Aluminium Scrap Import
AL Circle Analysis: US scrap imports hit 580kt as China slips 3.2%, who drives aluminium recycling?
Aluminium scrap is no longer a side story in the metal’s market. Rather, aluminium’s next standoff is over scrap. As US imports surge 37 per cent while China’s purchases decline, manufacturers in Europe and India are confronting a common challenge of securing affordable, reliable raw materials. With recycling rates, trade barriers and low-carbon production reshaping market, the global industry faces a critical question: who will control the metal that powers its circular future? Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel. A 1.1-billion-tonne stockpile: US stocks up, China steps back, India asks for access The US imported 580,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap worth USD 2.07 billion in H1 2026 , with Canada accounting for 63.62...
China’s aluminium scrap imports fall 3.2% in H1 2026 amid supply and pricing pressures
China’s aluminium scrap market lost some momentum in the first half of 2026, with imports falling from a year earlier as higher prices, tighter overseas availability and weaker demand weighed on buying activity. Despite the decline, imports remained above the level recorded two years earlier. China imported 981,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap from the World in H1 2026, down 3.2 per cent from 1 million tonnes in H1 2025. The latest volume was, however, 3.6 per cent higher than the 947,000 tonnes imported in H1 2024. The H1 2026 total comprised 526,000 tonnes in Q1 and 455,000 tonnes in Q2, compared with 507,000 tonnes and 506,000 tonnes, respectively, in H1 2025. Overseas supply becomes a key constraint The weaker import performance came as Chinese buyers faced a less favourable...
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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.
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Coimbatore MSMEs seek easier aluminium scrap imports amid raw-material pressure
Coimbatore-based MSME and industry associations have urged the Government of India to facilitate and encourage imports of aluminium scrap, citing reported shortages of essential metals and rising production costs affecting local manufacturers. In a representation sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the associations identified aluminium, steel, copper and pig iron among raw materials facing supply pressure and price volatility. While the representation described the broader situation as an “acute and unprecedented” increase in prices and shortages, the report specifically quantified the recent price rise only for steel, which reportedly increased by around INR 8,000–10,000 (USD 83.07–103.83) per tonne between August and September 2026. Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for...
US aluminum scrap imports jump to 580kt in H1 2026; Canada leads with 64% share
The US aluminum industry is becoming increasingly dependent on aluminum scrap, with the Aluminum Association noting that 85% of aluminum produced in the US comes from secondary sources. Against this backdrop, US imports of aluminum scrap have continued to rise year-on-year. During January-June, or the first half (H1) of 2026, the US imported 580,000 metric tons of aluminum scrap, valued at $2.07 billion. The US-Canada trade relations are a recurring headline with tariff and duty updates from both sides. Interestingly, when it comes to aluminum scrap trade, Canada accounts for a staggering 63.62% share as a supplier to the US. Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel. The H1 growth chart: 2026 vs 2025 vs 2024 Comparing the...
5083 aluminium holds durable growth potential, but real demand will hinge on marine, transport and defence programmes
In an interview with AL Circle, Rafael Suchan, CEO and co-founder of Metycle, a vertically integrated secondary metals company headquartered in Cologne, Germany, has shared his thoughts on the European Union’s aluminium scrap sourcing strategy and the demand trends of scrap grades. According to Rafael, the EU must aim for more scrap sourcing options since the bloc’s tighter non-OECD waste-export rules may lead to scrap material leaving Europe. Regarding aluminium scrap grades in demand, UBC scrap, clean extrusion scrap and segregated sheet are the highest consuming grades. Upon asking about the growth opportunities of 5083 high-magnesium aluminium alloys, he further said the pace will follow actual marine, transport and defence programmes. Before co-founding Metycle, Rafael Suchan served...
AL Circle Analysis: Europe’s aluminium scrap curbs, India’s risk and US’s supply opportunity
Aluminium recycling is supposed to be the industry’s easiest win — economic and eco-friendly. Interestingly, this is where the plot thickens. Aluminium recycling is moving from a sustainability objective to a strategic supply-chain issue, with scrap availability, domestic recovery, cross-border waste rules and decarbonisation policy influencing where recycled metal can be produced and consumed. Recent developments across Europe, such as the UK and Greece, in the US and India reveal that investment in recycling is accelerating, but access to suitable scrap and the rules governing its movement are becoming equally important. Join the fourth edition of the webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel. Europe wants more recycled aluminium, but what is the...
EU aluminium scrap export rules face BIR pushback over India, Malaysia, Thailand cut-off
The EU aluminium scrap market could face disruption if proposed changes to the Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR) restrict access to major Asian recycling destinations, the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has warned. The Brussels-based association issued its response after the European Commission published a draft proposal on September 18 listing non-OECD countries authorised to receive certain non-hazardous materials from the EU . Excluding countries such as India , Malaysia and Thailand from authorised destinations for ferrous and nonferrous metals could weaken recycled material markets rather than strengthen Europe’s recycling capacity. Join the fourth edition of the webinar “Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours” by Jorge Dyszel. At the centre of BIR’s concern is...
August aluminium scrap imports recover M-o-M; multiple constraints suppress a sharp import rebound
According to data from the General Administration of Customs, China's aluminium scrap imports in August 2026 stood at 141,800 tonnes, up 18.60 per cent M-o-M but down 17.67 per cent Y-o-Y, ending the "four consecutive declines" since April. Cumulative imports in January-August 2026 totalled approximately 1.243 million tonnes, down about 7.5 per cent Y-o-Y, with the cumulative decline widening further from 6.1 per cent in January-July. Overall, August imports showed a clear M-o-M recovery, but the Y-o-Y decline remained close to 20 per cent. From a monthly pace perspective, aluminium scrap imports in 2026 peaked at 197,300 tonnes in March, then pulled back for four consecutive months, hitting a year-to-date low of 119,600 tonnes in July. August rebounded 18.60 per cent M-o-M to 141,800...
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