Europe’s recycled aluminium industry is an important component of the global secondary aluminium supply chain, with Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom (UK) representing key national markets. Production across the European region stood at nearly 6 million tonnes in 2023, supported by established scrap recovery systems, industrial recycling capacity and demand for recycled metal. Russia also contributes to the regional landscape through secondary aluminium production units concentrated in several industrial centres. According to AL Circle’s analysis in its report, “ World Recycled ALuminium Market Analysis Industry Forecast ”, the four countries present different market structures, from Germany’s substantial recycling capacity and Italy’s scrap-based production to the UK’s organised...
According to SMM survey statistics, the operating rate of the secondary aluminium alloy industry in September was 35.0 per cent, up 3.1 percentage points M-o-M but down 6.7 percentage points Y-o-Y. Industry production continued its recovery trend, but the overall operating level remained below the same period last year. On the demand side, September marked the traditional peak consumption season, with downstream orders recovering from August. End-use demand from automobiles and other sectors improved marginally, but the peak season effect has yet to fully materialise. According to CAAM data, automobile production in September was 2.99 million units, up 11.4 per cent M-o-M but down 8.7 per cent Y-o-Y. NEV production was 1.814 million units, up 12.2 per cent Y-o-Y. CAAM noted that China's...
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Oetinger's French subsidiary, Affinage de Lorraine, located at Gorcy, also applied for insolvency July 30, legal firm Kebekus and Zimmermann, which is acting as temporary insolvency administrators for Oetinger, told Platts in an email this week. Affinage, which produces about 50,000 mt/year of foundry alloys, has gone into receivership and will undertake a six-month observation period from July 30-January 30 next year, according to official legal documents. Oetinger filed for temporary insolvency June 27 and the decision over whether the company will officially go into insolvency will be made September 1. The company, one of the largest secondary aluminum producers in Europe, has four German sites, in Hanover, Berlin, Neu-Ulm and Weissenhorn. Affinage de Lorraine was not included in the...
The Northern Territory government has reinstated its cash for containers program despite losing a Federal Court challenge on the issue earlier this year. The Territory introduced a 10c refund on cans and bottles last year, but was taken to court by Coca-Cola Amatil, Schweppes Australia and Lion Pty Ltd to prevent the scheme going ahead under the Mutual Recognition Act, which allows companies to do business the same way in all states and territories. But the Federal Executive Council today decided to exempt the NT from the Act, voiding the bottling industry's court win. “We're proud to have secured the future of this popular environmental measure,” NT Environment Minister Peter Chandler said in a statement. The Territory government had been funding the program at a cost of $1 million a...
Embodied by its sustainable business philosophy, Dubai Aluminium (" DUBAL ") - which owns and operates the world's largest single-site smelter using pre-bake anode technology - endeavours to remain economically robust while protecting the environment and contributing to society. This ambition is not only testament to the company's commitment to responsible operations, but also further evidence of DUBAL 's status as a pioneer in the aluminium industry. Moreover, the company's leading position on and commitment to sustainability has recently been further entrenched. Following rigorous assessment by an independent agency, DUBAL 's products have been declared suitable for sustainable building practices, as per applicable criteria defined by two internationally acclaimed bodies namely: · The...
Metal recycling campaign, MetalMatters, has launched a ‘major’ communications campaign in Bedford to encourage local residents to recycle more metal packaging. The eight-week campaign, run in partnership with Bedford Borough Council and managed by the Aluminium Packaging and Recycling Organisation (Alupro), hopes to see residents recycle more of the estimated 1,400 tonnes of metal packaging used each year. The communications campaign will involve a two-phase leaflet drop to 69,000 households in the county that will outline the types of metal packaging that are recyclable and what happens to these metals once they have been collected. Advertising will also be displayed on five council recycling vehicles, which will carry the ‘make your metals matter’ message. Further to this, road shows in...
The implementation of a new method of recycling will make it easier for the people of Union County to recycle while saving the county as much as $50,000 a year. Public Works Director John Gibson announced that the county will implement “comingle or single stream recycling” at its recycling convenience centers by the middle of August. Gibson said comingle or single stream recycling relieves residents of the necessity of separating some of their recyclable materials from each other before bringing them to the convenience center for disposal. He said this makes it easier for people to recycle which in turn encourages those already recycling to recycle more and those who are not to begin doing so. “When you go to a recycling center now you have to separate your plastics, your paper, glass,...
Aluminum recycling has become a successful business since its inception a century ago. Nearly a third of the aluminum produced in the United States is made from aluminum scraps that have been recycled in a process—usually remelting—that uses only 5 to 10 percent of the energy it takes to extract aluminum from mined bauxite ore. But there are limitations to the remelting of aluminum, says Wojciech Misiolek, the director of Lehigh's Institute for Metal Forming and the Loewy Chair in Materials Forming and Processing. Significant metal losses can occur when aluminum is remelted. Machine chips and other fine pieces of scrap are difficult to remelt. Contamination and impurities can cause the mechanical properties of recycled aluminum, especially its strength and ductility, to be inferior to...
United Kingdom: The UK's Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) has launched a new campaign entitled 'You can leave your cap on' in a bid to increase the recovery of aluminium caps and closures for recycling. Recent research by Alupro has revealed that approximately 5000 tonnes of aluminium from caps and closures could be recovered nationally - with a worth of more than £2 million (US$ 3 million). One of the problems, it suggests, is that there is no end-user communication to emphasise the potential of aluminium cap and closure recycling - neither via kerbside collection, bring-back schemes nor throughout the actual glass recycling process. The 'easiest' way 'The market for aluminium bottle closures is growing rapidly, particularly for wine bottles, so it is important that...
Aluminium rolling and recycling Novelis has launched Greenbiz Camp, a recycling education programme for elementary children in South Korea. The camp will be held from July 24 to 26 in Andong, North Kyongsang Province, near Novelis' Yeongju plant. The company aims to extend its sustainable business philosophy to local communities and raise awareness of aluminium recycling and the environmental benefits of recycling among children. The Greenbiz Camp is co-sponsored by Junior Achievement Korea, a global youth educational group, and will host 52 children to explore aspects of sustainability. The three-day camp will teach the importance of recycling and provide eco-friendly experiences including making a solar-powered car. Campers will visit the Novelis Yeongju Recycling Center, Asia’s largest...
Prices for mill-grade aluminum scrap strengthened across the board July 22, with secondary tags moving largely in response to recent upticks on the London Metal Exchange, according to market sources. Prices for 5052 segregated low-copper alloy clips increased to 86 to 88 cents per pound from 84 to 86 cents previously, 3105 clips edged up to 78 to 80 cents per pound from 76 to 78 cents, mixed low-copper alloy clips rose to 75 to 77 cents per pound from 74 to 76 cents and painted siding strengthened to 72 to 74 cents per pound from 71 to 73 cents. "These price moves are not necessarily a reflection of actual supply and demand," one scrap trader said. "Mill-grade aluminum scrap tends to move in lockstep with the LME, regardless of what is actually happening on the ground." Prices for...
Spanish aluminum alloy producer and waste recycler Befesa has been sold for Eur331 million by its parent company, Abengoa, to investment funds run by Triton Partners, according to a statement issued Monday. After net debt adjustments, the total equity to Abengoa was Eur620 million, the company said. This included a Eur348 million cash payment, of which Eur331 million was collected Monday and the remaining amount will be held in escrow until resolution of certain items. Abengoa said the deal also included a vendor note of Eur48 million with a five-year maturity and a "deferred consideration for $225 million in the form of a convertible instrument exchangeable into 14% of Befesa at the moment of the exit of Triton from Befesa." Befesa had signed an agreement on April 10 with US aluminum...
Spot offers of aluminum alloy in Europe have pushed higher this week as rumors of additional insolvencies continued to circulate in the market. Prices for commodity grade standard 226 aluminum alloy have risen by around Eur80-100/mt ($105-131/mt) in Germany, Europe's key market, since news that a major German alloy producer, Oetinger, had financial difficulties and filed for insolvency June 27. Platts assessment of standard 226 increased this week to Eur1,800-1,850/mt delivered Germany, including 30 days' credit, up Eur30 from Eur1,770-1,820/mt the previous week. Similarly, spot indications for grade 231 also rose to Eur1,830-1,890/mt delivered Germany, up Eur50. Rumors that other producers located in France, Spain, Italy and East Europe were also on the brink of insolvency have spooked...
Traditional tin-plated steel beverage cans will steadily be replaced by more economical and eco-friendly aluminium cans. "Aluminium is already the preferred medium for beverage cans internationally. Globally, 85% of all beverage cans are made from this material," says Erik Smuts, managing director of Nampak Bevcan. An advantageous conversion The new aluminium can lines will be capable of running eight can sizes and will produce cans at speeds of up to 3000 cans per minute, as opposed to the 1600 steel cans currently produced per minute. "The decision to move to aluminium-bodied cans was a natural progression due to the inherent advantages the conversion will hold for the economy, the beverage industry, consumers and the environment," says Smuts. The expansion at the Bevcan Springs...
Chinese aluminum scrap had the largest decline on Monday, July 15, dropping 5.4 percent. The Chinese aluminum cash price saw a 0.4 percent decline. Chinese aluminum billet fell 0.3 percent on Monday. The price of Chinese aluminum bar was unchanged. The Indian aluminum cash price declined 1.4 percent. The LME cash price of primary aluminum changed direction with a 0.6 percent drop. After two days of improving prices, the metal finished at $1,790 per metric ton. The 3-month price of aluminum declined 0.5 percent on the LME to $1,832 per metric ton, after two days of improvement.
Prices for mill-grade aluminum scrap weakened across the board July 15, with sources saying that tepid market activity coupled with weakening exchange prices were having negative effects on the secondary market. Prices for 5052 segregated low-copper alloy clips fell to 84 to 86 cents per pound from 86 to 88 cents previously, 3105 clips slipped to 76 to 78 cents per pound from 78 to 80 cents, mixed low-copper alloy clips decreased to 74 to 76 cents per pound from 76 to 78 cents and painted siding moved down to 71 to 73 cents per pound from 73 to 75 cents. "This is all terminal market related," one scrap trader said. "Demand for mill-grade scrap is pretty good and if the (London Metal Exchange) goes up secondary prices should follow." Prices for smelter-grade aluminum scrap were mostly...
A major communications drive to spread awareness of recycling aluminium and steel in Kent has seen a 100% return in investment in five months, organisers say. The £128,000 (21p per household) MetalMatters campaign which ran from October to December 2012 (see letsrecycle.com story) has seen a 9% increase in the tonnage of metal packaging captured by kerbside collections and covered the initial costs over a five month period. Delivered jointly by Alupro and Kent Resource Partnership (KRP), which comprises Kent’s 12 waste collection authorities and Kent County Council, the campaign reached some 605,000 households in three months through leafleting and council outlets. Alupro’s executive director of project managers Rick Hindley admitted that while Kent’s success could not necessarily be...
The gloss has come off the secondary aluminium markets in the UK and Europe this year, and we are now beginning to see the cracks that have been forecast since producers started struggling for an adequate margin last year. During its daily conversations with market participants, Metal Bulletin has heard more and more about the likelihood of casualties in the market, as scrap raw material prices rose on a lack of supply and secondary ingot prices were capped by low London Metal Exchange primary aluminium prices. A number of smaller producers are no longer in operation, victims of the lingering low margins. At the end of June those margins claimed a major scalp, as Germany’s Oetinger made a request to begin insolvency proceedings in Germany. There have been indications of the difficulties...
This stewardship goes hand in hand with Northwest Sign Recycling’s present day to day operations and future goals. When you consider the impact production of new aluminum has on our environment, you will see how Northwest Sign Recycling is part of the solution for sustainability. Environmental issues of aluminum production and the benefits of recycling Aluminum does not exist in its pure form in nature; it must be extracted from ore and produced. Aluminum production is a relatively energy intensive process that requires some 13 million watt-hours per ton of metal produced. On average, it takes 15.7 kWh of electricity to produce one kilogram of aluminum. Recycled aluminum, however, requires only 5 percent of the energy used to make “new” aluminum, due to its lower melting point. For...
Spot demand for secondary aluminum in Europe was seasonably low this week as inquiries slowed ahead of the summer vacations and manufacturing turnarounds. Prices in Europe have firmed slightly, consolidating the move higher after a major German alloy producer, Oetinger, filed for insolvency June 27. The company, which produces around 300,000 mt/year of aluminum alloy, is still operating and delivering metal as normal. The Platts assessment of the key grade -- standard 226 -- increased to Eur1,770-1,820/mt ($2,312-2,377/mt) delivered Germany, including 30 days' credit, up Eur10 at the bottom end of the range from Eur1,760-1,820/mt. Prices for grade 231 were also flat at Eur1,780-1,840/mt delivered Germany. A trade source confirmed that spot sales were "quiet this week" as most quarterly...
