The U.S. launched a new trade enforcement complaint against the People’s Republic of China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) concerning China’s subsidies to certain producers of primary aluminum. These subsidies appear to be provided through artificially cheap loans from banks and through artificially low-priced inputs for aluminum production, such as coal, electricity, and alumina. […]
Alcoa Inc. completed its separation into two standalone companies — Arconic Inc. and Alcoa Corporation (learn more about Arconic). Following its separation from Alcoa Inc. (now known as Arconic), Alcoa Corporation has begun operating as an independent, publicly-traded company producing bauxite, alumina, and aluminum products. “We are launching Alcoa Corporation as a world leader in […]
UC Rusal launched the first RA-550 pot, which is running at over 550 kA, at the Sayanogorsk aluminum smelter (SAZ) as part of a US$28 million project. “RA-550 is a reduction cell with a breakthrough design for future smelters and upgrade projects at Rusal’s existing smelting capacities,” said Victor Mann, Rusal’s technical director. “Alongside the technical and […]
By Joseph C. Benedyk, Editor. On September 29, 2016, the day after the Aluminum Association and Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) Management Conference finished their Aluminum Week program in Washington, D.C., the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) held a hearing (Investigation No. 332-557) — Aluminum: Competitive Conditions Affecting the U.S. Industry. The hearing addressed the harmful […]
Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation obtained U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval for the sale of the its aluminum smelter and facilities in New Madrid, Missouri, to ARG International AG for a purchase price of $13.7 million. The Court approval follows an auction that took place on September 28, 2016. The company expects to close the transaction in […]
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By Goran Djukanovic, Aluminum Market Analyst & Consultant. Uncertainty hangs over the primary aluminum industry in U.S., or what has been left of it. Plummeting aluminum prices and high electricity costs resulted in closure or curtailment of some three-fourths of primary aluminum production in the last five years, leaving less than 1 million tonnes of […]
By Alton Tabereaux, Contributing Editor. A conspicuous transformation occurred in the world’s primary aluminum industry during the past five years with the construction of “Mega” aluminum smelters (>1 million tpy) in China, which have boosted aluminum production to levels not previously experienced by companies. Nine aluminum companies had an annual production greater than 2 million […]
Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation entered into an asset purchase agreement for its flat rolled products business with Gränges AB, a supplier of rolled products for brazed aluminium heat exchangers in Sweden. Under the agreement, a subsidiary of Gränges will serve as the “stalking horse” bidder for Noranda’s flat rolled products business in a court-supervised sale process […]
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) selected Bechtel as the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contractor for its Line 6 Expansion Project. Under the terms of the contract, Bechtel will be responsible to design and construct the sixth potline as well as support industrial services. Bechtel has worked with Alba for more than 25 years, including previous work as […]
