Primary aluminium recap: Hydro employees at Karmøy and Årdal call a strike; Alcoa predicts lower production costs in 2Q2023 given a drop in raw materials prices

Workers organised in Industri Energi and FLT at Hydro Karmøy and Hydro Årdal had gone on strike after the collapse of mediation between NHO, YS, and LO. Alcoa Corporation, the world's eighth-largest aluminium manufacturer, said falling metal-making material prices would eventually reduce production costs in the second quarter of 2023, but aluminium demand would remain robust.Delfzijl, located on the bankrupt Dutch aluminium mill Aldel, will host Europe's biggest battery. In Amstelveen, GIGA Storage BV will construct batteries the size of fifteen football fields that can store more than a gigatonne of electricity. On the other hand, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world's largest aluminium smelter outside of China, achieved a new milestone in Reduction Line 6 by raising production capacity from 540,000 to 560,000 tonnes per year. At the same time, current consumption increased from 460 to 478 kA.

Delfzijl will be home to the biggest battery in Europe, on the site of bankrupt Dutch aluminium producer Aldel. Amstelveen-based GIGA Storage BV will install batteries the size of fifteen football fields that can store more than a gigawatt-hour of electricity.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/aldel-in-delfzijl-aluminium-is-past-green-energy-is-the-future-93630

Hydro employees organised in Industri Energi and FLT at its Karmøy and Årdal plants will reportedly go on strike from Monday, April 17, given a breach in mediation between The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), the Confederation of the Vocational Unions (YS) and the Norwegian Labor Union (LO).

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/hydro-employees-at-karmoy-and-ardal-call-a-strike-from-april-17-production-cut-looms-93623

Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world’s largest aluminium smelter ex-China, reportedly achieved a new milestone in Reduction Line 6 as its production capacity increased from 540,000 tonnes per annum to 560,000 tonnes per annum, with current consumption grown from 460 kA to 478 kA.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/alba-sets-a-new-milestone-with-line-6-nameplate-capacity-expansion-to-560-000-tonnes-per-annum-93652

Alcoa Corporation, the world’s eighth-largest producer of aluminium, said lower prices of ingredients they use for metal-making would eventually reduce the production costs in the second quarter of 2023, while aluminium demand would stay robust.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/alcoa-predicts-lower-production-costs-in-2q2023-given-a-drop-in-raw-materials-prices-93658

On Thursday, April 20, both LME aluminium cash bid price and LME aluminium official settlement price hiked by US$28 per tonne or 1.17 per cent to settle at US$2,409.50 per tonne and US$2,410 per tonne. 3-month bid price and 3-month offer price grew by US$29 per tonne or 1.20 per cent to score at US$2,430 per tonne and US$2,431 per tonne.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/lme-aluminium-price-gains-us28-t-to-close-at-us2-410-t-shfe-price-drops-to-us2-751-t-93661

On 14 April 2023, nonferrous metals prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) displayed a downward trend. The three-month aluminium futures contract fell 0.8 per cent to $2,367 per tonne, while zinc prices fell 0.7 per cent to $2,837 per tonne. Lead prices fell by 1.1 per cent to $2,146 per tonne. Meanwhile, nickel prices fell 1.8 per cent to $23,698 per tonne. Copper futures rose 0.4 per cent to $9,058 per tonne.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/downward-trends-observed-in-non-ferrous-metal-prices-93655

According to China customs data, Chinese unwrought aluminium and aluminium semis exports in March 2023 amounted to 497,000 tonnes, bringing the total exports of the first quarter to 1.38 million tonnes. The monthly exports in March’23 registered a year-on-year fall of 16.3 per cent, while the export volume in Q1 decreased by 15.4 per cent.

To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/chinas-unwrought-aluminium-and-semis-exports-fall-15-4-y-o-y-in-1q2023-downtrend-likely-to-continue-93626