereby it projected a growth led by soaring demand in Europe and China. But the setback it might create is supply shortages.
The groundbreaking ceremony for Aluminium Dynamics, one of the biggest economic development projects in western Lowndes County, is expected to occur in early March. Along with many co-locating clients, the $2.5 billion aluminium mill will be situated close to the Golden Triangle Regional Airport, and Steel Dynamics will own the plant.
On January 19, 2023, the CEO of Vedanta Aluminium, Rahul Sharma, said that the weight of a car is reduced by one kilogramme for every kilogramme of aluminium utilised in the vehicle. He continued that this correlates to an improvement in the driving range, meaning that 100 kg saved on any electric car might yield an additional 10-15 per cent increase in range, which will be crucial for promoting higher EV adoption among consumers.
To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/aluminium-may-revolutionize-the-market-for-electric-vehicles-ceo-vedanta-aluminium-89746
Dunkin Donuts has been forever associated with the most delicious doughnuts on the planet, but now the brand is exploring opportunities in the canned beverage sector. Three of the brand's patented beverages are going to be launched in aluminium cans during the first half of 2023.
To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/dunkin-donuts-to-launch-three-new-drinks-in-sustainable-aluminium-cans-88668
Norsk Hydro, the Norwegian aluminium giant, signed a letter of intent (LoI) on January 3, 2023, with World Wide Wind AS (WWW), a newly established Norwegian company presenting a novel solution and technology - counter-rotating vertical axis turbines - to explore using recycled aluminium to build a potentially revolutionary new floating design.
In accordance with global sustainability goals, Novelis will invest R$ 6 million in February 2023 to install nearly 1,000 photovoltaic solar energy panels in Brazil's 14 aluminium can collection centres. The sum includes the cost of replacing gas-powered forklifts with electric machines.
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