Aluminium Supply Chain
China trade imbalance hits aluminium: India’s imports rise as exports slide
India’s trade deficit with China crossed USD 100 billion in the first nine months of 2026 as imports continued to outpace exports, with aluminium trade data showing a widening imbalance in the latest available period. While India’s overall exports to China recorded strong growth between January and September, the value of its aluminium exports to the neighbouring country declined year on year through July, even as aluminium imports from China increased. Data released by China’s General Administration of Customs showed that bilateral trade rose 25.4 per cent to USD 144.45 billion between January and September 2026. India’s imports from China increased 23.3 per cent to USD 125.19 billion, while exports to China grew 40.7 per cent to USD 19.26 billion. Despite the rise in exports, the trade...
Demand is flying, but margins aren't: Kaiser Aluminum’s Q3 dilemma
Kaiser Aluminum is seeing stronger demand across aerospace, defence, packaging and semiconductor-related markets, with customer bookings extending into 2027. However, the aluminium producer’s latest results highlight a challenge: converting rising shipments and record conversion revenue into stronger profitability as planned outages, lower scrap utilisation and startup costs weigh on margins. The company reported third-quarter 2026 shipments of 300 million pounds, up from 270 million pounds in the same period last year, while conversion revenue climbed 25 per cent year-on-year to a record USD 439 million from USD 351 million. Net sales reached USD 1.21 billion. Despite the growth, adjusted EBITDA increased by only USD 3 million year-on-year to USD 84 million. A USD 29 million unfavourable...
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15th International Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Conference & Exhibition - IBAAS–VFMSTA 2026
ICSOBA 2026 - 44th International Conference and Exhibition
SMM AICE 2026 Southeast Asia Aluminum Conference
15th International Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Conference & Exhibition - IBAAS–VFMSTA 2026
ICSOBA 2026 - 44th International Conference and Exhibition
SMM AICE 2026 Southeast Asia Aluminum Conference
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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 MOREGlobal EV sales to hit 35.4 million by 2030, with aluminium usage forecast to rise 38% in North America & 79% in China
AL Circle analysis: How do Germany’s 32.8% automotive aluminium share, 40% Diet Coke can price rise & 3.54Mt North American extrusion demand matter?
AL Circle Analysis: Guinea’s 150Mt bauxite cap, China’s import swings, US tariffs draw aluminium Q4’26
EU approves Germany’s power relief instrument: Could aluminium producers save €459m annually?
North America’s aluminum extrusion demand set to reach 3.54Mt by 2035: The end-use sectors behind the climb
News
Aluminium safety workshop trains 120+ workers as US industry targets stronger domestic supply chains
The US aluminum industry is placing renewed emphasis on workforce safety, domestic production, and material recovery, with the Aluminum Association’s sold-out Casthouse Safety Workshop in Charlotte, North Carolina, highlighting the importance of safe molten aluminum handling. The program trained more than 120 industry workers and has been running for over 30 years, with the Association describing it as a global benchmark for casthouse operators and supervisors. The workshop comes as the industry continues to focus on strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities and supply chains. Alongside workforce training, the Aluminum Association has called for bipartisan permitting reform to accelerate investment in US aluminum production, arguing that faster approvals could help unlock the...
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...
AL Circle Analysis: Guinea’s 150Mt bauxite cap, China’s import swings, US tariffs draw aluminium Q4’26
The global aluminium supply chain is facing a series of changes that extend from bauxite mines and alumina refineries to smelters, regional premiums and finished-metal trade. In 2026, the market’s direction is being shaped not only by production volumes but also by freight costs, export restrictions, shifting Chinese demand and tariffs. Developments across Guinea, Australia, China, Europe and North America point to a market where access to supply is increasingly as important as the availability of raw materials. Bauxite supply: Guinea’s cap meets a well-stocked China, but is it stable? Guinea remains central to the seaborne bauxite market, with its shipment connections to China demonstrating the importance of reliable logistics. A new sea-rail route has enabled a Guinea bauxite shipment...
PV frame makers maintain stable operations; Aluminium prices to consolidate amid mixed macro signals
PV aluminium extrusion: According to an SMM survey, operating rates at sampled PV frame enterprises remained stable overall this week, with some large frame producers maintaining high operating loads. A large frame enterprise in Anhui reported that October production was basically flat M-o-M, while export orders increased, accounting for around 20 per cent of its total production. Regarding processing fees for PV aluminium frames, most long-term contract orders have seen processing fees fall below RMB 2,000 per tonne, operating essentially near the cash cost line. Downstream at the module end, October module production estimates were revised down by 500-700 MW from the beginning of the month. China's November production is expected to fall by another 1 GW, with the December decline...
IRBC project explores traceability in aluminium and bauxite supply chains for renewable energy
International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC) has completed a project examining aluminium and bauxite supply chains to improve transparency and traceability in materials supporting the renewable energy transition. The project brought together wind energy company Siemens Gamesa, Dutch cable manufacturer TKF, Digital Product Passport (DPP) technology provider Minespider, and project partner Responsible Trade. The initiative mapped selected upstream aluminium and bauxite supply chains and tested secure DPPs to organise and present traceability and sustainability information across multiple supplier tiers. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price...
AAC welcomes Canada’s implementation of smelt and cast reporting for aluminium imports
The Aluminum Association of Canada (AAC) welcomes the integration of country of smelt and cast reporting into Canada’s Aluminum Import Monitoring Program (AIM), effective October 1, 2026. This milestone strengthens transparency across aluminium supply chains and equips authorities with better information to monitor trade flows and identify potential circumvention. The new requirements build on Canada’s progressive development of its aluminium import monitoring framework: • September 1, 2019: Canada launched AIM under General Import Permit No. 83, following the Canada–US joint statement on steel and aluminium trade. • Summer 2024: Global Affairs Canada (GAC) consulted stakeholders on collecting and publishing country of smelt and cast information. • July 31, 2025: Under a separate trade...
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