CRU: Aluminum news roundup

Indeed, new orders for non-heat treatable sheet and heat treatable sheet were both up, by 6.7% y/y and 6.6% y/y, respectively in October from a contraction of 11.9% y/y and 9.7% y/y in September. Non-heat treatable sheet includes the 1xxx, 3xxx and 5xxx series alloys, popular in packaging, while heat treatable sheet contains the 2xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx series alloys, popular in automotive and aerospace applications. There was also a noticeable improvement in new orders for extruded products, up 4.8% y/y in October from a contraction of 7.6% in September. Apart from April this year (+7.6% y/y), this is only the second time in 2024 that orders for extrusions have seen growth compared to last year.

Otherwise, there was weakness seen in the domestic can market, with new orders falling by 7.1% y/y in October from a growth of 2.9% y/y in September. However, the export can market held well, with new orders growing an impressive 31.6% y/y in October. Finally, new orders for plate remained weak in October, down 2.7% y/y and new orders for foil saw the biggest turnaround this month, with new orders dropping 24.8% y/y in October down from a growth of 11.3% y/y in September.

In a separate report, the AA released its latest shipment data for sheet and plate in October. Shipments were up by 0.4% y/y at 801.2 million pounds and up 1.1% versus September. For the YTD period up to October, shipments are still up 3.2% versus the same period last year. The report is an improvement from the September one, which showed a contraction of 2.1% y/y. Nevertheless, looking at previous numbers, it looks more like a slow return to normality as the September report was the only one this year showing a contraction.

Alcoa joins first World Economic Forum’s Suppliers Hub

Alcoa announced it has joined the World Economic Forum’s First Suppliers Hub – a global repository of suppliers providing materials needed to support industrial decarbonization by 2050. First Suppliers Hub is a database of global final product and value chain suppliers created by the First Movers Coalition. Both the First Movers Coalition (FMC) and First Suppliers Hub are within the World Economic Forum. Members of FMC aim for a minimum of 10% of their annual primary aluminum procurement volumes align with or exceed the Coalition’s criteria for low-carbon primary aluminum. FMC defines low-carbon as below 3 tons CO2e per ton of primary aluminum on a cradle-to-gate basis.

“Alcoa’s breakthrough technologies support our customers’ decarbonization efforts now and into the future,” said Renato Bacchi, EVP and CCO at Alcoa. “By joining the First Suppliers Hub, we are further simplifying options for end-users at some of the world’s leading companies to reduce emissions within their supply chains.

First coil from Constellium’s new recycling center qualified by Crown

Constellium announced that its newly inaugurated aluminum recycling center in Neuf-Brisach, France, has qualified its first aluminum coils with packaging group Crown Holdings. The aluminum coils, produced mainly from post-consumer scrap, have passed qualification tests at Crown’s manufacturing plants in France and Spain and Crown has approved the use of Constellium’s aluminum coils in its beverage cans.

Constellium’s recycling center in Neuf-Brisach adds 130,000 mt of aluminum recycling capacity annually, bringing Constellium’s global recycling capacity to approximately 735,000 mt across its facilities in Europe and North America. This collaboration highlights both companies’ efforts to advance the circular economy by reducing the need for primary aluminum production through large-scale recycling efforts. Further qualifications with other customers are expected to follow.

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