News

Aluminerie Alouette successfully finished a major step in its intensive relining program on June 28th and started 140 AP40 pots in 180 days in the frame to move from AP40LE to AP40 Technology. Aluminerie Alouette is back with 594 pots in operation going on track to achieve 600,000 tpy production and targeting 630,000 tpy in coming years through increase to 395 kA intensity & implementation of Forced cooling Network. "This achievement is underlining great team work, including contractors. It is a great job, well done," quoted Patrice L’Huillier, CEO and...

The governments of Canada and Quebec are providing a total of $2,780,000 in financial assistance to the company FjordAl Aluminium for starting up an aluminium rod manufacturing plant in the Jonquière sector of Saguenay. The project, valued at $6,590,000, will create 20 jobs. Mr. Richard Hébert, Member of Parliament for Lac-Saint-Jean and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Canada Economic...

RUSAL is launching a potroom control system as part of its production efficiency improvement strategy. Such a development will use advanced scientific and methodological approaches based on forecast analytics known as ‘BigData’. The development and implementation of the new system will increase the Company’s aluminium production efficiency twofold; by decreasing the abnormalities throughout the process and improving the reduction cell control quality. At the end of 2019, the project investment will amount to around RUB 20 mln.   Currently, the causes of...

Alcoa Corporation has announced that it has amended its joint venture with the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) in which Alcoa holds a minority, 25.1 percent stake. The joint venture was created in 2009 as a fully integrated aluminium complex in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, comprised of three entities: the Ma’aden Bauxite and Alumina Company (MBAC; the bauxite mine and alumina refinery), the Ma’aden Aluminium Company (MAC; the aluminium smelter and cast house), and the Ma’aden Rolling Company (MRC; the can and auto sheet mill). As a result of the...

The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) and the Aluminum Association report that the aluminium extrusion industry in the United States and Canada reached record high shipments in 2018. Among key findings, producer shipments totalled 5.51 billion pounds in 2018, which is 4.5 percent higher than shipments in 2017 and 3.2 percent higher than shipments in 2006. This is the ninth consecutive year of growth. Shipments of extruded products to domestic markets increased across all sectors in 2018. Building and Construction continues to be the largest market sector for extruded products,...

RUSAL has announced that three of its major production sites, including a mine, alumina refinery and aluminium smelter, have achieved Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification. RUSAL’s headquarters and three production sites – JSC «Boksit Timana» (bauxite mining), RUSAL Kamensk-Uralskiy (alumina refining) and a branch of PJSC RUSAL Bratsk in Shelekhov (aluminium smelting, casthouse and alloys production) – have been successfully certified against the ASI Performance Standard and ASI Chain of Custody Standard. The Company aims to achieve...

Rockwell Automation, a leading solutions and services provider to the automotive industry, has opened a new 8,000 square-foot Electric Vehicle (EV) Innovation Centre at 111 North Market Street in San Jose, California, within its Information Solutions development facility. The centre will provide live manufacturing demonstrations, hands-on trials utilising new technology and events showcasing collaboration with industry experts and Rockwell Automation partners.   Utilising augmented and virtual reality modelling, the EV Innovation Centre provides automotive start-ups and...

AMETEK Surface Vision, a world leader in automated online surface inspection solutions, will exhibit its latest innovations to the Asian market at this year’s Aluminium China trade fair, held in Shanghai’s New International Expo Centre, July 10 -12. Delegates can meet the AMETEK Surface Vision team at stand 2H36 and learn more about the latest advancements in surface inspection monitoring and process surveillance in aluminium production.  A proven partner for increasing efficiency and improving product quality in the metals industry for over three decades, AMETEK...

Continuing its leadership in the growing market for specialised high-performance alloys, Rio Tinto launches Revolution-Al™, a new aluminium alloy developed to make lighter car wheels. Rio Tinto Aluminium chief executive Alf Barrios said “As we partner with customers we’re seeing an increasing demand for specialised alloys and other products to meet their specific needs. Developing these products is at the heart of our business, from research and development, to offering technical expertise and marketing as well as collaborating with OEMs.” Rio Tinto vice...

Metal Packaging Europe, the association of European producers of rigid metal packaging and their supply chain partners, completed a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of aluminium beverage cans (25, 33 and 50cl volumes). Using the latest data available (2016), the study covers the life cycle of aluminium beverage cans produced in Europe, from raw materials extraction to manufacturing, and end-of-life. When compared to 2006 data, the study records significant reductions in CO2-equivalent emissions. The carbon footprint has been reduced by an impressive 31% on average for the three...