CRU aluminum news roundup

The direction has been set for a long time: “We want to become the number one in aluminum recycling in Europe,’ explains Boris Kurth, head of can business at Speira as well as the recycling and foundry operations at the Rheinwerk. “Over the past 20 years, we have already built furnaces with leading recycling capacity in Europe and Europe’s most modern sorting plant for UBC scrap, substituting the highly energy-intensive primary production of aluminum. We are consistently pursuing this path and emphasizing our commitment to the circular economy with the fourth recycling furnace at Rheinwerk.”

The furnace will be built in 2025. Production is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2026. Speira is also converting the third of four existing casting centers to be optimized for recycling alloys. This will enable Rheinwerk to further reduce its ecological footprint. Overall, Rheinwerk will then have a recycling capacity that will save up to 1.5 million mt of CO2 compared to primary production of the same quantity of aluminum.

Novelis announces postponement of its IPO

This week, Novelis announced the postponement of its initial public offering due to “market conditions,” the online statement said. Without being specific, the company added that it will continue to evaluate the timing of the offering in the future. In May, Novelis, an aluminum recycler, announced its aim for a valuation of up to $12.6 billion in its US IPO. Hindalco, its parent company, planned to raise up to $945 million by selling 45 million shares at a price ranging from $18 to $21 each.

Hydro invests to upgrade recycling capacity in Italy

It was announced that Hydro will invest €14.8 million (USD$16 million) to upgrade the recycling facilities at its extrusion plant in Atessa, Italy. The upgrade will enable Atessa to produce Hydro’s CIRCAL recycled aluminum brand. The strategic investment in Atessa will expand the plant’s annual recycling capacity from 30,000 to 40,000 mt, 20,000 mt of which will be from recycled, low-carbon aluminum made by 75% recycled post-consumer scrap. The investment will primarily be allocated for the acquisition of advanced recycling equipment, including a de-lacquering line, an additional furnace, and facility upgrades.

The introduction of low-carbon, end-of-life recycled production in Atessa is particularly set to play an important role in the growth and profitability of Hydro Building Systems (HBS). The additional capacity also supports HBS’ ambitions to extend its reach into markets in the Middle East, Asia, and China.

Hydro publishes environmental data for operations in the US, Canada

Hydro has recently published environmental data for 22 of its manufacturing sites in the US and Canada. The data is available in Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which have been verified by an independent third party. In total, the company analyzed 50 different product configurations, publishing 33 individual EPD reports. Hydro is the first extrusion company in North America to provide this level of detail on the impact of its production processes. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data shows the average calculated CO2 emissions footprint of Hydro’s extrusion operations to be 34% lower than the North American industry average, the online statement says.

EPDs are technical documents that describe the potential environmental impact of products throughout their life-cycle. Architects, engineers, and designers across a wide range of industries use EPDs to better understand the footprint of their products and make sourcing decisions.

Granges to take over aluminum plant in China

Sweden-based aluminum products manufacturer, Granges, will take ownership of a casting and hot rolling mill in Shandong province, eastern China, from long-term partner the Shandong Innovation Group (SIG). In return, SIG gains a 20% share in Granges’ Chinese subsidiary. The deal, expected to be completed within around six months, gives Granges access to scalable downstream capabilities and a nearby supply of recycled and primary aluminum, the company said. “Strengthening the scale, efficiency and sustainability of our Asian supply chain is essential for our ability to gain further market share in low-carbon and circular aluminum solutions for the EV and battery markets,” added Colin Xu, president of Granges Asia.

Granges and SIG, which specialize in manufacturing casted aluminum products, are also working on a joint venture (JV) for sustainable aluminum products in Yunnan province, southwestern China.

EGA and Chinalco sign agreement on alumina refinery development in Guinea

EGA and Chinalco have signed a framework agreement progressing their cooperation on the development of an alumina refinery in the Republic of Guinea, it was announced on Saturday. The framework agreement was signed by Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of EGA, and Dong Jianxiong, VP of Chinalco and Chalco, at the UAE-China Business & Investment Forum in Beijing. The companies now intend to further progress the project’s feasibility and joint investment.

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