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...
Grow with
AL Circle
In October’20, the Central Bank of Chile stated that its economic activity dipped 1.2% in October from a year ago, as the economy moved closer to growth after months of contraction caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The bank’s IMACEC economic activity index encompasses about 90% of the economy tallied in gross domestic product figures. The October figure was the economy’s best showing since February’20, when the economy grew 3.3%. But economic activity in Chile remained shuffled by the Covid-19 outbreak, the bank said, even though cases of COVID-19 have fallen with the onset the southern hemisphere’s spring. The nation along South America’s western edge has recorded with 28,484 tonnes of aluminium scrap export during 2018-19 and the earnings remained at $42.71 million. The export for 2020...
According to the latest data shown by the US Geological Survey, India’s aluminium scrap imports from the United States dropped in November 2020 after five consecutive months of growth during June-October 2020. Data shows India imported 30,300 tonnes of aluminium scrap from the United States in November, down by 8,400 tonnes or 21.71 per cent from 38,700 tonnes in October. However, on a year-on-year basis, India’s aluminium scrap imports from the US in November 2020 stood 29.49 per cent higher than 23,400 tonnes. During January-November 2020, India’s aluminium scrap imports from the United States totalled 277,000 tonnes compared to 240,000 tonnes during the same period last year. This reflects a year-on-year hike of 37,000 tonnes or 15.42 per cent. The United States’ total aluminium scrap...
On Thursday, February 4, Constellium, a global aluminium rolled and extruded products manufacturer, announced its plans to invest in expanding aluminium recycling capacity by 60,000 tonnes per annum in Europe. This project will focus on using recycled material for manufacturing aluminium slabs dedicated to Constellium’s automotive and packaging businesses in Europe. “We are excited about the potential to increase our recycling capacity in Europe. We already benefit from the inherently sustainable aspects of aluminium, including its strength, its light weight, and its infinite recyclability. An investment in expanding our recycling capacity is a strong demonstration of our commitment to sustainability. I expect this will be a meaningful contributor to both our financial and ESG objectives...
The economy of Honduras is highly impacted with the combined strike of COVID-19 pandemic, weak healthcare, endemic corruption, damage and property loss caused by Hurricane Eta and limitation of scope for a post-pandemic recovery in 2021. The Central American nation’s export of aluminium scrap during 2018-19 was recorded at 6715 tonnes and the revenue earnings stood at $7.58 million. The export for 2020 remained at 3893 tonnes and the earnings accounted for the export stood at $4.28 million. However, when the export volume and earnings of 2020 get summed with the preceding two years, it denotes 10,608 tonnes and $11.86 million respectively. Honduras export of Aluminium scrap in 2018 stood at 3132 tonnes and the revenue generated was $4.00 million, whereas, in 2019, the export saw upswing...
Hydrovolt has commenced the construction of Norway's first plant for recycling electric vehicle batteries, located in the town of Fredrikstad. The facility, which is planned start operations in late 2021, will have the capacity to process more than 8,000 tonnes of modules from car batteries each year. Hydrovolt is a joint venture between Hydro and the battery producer Northvolt. Both thecompanies have invested NOK 120 million in the plant. “Norway has long been a global leader in electric car adoption. At the start of 2021, we became the first country in the world in which over half of all new cars sold are electric. We should therefore also aim to be world-leading in recycling the used car batteries, when the electric cars reach their end-of-life,” said Hydrovolt CEO Fredrik Andresen....
The British Aluminium recycling specialist firm Alwin has stated that a financing deal for new machinery has supported the organization to secure its future. The aluminium recycling firm said: “Close Brothers Asset Finance funded the purchase of a truck, forklift and crane through a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme facility.” David Rowlingson, Managing director said: “It’s been a very difficult time for our sector and we are grateful Close Brothers Asset Finance stepped in and funded the assets we needed.” “We are proud to be family-run and employ around 40 people, all of whose futures were secured with this funding.” Alan Cardy, Dealer Manager for Close Brothers’ transport division, said: “With so many businesses adversely affected by Covid-19, we see it as our...
The all-new 2021 Rogue, the first global SUV model of Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer, is built using ‘closed-loop’ recycling systems for aluminium parts. The system helps reduction of CO2 emissions when compared with using parts made with primary alloys from raw materials. It also advocates the use of materials that don't rely on newly mined resources, as well as the reduction of waste from factories. However, to support the process, the Japanese auto giant, Nissan has associated with Kobe Steel, Ltd. and UACJ Corp in Japan, and with Arconic Corp and Novelis Inc in the USA. At the nucleus of the closed-loop recycling system is a large pneumatic conveyance system. As hood and doors are stamped into shape, scrap material is shredded and extracted, keeping aluminium grades...
The Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology (BCAST), an academic research centre focusing on both fundamental and applied research on advanced solidification processes for metallic materials has joined a significant new multi-million-pound project to help design new light-weight battery casings for the next generation of electric cars. Funded by £3.3 million from Innovate UK, LIBERATE-lightweight innovative battery enclosures using recycled Aluminium technologies aims to use high-strength, low weight aluminium alloys to design a battery enclosure that is 30% lighter than current designs, whilst reducing material costs by up to 60%. The preferred aluminium alloys will blend strength, crash resistance, thermal management and infinite recyclability with a lower weight to make...
According to Shanghai Metals Market data, secondary aluminium producers operating rates in China increased slightly by 0.23 percentage point month-on-month to stand at 62.65 per cent in December 2020. This marks the second consecutive month of rising in secondary aluminium operating rates as they grew by 4.9 percentage points month-on-month in November 2020 to 62.4 per cent. However, on a year-on-year calculation, operating rates in December fell by 3.35 percentage points. The monthly increase in December operating rates could be attributed to strong orders from downstream automakers. Some secondary aluminium produces trimmed output in the first half of 2020 due to shortage of raw materials, but it recovered in H2 2020 as aluminium scrap prices fell along with primary aluminium prices....
In the English landlocked county, Leicestershire, across the region litter pickers have grouped to collect five million aluminium cans to build a helipad for the Leicester Royal Infirmary. South Leicestershire litter womble Geoff Walker, from Braunstone, and the founder of the charity Helipads for Hospitals, John Nowell are leading the scheme. The duo John and Geoff have joined hands to collect the cans, which will be crushed and melted down to form the actual helipad for the LRI. They are also aiming to eventually collect enough cans for one at the QMC in Nottingham too. Geoff, who is now 69 years old, said: "In November 2019, we started to collect cans for the LRI and the QMC.” "The problem is that the LRI currently doesn't have space for a helipad, but with all the work that is being...
Aluminium packaging collected for recycling in the UK recorded its highest in 2020, according to Preliminary figures by the Environment Agency. Data showed that 145,035 tonnes of aluminium packaging was collected for recycling last year. The data from the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD) revealed a 24 per cent increase from the 2019 data and a 26 per cent rise from 2020 target. The final data is yet to come as reprocessors and exporters will disclose data by the end of this month. Rick Hindley, executive director at Alupro, said: “While only preliminary figures, I was delighted to read the latest data published on the NPWD. The past 12 months have seen a significant increase in the volume of aluminium packaging collected for recycling, which should be seen as a considerable...
South Korea's imports of aluminium scrap from the US stood at 28,500 tonnes in October 2020, with a year-on-year increase of 18.75%. South Korea had imported 24,000 tonnes in October 2019. On a monthly basis, imports rose by 17.77% from 24,200 tonnes in September 2020, as updated by the US Census Bureau. In the first ten months of 2020, South Korea imported 243,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap, from 227,000 tonnes imported in the first ten months of 2019. This marked an increase of 7.05% year-on-year. South Korea's imports of total aluminium (semi-finished products, crude metals and alloy and scrap) from the US came in at 29,500 tonnes in October 2020, a increase of 13% from 26,100 tonnes in October 2019. Imports stood 15.69% higher from September’s imports of 25,500 tonnes. In...
The United States aluminium scrap exports to Malaysia stood at 44,800 tonnes in October 2020, recording an increase of 7,200 tonnes or 19.15 per cent M-o-M after two consecutive months of decline. In September, the United States exported 37,600 tonnes of scrap to Malaysia, down by 8.96 per cent month-on-month; while in August, the exports decreased 15.54 per cent from 48,900 tonnes in July to 41,300 tonnes. In the first ten months of the year, the United States aluminium scrap exports to Malaysia totalled 338,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap, 56.48 per cent higher than 216,000 tonnes during the corresponding period last year. On a year-on-year calculation, the United States aluminium scrap exports to Malaysia edged 4,700 tonnes or 11.72 per cent higher than 40,100 tonnes. Malaysia was the...
The US Geological Survey found the United States aluminium scrap exports to India continued to rise in October 2020 as well. From 35,500 tonnes in September, the exports grew to 38,700 tonnes, an increase of 9 per cent month-on-month. On a year-on-year calculation, the exports in October soared by 90.64 per cent from 20,300 tonnes. The US aluminium scrap exports to India in September 2020 increased by 31.48 per cent month-on-month from 27,000 tonnes, while in August grew by 24.42 per cent from 21,700 tonnes in July 2020. In the entire ten months of 2020, the United States aluminium scrap exports to India totalled 246,000 tonnes, up by 13.36 per cent from 217,000 tonnes during the same period last year. The United States total aluminium scrap exports in October 2020 came in at 184,000...
The economy of Australia's grew by 3.3% in the third quarter, recovering from its first recession in nearly three decades as it recovered from pandemic-related shocks, according to report released at the beginning of December’20. Josh Frydenberg, MP and Treasurer commented that the country still has a lot of ground to make up from the Covid-19 downturn. "Australia's recession may be over, but Australia's economic recovery is not," he said. Australia’s export of aluminium scrap in 2018-19 was recorded at 240,652 tonnes and the earnings accounted for the import remained at $350.76 million. The export for 2020 stood at 119,075 tonnes and the earnings recorded was $67.24 million. However, when the export for 2020 gets assorted with the preceding two years, it signifies 359,727 tonnes and $418...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market, China’s secondary aluminium producers operating rates gained 4.9 percentage points month-on-month in November 2020, following a decline in October. The operating rates came in at 62.4 per cent, down 0.1 percentage point year-on-year, showed the data. The fall in secondary aluminium operating rates in October 2020 was sharper than expected due to lower productivity at producers and downstream pre-scheduled orders. Last month, operating rates boosted with robust consumption of automobiles. Trades of aluminium scrap and secondary aluminium remained muted as aluminium prices soared by nearly RMB 2,000 per tonne in the month. Large-scale secondary aluminium producers remained cautious even when aluminium prices fell and steadied in mid-December. For...
According to the US Geological Survey, the United States aluminium scrap exports to Canada stood 4.94 per cent lower month-on-month to 6,740 tonnes in September 2020. In August, the US exported 7,090 tonnes of scrap to Canada compared with 5,540 tonnes in July 2020. This represents a hike of 28 per cent month-on-month in August 2020. On a Year-on-year basis, the US aluminium scrap exports to Canada in September 2020 stood down by 15.86 per cent from 8,010 tonnes. In the third quarter of 2020 (July-September), the United States aluminium scrap exports to Canada came in at 19,370 tonnes, up 63.74 per cent quarter-on-quarter from 11,830 tonnes. During January-September, the United States aluminium scrap exports to Canada amounted to 52,700 tonnes, down by 25.25 per cent from 70,500 tonnes...
The COVID-19 pandemic in Bolivia appeared amid an economic and political crisis as a result of the failed presidential elections of October 2019. Although timely measures were adopted to face the pandemic at the beginning of the outbreak and that, in effect, it did slow down the initial increase of the epidemiological curve, later it became impossible to stop the exponential growth of cases and finally, the health care system collapsed exposing its deficient structure. The lockdown paralyzed activities and many people lost their jobs; livelihoods were partially or destroyed which resulted in a loss of income for many. The economy faced a supply shock followed by a demand shock because the level of household consumption dropped. The government has now started to re-open the economy and has...
