Mexico’s aluminum industry is looking to capitalize on rising demand from artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, electric mobility, automotive manufacturing, and aerospace. Expanding technology investments and international market opportunities are expected to support sales growth, while the country’s reliance on imported aluminum highlights the importance of strengthening domestic processing capabilities. Ramón Beltrán, president of Mexico’s National Chamber of the Aluminum Industry (Canalum), expects the country’s domestic and international aluminum sales to gain momentum in 2026, supported by demand from advanced technology applications and established manufacturing sectors. “We expect to close out this year with growth of between 7.5% and 7.8% in domestic and international...
The Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM) has called for closer UK-EU relations, warning that proposed European industrial policies could affect British manufacturers supplying the aluminium, steel and automotive industries. Stephen Morley, CBM President and Chair of the Euroforge Automotive Sector, made the call at the organisation's autumn meeting in Munich. He said stronger cooperation between the UK and EU was important for protecting manufacturing jobs, investment and cross-border supply chains. He stated, “ We need to protect British industry, but we also need to recognise that the UK and European automotive sectors are deeply connected. What damages one part of the supply chain will inevitably affect the other. ” Join the fourth edition of webinar " Hedging for recyclers -...
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China’s national carbon market is scaling up rapidly, with annual trading volume reaching a record 235 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025, up 24.36 per cent year-on-year, according to a report released at the China Carbon Market Conference 2026 in Wuhan. By the end of August 2026, cumulative trading volume since the market’s launch had reached 961 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, while total turnover stood at RMB 65.7 billion (about USD 9.71 billion). A key development for the aluminium industry is the expansion of China’s national carbon market to include aluminium smelting, alongside power generation, steel and cement. As of 2026, 3,680 key emitters across these four sectors had been included in the market, collectively covering around 8.3 billion tonnes of CO₂...
European Aluminium and the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) are calling on the European Parliament and the Council to make low-carbon aluminium eligible alongside steel under the proposed material-credit mechanism for vehicle CO2 standards. The joint industry statement focuses on the revision of Regulation (EU) 2019/631, under proposal 2025/0420 (COD). The two organisations want both materials covered by a single, technology-neutral mechanism with harmonised carbon-intensity thresholds and verification rules. They said the approach would give automakers greater flexibility in meeting regulatory requirements while supporting European markets for low-carbon materials. It would also allow vehicle engineers to continue selecting materials based on technical and economic...
North America’s aluminium industry is entering a new era in 2026. As the US races to rebuild primary smelting capacity from near-zero, Canada pairs expansion with low-carbon innovation and recycling. From a USD 4 billion Oklahoma smelter to Quebec’s newly commissioned AP60 plant, here’s how each nation’s projects stack up. The US: Rebuilding primary aluminium capacity The biggest project is the Century Aluminum-Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) joint venture of a 750,000-tonne-per-year primary aluminium smelter planned in Inola, Oklahoma. Announced in January, the investment of around USD 4 billion would become the first new US primary aluminium smelter in almost 50 years and more than double current domestic primary production. The US is also strengthening upstream resilience. The federal...
The European Parliament has backed plans to expand the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to a wider range of steel and aluminium products, including screws, wires, springs and household utensils. MEPs approved the Parliament’s position on the proposed CBAM review with 464 votes in favour, 50 against and 159 abstentions, supporting a broader product scope than initially proposed by the European Commission. The expansion would take the EU’s carbon border system beyond basic raw materials and cover more downstream goods, with the aim of preventing imported products from gaining a cost advantage over European production by avoiding equivalent carbon costs. The Parliament also wants tighter rules to prevent companies from exploiting gaps in the mechanism. Parliament...
India's planned transmission investment and renewable-energy expansion could lift aluminium consumption in electrical applications to 4 million tonnes by FY30. India's push to expand its electricity transmission network is emerging as a major potential growth driver for aluminium, with the country's electrical-sector consumption of the metal projected to rise sharply as renewable generation and power demand expand. The Ministry of Mines Aluminium Vision Document projects aluminium consumption in electrical applications to increase from around 2.4 million tonnes in FY24 to 4 million tonnes by FY30, before reaching 12.9 million tonnes by FY47. Transmission and distribution already represent a major source of domestic aluminium demand. Around 48 per cent of aluminium consumed in India is...
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) has reached 50 million safe working hours without a Lost Time Injury (LTI) . The milestone was achieved on September 7, 2026, marking a record in the company’s history. The achievement reflects Alba’s continued focus on workplace safety across its aluminium operations. The company said the milestone was made possible through the combined efforts of its employees, management and contractor workforce, with safety built into day-to-day activities and operations. Alba CEO Ali Al Baqali said reaching 50 million safe working hours was a significant achievement for the company and “a proud moment in Alba’s history.” In his words, “It reflects Alba’s unwavering commitment to fostering a workplace where safety is embedded in every activity, decision and behaviour.”...
The European Union (EU) is preparing a broader restriction on aluminium scrap exports to non-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, replacing an earlier trade proposal that would have covered only part of the bloc’s scrap flows. The move could largely impact international aluminium recycling trade, especially major Asian destinations such as China and India. As per an official statement released from the cabinet, EU Executive Vice-President Stephane Sejourne has “decided to withdraw the proposal and to explore a proposal, independent from trade instruments.” and is instead working on a delegated act under the Waste Shipment Regulation. The European Commission had initially been expected to introduce limited measures on September 23. However, “In the...
Oceania’s primary aluminium industry is facing a fragmented energy transition. While Australia, the leading aluminium producer of the continent, has abundant renewable resources and a well-established aluminium value chain, its smelters remain significantly more dependent on fossil-fuel-based electricity than the broader Oceania region. New Zealand, another major aluminium producer in the region, tells a different tale. The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) classifies Australia and New Zealand together as Oceania, but their smelting power profiles are markedly different. In the Australia dataset for 2023, coal accounted for 58 per cent of primary aluminium smelting electricity, compared with 36.4 per cent from hydropower and 5.2 per cent from other renewables. The 2024 Oceania...
The US aluminium industry’s dependence on Canada extends far beyond primary aluminium imports. While Canada supplies around 75 per cent of US imported primary aluminium, covering roughly 60 per cent of the country’s annual aluminium usage, it is also a major supplier of crude oil, natural gas and electricity to the US. With 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian aluminium, the resulting pressure could therefore extend beyond metal costs, raising broader questions about energy security, industrial competitiveness, data-centre expansion and the feasibility of rebuilding US aluminium capacity. Canada supplies more than just US aluminium The scale of the US–Canada relationship becomes clearer when energy is added to the aluminium equation. In 2025, Canada exported around 6.5 million barrels of oil...
Construction of the first US aluminium smelter since 1980 at the Tulsa Port of Inola is faced with another test. Four nearby residents have filed a lawsuit, claiming that the US Department of Energy (DOE) was funding the project without undertaking the site-specific environmental review. This adds a fresh layer of scrutiny to the Trump-backed aluminium smelter that was being pushed to boost the domestic aluminium industry. The proposed aluminium facility under the lens , with a 60-40 joint venture of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) and Century Aluminum , respectively, is being developed by Oklahoma Primary Aluminum, with a projected annual production capacity of more than 750,000 tonnes of aluminium. Join the webinar by Alberto Monje Gama to learn about recycled aluminium, CBAM and trust...
China Hongqiao Group Limited has received the Circular Economy Leadership Award at the 2026 Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards in Singapore in recognition of its work in developing recycled aluminium. Organised by Enterprise Asia, the award marks the third consecutive year that China Hongqiao has received the honour. The company has placed sustainability and circular economy practices at the centre of its strategy, aligning its efforts with China’s “3060” dual-carbon goals and its own “25·55” Climate Action Target, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2055. Join the webinar by Alberto Monje Gama to learn about recycled aluminium, CBAM and trust China Hongqiao has been working on reducing emissions across its value chain through clean energy substitution,...
Chinese aluminium extrusion manufacturer Syntech Metals Limited is positioning its aluminium extrusion and thermal-management capabilities to serve the growing electric vehicle charging infrastructure market in North America. Higher power density, faster charging and demanding outdoor conditions are driving the need for more effective heat management. As EV charging systems handle higher electrical loads, thermal management has become an important part of equipment design. Syntech Metals is positioning itself as a manufacturing partner that can combine aluminium extrusion, thermal design, precision CNC machining, surface treatment and assembly, rather than simply supplying raw aluminium components. The company supplies customised aluminium thermal-management components, including...
Voya Energy has unveiled an aluminium-based power system that converts low-grade aluminium scrap into electricity through a low-temperature electrochemical process, offering a potential new route for aluminium recycling, energy storage and off-grid power generation. The Hayward, California-based company is targeting data centres, industrial facilities and other large energy users facing constraints around grid access, permitting and fuel logistics. Join the webinar by Alberto Monje Gama to learn about recycled aluminium, CBAM and trust Scrap aluminium finds a new energy application Voya’s system combines a proprietary aluminium-based fuel with a purpose-built electrochemical generator. Rather than burning the metal, the technology converts aluminium directly into electricity without...
Leading recycled aluminium producer Norsk Hydro stock is attracting investor attention as its second-quarter (Q2) performance, aluminium prices and market outlook shape sentiment around the company. Hydro reported strong Q2 2026 profitability , backed by higher aluminium prices, product premiums and improved recycling results. As of August 25, Hydro stocks closed at USD 10.08, marking a stark month-on-month (M-o-M) rise by 14.16 per cent over the closing price of USD 8.83 reported on July 27, indicating how investors continue to assess the outlook for aluminium demand and margins. Hydro’s Q2 adjusted EBITDA reached NOK 8.92 billion (USD 927.39 million), rising per cent from NOK 7.79 billion (USD 809.6 million) a year earlier. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) jumped to NOK 2.2 (USD 0.23)...
Canada’s planned submarine fleet could open a new industrial application for recycled aluminium. Canadian cleantech company GH Power is exploring a potential collaboration with Germany’s TKMS to convert scrap aluminium into hydrogen. The technology could potentially support the Type 212CD submarines, which use hydrogen fuel cells as part of their air-independent propulsion system. GH Power’s technology is based on a modular chemical reactor that combines scrap or recycled metals, predominantly aluminium, with water. The process generates three outputs, viz., hydrogen, high-purity alumina (HPA) and heat. Join the webinar by Alberto Monje Gama to learn about recycled aluminium, CBAM and trust Hydrogen is the most relevant output for the potential submarine application. The process also...
India’s public-sector banks have proposed putting electric vehicles, charging networks, battery-swapping infrastructure and climate-transition projects into a clearer priority-sector lending framework. The plan could direct more formal credit toward the systems needed to scale electric mobility, from personal EV purchases to charging projects and commercial fleet deployment. It remains a proposal and would require government and Reserve Bank of India approval before becoming policy. Focus moves to EV infrastructure Under the proposal, loans for personal electric two-wheelers of up to INR 200,000 (USD 2,089) would qualify for priority-sector lending. The proposed limit for personal electric four-wheelers would be INR 2 million (USD 20,892). The larger proposed thresholds focus on the...
Equus Energy Limited has moved its North West Shelf gas project into a new commercial phase after securing Alcoa Corporation as a foundation customer and outlining a USD 867 million NPV10, 31 per cent IRR and USD 1.25 billion Phase 1 development case. With technical pre-FEED work completed, the company is now seeking operators, equity partners, infrastructure groups, offtakers and financiers to help take the project towards a final investment decision (FID). Alcoa’s decade-long deal A key milestone is Alcoa’s agreement to procure gas around 50 TJ per day for 10 years from the Equus project. Alcoa has also committed staged funding of up to USD 30 million to support pre-FEED and FEED activities. The agreement gives Equus a foundation domestic customer while the company works to secure...
Hydro Energi and Statkraft have signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) securing an annual electricity supply of 876 GWh from 2031 to 2040. The agreement will provide Hydro with around 8.8 TWh of power during the contract period, with deliveries planned in Norway’s electricity price area NO5. The agreement will support Hydro’s aluminium operations in Norway by providing access to renewable electricity at competitive terms. Reliable power supply remains essential for aluminium producers, as electricity accounts for a major share of aluminium production costs and plays a key role in reducing emissions from smelting operations. “Long-term and predictable power at competitive prices is vital for Hydro’s aluminium production in Norway and enables us to continue delivering low-carbon...
