Southeast Asia
Ex-China aluminium market runs steadily as market awaits Q4 MJP settlement
This week, the overseas aluminium market was generally mediocre, with limited trading activity across major markets. In South Korea, purchases were mainly small-scale restocking, with little change in prices. In Thailand, demand remained weak, and some sellers slightly lowered their offers due to shipment pressure. The market focused on Q4 MJP quarterly pricing, with Rio Tinto's latest offer further reduced, and market expectations suggested there is still room for the final settlement price to move lower. South Korea: Mediocre market, transactions mainly small-scale restocking This week, trading in the South Korean market was very subdued, with purchasing demand limited to small-scale restocking and no concentrated procurement seen. Sellers showed moderate willingness to offer, with...
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...
Grow with
AL Circle
Price
→Events
Wire Southeast Asia and Tube Southeast Asia 2025
CIIF (China International Industry Fair) and IME (Intelligent Manufacturing Expo Southeast Asia)
SMM AICE 2026 Southeast Asia Aluminum Conference
Wire Southeast Asia and Tube Southeast Asia 2025
CIIF (China International Industry Fair) and IME (Intelligent Manufacturing Expo Southeast Asia)
SMM AICE 2026 Southeast Asia Aluminum Conference
Business Cards
A report that reveals where the aluminium casting industry is heading and how businesses can act.
LEARN MORE
A report that reveals where the aluminium casting industry is heading and how businesses can act.
LEARN MOREGermany’s aluminium FRP consumption reaches 1.68 Mt as 2025 trade surplus tops $3.1 billion
AL Circle Analysis: Europe’s aluminium scrap curbs, India’s risk and US’s supply opportunity
German downstream aluminium exports fall 13% in H1 2026 but US enters top 5 with 228.1% import surge
Caustic soda plant setup in India: How aluminium growth is reshaping demand, costs and opportunities
News
Malaysia’s rare-earth ambitions face a caveat: Can it control the full supply chain?
Malaysia is emerging as a rare earth hub by developing a domestic “mine-to-magnet” ecosystem spanning exploration, mining, separation, metals, alloys and permanent magnets. But, how is the venture faring? A study by Hiu Dilangit Sasongkojati at the University at Albany, SUNY, puts Malaysia’s ambition under a microscope. Malaysia’s supply chain remains fragmented, with limited domestic upstream activity, heavy reliance on foreign technology and downstream manufacturers still dependent on imported processed metals. To learn about the market potential of aluminium dross, explore “ ALuminium Dross Processing: Generation, Recovery & Strategic Roadmap ” Malaysia has the resources, but not yet an integrated chain Malaysia estimates around 16.2 million tonnes of inferred total rare-earth elements...
China’s 45Mt aluminium cap pushes producers overseas as global dominance grows
China’s aluminium industry is running close to its limits in 2026. As Shanghai aluminium prices near a three-month high, historically low raw material costs and strong smelter margins encourage producers to operate at maximum capacity. National aluminium output remains above Beijing’s 45-million-tonne cap, projected to reach 46 million tonnes by the ned of 2026. But with the ceiling still firmly in place, Chinese producers are taking projects overseas to Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Angola and Saudi Arabia, strengthening China’s position in the global aluminium supply chain. Domestic capacity leaves little room to grow In August, Chinese smelters were operating at 99.7 per cent of effective capacity, estimated by AZ Global Consulting at 45.26 million tonnes. This is in line with AL Circle’s...
Aluminium extrusion usage in building and construction to grow 1.24% CAGR through 2035, with Americas at 1.15%, Europe at 1.30% & MEA at 2.47%
What does the building and construction market mean for aluminium extrusion industry? The answer may depend less on how much the world builds and more on where it builds and what those buildings require. As construction activity picks up across regions, aluminium extrusion is set to follow - but with the strongest opportunities emerging in different ways across markets. The global construction market was valued at about USD 11.4 trillion in 2024 and is estimated at USD 12.1 trillion in 2025. It is forecast to expand to around USD 16–17 trillion by 2030, representing a 5-6 per cent CAGR over the next five years, according to various industry sources. This expansion matters for aluminium extrusion because building and construction is already the largest end-use sector for extruded...
Korea’s 483kt of Russian aluminium imports hit record high as sanctions risks deepen
South Korea’s Russian aluminium imports reached a record high in 2025, making Russia the country’s largest aluminium supplier for the first time. The sharp increase has strengthened Korea’s dependence on Russian metal even as the US and Europe tighten sanctions against Moscow. The exposure is significant for Korea’s defence industry, where aluminium and its alloys are used in missiles and other weapons systems. Korea imported 483,084 tonnes of aluminium from Russia in 2025, according to Korea Customs Service data, representing a 41 per cent increase year on year. The volume exceeded imports from Australia at 408,657 tonnes and China at 394,837 tonnes. The shift has become increasingly pronounced since 2022. Compared with the 120,629 tonnes imported from Russia in 2021, last year’s volume...
Asia’s alumina exports jump 27%: Is an 8Mt H2 shipment within reach?
Asia’s alumina exports entered 2026 on a strong footing, with shipments to global markets reaching 7.05 million tonnes worth USD 2.76 billion in H1 2026 , up 27.36 per cent year-on-year . The sharp rise in H1 was driven by a quarter-on-quarter surge by a considerable margin. This indicates an acceleration in aluminium production, translating into an increased demand for alumina in the market. The key question for H2 2026 is whether Asia can maintain this pace despite geopolitical disruptions, evolving refinery capacity and changing market demand. H1 2026 sets a strong export benchmark Comparing the H1 export graphs of Asia across 2026, 2025 and 2024, the Y-o-Y improvement remains consistent. H1 2026 – 7.05 million tonnes, up 27.36 per cent Y-o-Y from H1 2025 H1 2025 – 5.54 million tonnes,...
Southeast Asia and India will see strong growth in aluminium extrusion consumption over the coming decade
As the aluminium extrusion industry enters a new phase of transformation driven by electrification, sustainability, supply-chain resilience and advanced manufacturing demands, Alcomet is strengthening its position through technology investments, automation and value-added solutions. In this exclusive interview, Huseyin Umut İnce, Executive Board Member of ALCOMET AD, shares how the company is strengthening its position across automotive, electric mobility, renewable energy and industrial sectors through strategic investments and innovation. Conducted as part of AL Circle’s exclusive campaign, “ Aluminium Extrusion Growth Markets ,” the conversation explores ALCOMET’s latest extrusion expansion and its vision for the future. As Huseyin highlights, “the objective is not simply to add...
Blog
LATEST POSTS
Turn marketplace visibility into more relevant buyer enquiries.
View Priority Plans
Turn marketplace visibility into more relevant buyer enquiries.
View Priority Plans
