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A new rival for Rusal? Sual deal puts 150,000 tonnes of Russian aluminium in focus
Russia’s aluminium market could face a new competitive dynamic after Sual Partners signed a production-sharing agreement with state-controlled hydropower group RusHydro, potentially giving Sual access to up to 150,000 tonnes of aluminium from the Boguchany smelter in Siberia. The arrangement could challenge Rusal’s near 20-year dominance of Russia’s primary aluminium market, allowing Sual to target both domestic and overseas customers with the metal. The agreement, announced on October 15 during Russian Energy Week, provides for a production-sharing mechanism at the Boguchansky aluminium plant, which is co-owned by RusHydro. The arrangement could give Sual access to as much as a 50 per cent share of the smelter’s output, putting it in a position to compete directly with Rusal, its...
CBM urges UK-EU agreement to protect aluminium, steel and automotive supply chains
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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A report that reveals where the aluminium casting industry is heading and how businesses can act.
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A report that reveals where the aluminium casting industry is heading and how businesses can act.
LEARN MOREAL Circle analysis: How do Germany’s 32.8% automotive aluminium share, 40% Diet Coke can price rise & 3.54Mt North American extrusion demand matter?
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More revenue, less aluminium: Profilgruppen’s Q3 numbers tell two stories
Profilgruppen reported a 14 per cent increase in third-quarter revenue to SEK 567.6 million (USD57.12 million), but the rise was driven mainly by higher metal prices rather than stronger demand. The Swedish aluminium profile producer delivered 6,850 metric tonnes of aluminium profiles during Q3 2026, down 6.8 per cent from 7,350 tonnes in the same period last year. Despite the higher revenue, operating profit under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) edged down 1.7 per cent to SEK 28.6 million (USD 2.88 million) from SEK 29.1 million (USD 2.93 million) a year earlier. Under the company’s alternative accounting method, RAN, operating profit fell 37.5 per cent to SEK 3 million (USD 301,970), compared with SEK 4.8 million (USD 483,153) in Q3 2025. Net income under IFRS...
Malaysia’s rare earths balancing act: Raw exports or a homegrown processing industry?
Malaysia has opened a limited route for raw rare earths exports while pursuing a broader ambition to develop domestic processing capabilities, highlighting the challenge of attracting international investment without giving up opportunities to create more value locally. The country has approved its first application to export unprocessed rare earths under a revised regulatory framework, with the shipment authorised for research and development purposes. Malaysia’s Department of Mineral and Geoscience granted the approval, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, which confirmed the decision in response to a Bloomberg query. The ministry did not identify the applicant or disclose further details. The approval follows new guidelines issued earlier in...
Hydro reports $965m Q3 EBITDA on strong aluminium prices and record Norwegian smelter output
Hydro reported higher adjusted earnings in the third quarter of 2026, supported by strong aluminium prices, record liquid metal production from its Norwegian smelters and improved performance in Recycling and Extrusions. Adjusted EBITDA rose to NOK 9 billion (USD 965 million) from NOK 8.92 billion (USD 957 million) in the second quarter, an increase of around 0.9 per cent quarter-on-quarter. Adjusted earnings per share increased to NOK 2.3 (USD 0.25) from NOK 1.0 (USD 0.11) in the third quarter of 2025, a rise of 130 per cent year on year. The company generated free cash flow of NOK 1.4 billion (USD 150 million) during the quarter. Strong adjusted EBITDA was partly offset by higher net operating capital, mainly due to increased metal prices, working capital requirements and prepayments....
US aluminium industry highlights importance of domestic smelting capacity for national security
The United States needs a stronger domestic primary aluminium industry to support national security, military equipment and critical infrastructure, according to an economic analysis by Adam Hersh, an economist and research fellow at the University of Massachusetts. Hersh presented the findings at a press event in Washington, D.C. He highlighted the need for domestic production of high-purity aluminium used in military applications. He said the US currently has no operating smelters capable of producing this specialised aluminium, leaving the country reliant on overseas supplies and exposed to possible supply disruptions. The report points to a major change in US aluminium production over the past 25 years. In 2000, the country accounted for around 15 per cent of global aluminium...
Can aluminium make EVs lighter and cheaper? Stellantis study cuts body mass by 41%
Aluminium-intensive vehicle design could reduce electric vehicle (EV) weight, battery requirements and manufacturing complexity, according to a joint theoretical study by Stellantis and Alumobility. Using Stellantis’ STLA Medium platform as its reference, the study found that an optimised aluminium-based architecture could cut total vehicle mass by around 20 per cent and create the potential to reduce battery capacity by 15 per cent while maintaining equivalent range. Presented at EuroCarBody 2026 in Bad Nauheim, Germany, on October 22, the study examined how aluminium could be incorporated across the vehicle structure rather than simply replacing steel components on a like-for-like basis. The concept reduced body-in-white mass - the vehicle’s structural body before components such as...
Queensland bauxite expansion: Rio Tinto project targets 1,300 construction jobs with $1.9bn investment in the Kangwinan bauxite project
Rio Tinto’s planned USD 1.9 billion investment in the Kangwinan bauxite project is expected to support more than 1,300 construction jobs in Queensland, while helping secure the long-term future of its Weipa mining operations as existing sources of production approach the end of their lives. Located on Western Cape York Peninsula, Kangwinan will add 20 million tonnes of annual bauxite production capacity, with first output targeted for 2029 and full production expected by 2032. The project will raise Weipa Operations’ annual capacity to around 44 million tonnes from current production of approximately 38 million tonnes. Construction is scheduled to ramp up in 2027. Beyond the immediate employment boost, the investment is expected to help sustain Rio Tinto’s residentially based workforce of...
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Alcoa to sell Massena East site portion for up to $315 million as data center plans emerge
Alcoa plans to sell part of its idle Massena East industrial site in New York for up to $315 million, marking the first step in its broader effort to generate cash from underused assets by 2030. The agreement comes as the aluminum producer prepares to complete its multibillion-dollar acquisition of South32’s bauxite, alumina and aluminum assets while navigating changing metal prices and higher input costs. The company has reached a definitive agreement with an undisclosed buyer for the Massena East property. The transaction is expected to bring in an initial payment of $50 million to $65 million at closing, which is anticipated within the next six months. The remaining proceeds are expected before the end of the decade, although the agreement allows up to seven years for commissioning....
243% rise in US-bound aluminium scrap: METLEN calls for a more competitive Europe
Europe’s aluminium scrap exports to the US have risen by 243 per cent, highlighting a growing concern over the continent’s access to strategic raw materials as it pursues recycling, decarbonisation and industrial competitiveness. Evangelos Mytilineos, Executive Chairman of METLEN, raised the issue, linking scrap outflows to the broader challenges facing European industry, energy security and strategic autonomy. Aluminium scrap outflows raise industrial concerns Mytilineos referred to the contrasting US tariff treatment of aluminium products, i.e., a 50 per cent tariff on primary aluminium, compared with zero tariff on scrap . With European aluminium scrap exports to the US increasing by 243 per cent, he questioned whether Europe could strengthen its industrial base while allowing valuable...
WEEKLY: China alumina slips again as stocks rise; RMB 2,500-2,620/tonne seen near term
Domestic alumina spot prices edged lower last week, though trading activity picked up modestly. On the supply side, China's operating alumina capacity stood at around 98.9 million tonnes per year recently. One Guangxi refinery with a normal run rate of 2.3 million tonnes per year curtailed another production line, bringing current operating capacity down to 1 million tonnes per year. Separately, a newly commissioned alumina project in Guangxi has begun shipping finished product. The plant started feeding on September 21 and is now in a phase of quality optimisation and ramp-up, targeting full production next month at around 2 million tonnes per year. With industry margins compressing further, higher-cost operators face mounting pressure; coupled with recent weather-related disruptions in...
Alcoa to sell Massena East site portion for up to $315 million as data center plans emerge
Alcoa plans to sell part of its idle Massena East industrial site in New York for up to $315 million, marking the first step in its broader effort to generate cash from underused assets by 2030. The agreement comes as the aluminum producer prepares to complete its multibillion-dollar acquisition of South32’s bauxite, alumina and aluminum assets while navigating changing metal prices and higher input costs. The company has reached a definitive agreement with an undisclosed buyer for the Massena East property. The transaction is expected to bring in an initial payment of $50 million to $65 million at closing, which is anticipated within the next six months. The remaining proceeds are expected before the end of the decade, although the agreement allows up to seven years for commissioning....
243% rise in US-bound aluminium scrap: METLEN calls for a more competitive Europe
Europe’s aluminium scrap exports to the US have risen by 243 per cent, highlighting a growing concern over the continent’s access to strategic raw materials as it pursues recycling, decarbonisation and industrial competitiveness. Evangelos Mytilineos, Executive Chairman of METLEN, raised the issue, linking scrap outflows to the broader challenges facing European industry, energy security and strategic autonomy. Aluminium scrap outflows raise industrial concerns Mytilineos referred to the contrasting US tariff treatment of aluminium products, i.e., a 50 per cent tariff on primary aluminium, compared with zero tariff on scrap . With European aluminium scrap exports to the US increasing by 243 per cent, he questioned whether Europe could strengthen its industrial base while allowing valuable...
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