Coal-heavy Australian aluminium vs renewables-led New Zealand: How Oceania is balancing decarbonisation
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...
Can the US afford to cut Canada off? 75% aluminium and $100b energy tell the story
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...
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Australia’s Aqualuma pitches aluminium LED lighting against Chinese products
<p>Aqualuma, the world’s leading LED lighting manufacturer in Australia, has introduced LED highbay light called Lite-bay for the marine industry. The Lite-bay is a cost- effective solution and is best suited for small businesses for restraining them from buying cheaper imported products.</p>...
Nalco to purchase 80% power for its greenfield aluminium smelter
<p>National Aluminium Company (Nalco), one of the major primary aluminium producers of India, has decided to acquire 80 per cent of the power from the coal-based power station proposed at Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal district, Odisha.</p> <p><img style="vertical-align: middle; display: block;...
German Researchers to develop Aluminium-Ion battery, replacing Lithium
<p>Researchers at the Technical University of Freiberg in Germany are endeavouring to develop aluminium ion batteries replacing lithium ion technology. German researchers have also been trying to develop a cathode that will work with the aluminium ion battery.<br /><br /><img style="vertical-align:...
Overseas investors see investment opportunities in Iran aluminium sector
<p>Iran is slowly venturing into the aluminium industries as overseas investors are showing interest in investing in building aluminium plants in the country because of the low energy cost. According to a report, currently, six countries including Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Italy and Germany...
Tomago aluminium smelter temporarily halts production to avoid state blackouts
<p>Production at Australia’s Tomago aluminium smelter has been temporally halted by AGL Energy in order to cut down electricity load as the people of New South Wales have been notified of severe state blackouts across the state.<br /><br /><img style="vertical-align: middle; display: block;...
Oriental Edison tops in producing LED light with aluminium housing
<p>Oriental Edison Lighting Technology Limited, a professional manufacturer of lighting products, excels in producing and exporting lighting products based on LED technology. The company is specialized in manufacturing LED light and bulb with aluminium housing.<br /><img style="vertical-align:...
Century Aluminum files antitrust lawsuit against its power provider
<p>Century Aluminum has filed an antitrust lawsuit in federal court against Santee Cooper, its power provider. The company accuses the power provider of breaching state and federal antitrust laws to which Santee Cooper assures "vigorous defense."<br /><br />Michael Bless, Century Aluminum...
Boyne Smelter sees little hope in rising aluminium prices; says, production and job cuts unavoidable
<p>Boyne Smelter Limited is in the process of determining the number of job cuts and production reduction at its facility in Australia. The aluminium company, unable to cope with the surging electricity costs, is mulling downsizing, reported sources aware of the matter. This comes at a time when...
HSF and Allens advises AGL on recent power deal with Portland Aluminium Smelter
<p>Herbert smith Freehills and Allens, the noted international law firms, have suggested AGL on the power deal that the company signed on recently. Silverton Wind Farm and the aluminium smelter in Victoria are the two deals that these law firms have suggested on.<br /><br /><img...
Ghana government to resurrect aluminium company VALCO
<p>The Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), owned by the government of Ghana, will be resurrected by the government in order to attain ideal capacity. In recent years, the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) has faced challenges in energy supply and huge debts.<br /><br /><img...
Alcoa to resume Portland aluminium smelter post AGL power deal
<p>Alcoa announced on Friday morning that its Portland aluminium smelter will resume production of the lost capacity after the federal and Victorian governments offered rescue packages for the smelter worth A$30 million ($23 million) and promises to keep the smelter open till 2021.<br /><br />The...
Rio Tinto to cut down production at its Boyne aluminium smelter
<p>Rio Tinto today announced that the company will slash aluminium production worth more than $110 million and 30 jobs due to high power prices in the state at its Boyne aluminium smelter. The company will reduce up to 45,000 tonnes of aluminium production in 2017.<br /><br />Rio Tinto’s...
StrikoWestofen's dosing furnace Westomat Plus+ wins Good Design Award
<p>The dosing furnace “Westomat Plus+” designed by StrikoWestofen of Gummersbach, Germany, recently won the renowned “Good Design Award” of the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design – putting it in line with lifestyle products such as Apple’s...
Alba awards GE Power the first-ever order for HA gas turbines
<p>Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) announced Monday that it has awarded GE Power, a division of GE, an order for a turnkey combined-cycle power plant, including three HA gas turbines that it will install to power the world’s largest single-site smelter. With this order GE Power gains first...
Kazakhstan Aluminium Smelter produced over 235,000 tons of primary aluminium in 2016
<p>Eurasian Resources Group said on Monday January 9 that its Kazakhstan Aluminium Smelter JSC (KAS) has produced more than 235,000 tons of primary aluminium in 2016, exceeding the annual production target. Since the inception of plant, this was plant’s highest production volumes in the...
Norsk Hydro: LoI and MoU for possible use of natural gas at Hydro Alunorte in Brazil
<p>Norwegian based aluminium company Hydro has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the state of Pará and also a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Shell Brasil Petróleo LTDA, with the aim to replace a major part of its current fuel oil consumption at the Alunorte alumina refinery...
Australia comes in aid of Alcoa’s Portland aluminium smelter
<p>The Australian Ministry has said on Monday January 9 that the government offered "substantial" financial support to Alcoa’s aluminium smelter in Victoria. The aluminium smelter in Victoria was damaged by state-wide power outrage in December that caused molten aluminium to solidify.</p>...
Skoda inaugurates its first aluminium press line in Mladá Boleslav
<p>Skoda has officially installed its new PXL II servo press line at its main plant in Mladá Boleslav, in the presence of Michael Oeljeklaus, Skoda Board Member for Production and Logistics, and Jaroslav Povšík, Chairman of the trade union KOVO MB. Skoda's first press line for...
