ALUMINIUM 2014 Blog

For decades, yellow and green chromating have been the technologies of choice for the corrosion protection of metals. Rising costs for health, safety and environment as well as changed market demands have resulted in a situation where chromium-free alternatives are increasingly gaining a foothold in the market. A comparison of old vs. new technologies shows why: the eco-friendly technologies show better results in key aspects.

Two chromium-free processes from Frankfurt-based Chemetall GmbH, Gardobond® X 4707 and Oxsilan® AL 0510, were selected for the comparison of chromating vs. alternative technologies. Both are established processes that have been used in many plants around the world for several years already. Gardobond X 4707 is based on zirconium and titanium as coating components and was developed specifically for the treatment of aluminum. A totally new approach was made with Oxsilan, a technology suited for all conventional metals such as steel, stainless steel and aluminum. Read Full Post

The SMS group will continue to support the ALUMINIUM trade fair in future as its main sponsor. The group of companies which is subdivided into the SMS Siemag and SMS Meer business divisions, is one of the leading suppliers in the field of plant and machinery for the steel and aluminium industry. For the next three events, the SMS group and the world fair of the aluminium industry will continue their partnership of many years.
ALUMINIUM 2012 will take place from 9 to 11 October – with Düsseldorf as the venue this year for the first time. With almost nine months still to go to the opening, the trade fair already occupies a noticeably larger exhibition area at its ninth edition than its predecessor two years ago in Essen. Currently the organiser, Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH, records an increase of almost 20 percent, with a total of 950 exhibitors from 50 nations expected at ALUMINIUM 2012.

SMS group is exhibiting at ALUMINIUM 2012 in hall 9, booth 9C20.

Mr. Frank Busenbecker, Commercial Managing Director of Erbslöh Aluminium GmbH

Q: Please introduce yourself – who you are, what your responsibilities are at Erbslöh Aluminium GmbH?

A: My name is Frank Busenbecker and I’m the Commercial Managing Director of Erbslöh Aluminium GmbH. My colleague, Norbert-William Sucke, who is responsible for all technical affairs, and me are wholly responsible for the business success of this part of the WKW-group.

Q: Could you give us a quick overview of Erbslöh Aluminium GmbH?

A: Erbslöh Aluminium GmbH combines the competence gained in handling the sophisticated material Aluminium from the early phases of aluminium processing with modern management methods: Since its foundation in 2001, this company represents the development, production and distribution of extruded aluminium profiles for automotive and industrial applications.

Press equipment consisting of six hydraulically operated extruders with a pressing force of 12,5 MN to 44 MN meets our customers’ challenging requirements. Our product spectrum covers:

• Semi-finished products for automotive suppliers
• Decorative profiles for sanitary equipment and furniture accessories
• Decorative and functional parts for consumer electronics
• Profiles for manufacturing of heat exchangers
• Embossed aluminum sheets

The two in-house high purity alloy melting plant, which processes e.g. ultra-pure aluminum alloys into round bars, deserves special attention. The resulting semi-finished products – in form of ALMINOX® profiles – enjoy highest reputation worldwide.

Q: Has your company always been involved in the automotive sector?

A: When it comes to combining design components with functional parts requirements, aluminum material is plainly the ideal solution. Thus, the material is used for semi-finished profiles nearly in all industrial areas. Of course, our roots lie in the automotive sector, especially for decorative moldings and roof strips, panels, window guides – even for complete greenhouse solutions -, hood components as well as roof railing systems.

Our group WKW.automotive offers the complete program – from material alloy to molding and extruding of semi-finished products all the way to mechanical processing and surface finishing. Further, highly complex extrusion processes are applied in the production of heat exchangers. Our specialties include filigree micro multiports, as well as the large volume cross-section of multiport profiles.

In the industrial design-oriented product areas of Erbslöh Aluminium GmbH, like sanitary equipment and furniture accessories, or consumer electronics, it is inconceivable to do without applications made of aluminium, often also of ALMINOX^®. High functionality, together with a flawless surface appearance is an unbeatable argument in favour of our material.

Q: Looking to the future, where do you think the aluminium industry as a whole, and the automotive sector are headed?

A: Aluminium is still a young and modern metal. It has only been produced on an industrial scale since 1886, when Hall and Héroult independently discovered how to produce aluminium through electrolysis. In 1900 annual output of aluminium was one thousand tonnes. By the end of the twentieth century annual production had reached 32 million tonnes, comprising 24 million tonnes of primary aluminium and 8 million tonnes from recycled metal. This makes aluminium the world’s second most used metal, and this trend is constantly continuing.

Aluminium makes not only a key contribution to fuel-efficient engines in cars, but is an indispensable element of the design of premium automobiles. Further, by reducing the vehicles’ weight, it cuts down on fuel consumption and emissions, without compromising the size or the safety of the vehicles.

Q: What developing trend, idea or technology makes you most excited or hopeful for the future?

A: The manufacturers of vehicles and their suppliers are seeking to reduce the environmental impacts caused by transport. The aluminium industry helps to meet this challenge with its contribution to light-weighting, improved performance and to improved safety. Different life-cycle assessments have shown that 1 kg of aluminium in a car body, replacing 2 kg of steel in a conventional car body, saves, during the life-time of the car, about 20 kg of greenhouse gas emissions. Since aluminium has a high strength to weight ratio, vehicles designed to use aluminium components can achieve the benefits of light-weighting without reducing the safety of the passengers or the performance of the vehicle. For the first decade of this millennium the use of aluminium in cars is predicted to double because of more cars world-wide and more aluminium in cars.

Every time aluminium is used nowadays it is dependent on luxury strategies. As mentioned before, for automobiles this applies also to reducing the weight of the vehicle, and to the higher articulate power and aesthetic distinctiveness achieved when using aluminium for internal and external surface design.

Of course, these key factors will influence our presentation at the ALUMINUM 2012. The detailed planning of our stand, inclusive the choice which innovations will be shown there, is moving into a crucial phase in the first quarter of the year. Only so much shall betrayed: ALMINOX^® will be in the center of our presentation.

For Erbslöh Aluminium GmbH the ALUMINIUM is the leading exhibition. We expect an increasing number of visitors, of course the vast majority our present and hopefully future customers.

Novelis Inc., the world’s largest producer of rolled aluminum and a global leader in aluminum recycling, today announced the commissioning of its euro 14 million recycling centre expansion at Aluminium Norf GmbH (Alunorf) in Neuss.

Hannelore Kraft, Prime Minister of North Rhine – Westphalia, officially opened the new facility at a ceremony attended by company representatives, customers and local officials.  The event marked the commissioning of the twin-chamber melting furnace and processing plant designed to recycle 50,000 metric tons of aluminum scrap per year to feed the rolling mills of Alunorf.  The plant, which is a joint venture of Novelis and Hydro Aluminium, is the world’s largest aluminum rolling complex with 2,170 employees.

The new Novelis recycling centre will process aluminum manufacturing scrap from Novelis’ customers across Europe as well as from its own facilities.  It is the second phase of a recycling expansion project at Alunorf that began in 2009 with the construction of a similar recycling facility funded by the joint venture partner, Hydro.  With today’s commissioning of this most recent expansion, the combined capacity of the plant’s integrated recycling operations is 100,000 metric tons per year.

“Today’s event marks another important milestone in Novelis’ ongoing commitment to recycling and sustainable manufacturing,” said Tadeu Nardocci, senior vice president of Novelis Inc. and president of Novelis Europe.  “This new facility brings benefits for the environment, our customers, our employees and the economy of the region.  It also helps ensure a steady source of metal for our rolling operations here at Norf, while reducing our carbon footprint and that of our customers.  Investments such as this one are a key component of our global commitment to increasing recycled metal input to 80% by 2020.”

Using recycled aluminum as input material expends only five percent of the energy required to make aluminum from raw materials, thus avoiding 95 percent of the greenhouse gases associated with primary aluminum production.

“The energy-intensive businesses in North Rhine-Westphalia are important to us as we want to remain an ‘Energy state’,” noted Hannelore Kraft.  “The last world economic crisis has clearly shown how important a good industrial basis is for us as an area.  For me it is also proof of the competitiveness of North Rhine-Westphalia that global companies such as Novelis make money available for investments at Alunorf here in Neuss.”

About Novelis
Novelis Inc. is the global leader in aluminum rolled products and aluminum can recycling.  The company operates in 11 countries, has nearly 11,000 employees and reported revenue of $10.6 billion in fiscal year 2011.  Novelis supplies premium aluminum sheet and foil products to automotive, transportation, packaging, construction, industrial, electronics and printing markets throughout North America, Europe, Asia and South America.  Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited (BSE: HINDALCO), one of Asia’s largest integrated producers of aluminum and a leading copper producer.  Hindalco is a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai, India.  For more information, visit www.novelis.com.

About Alunorf
Aluminium Norf GmbH is a joint venture of Novelis Deutschland GmbH and Hydro Aluminium Rolled Products GmbH. In the south of the city of Neuss, more than 2,100 employees produce close to 1.5 million tons of semi-finished flat rolled material. From the coils supplied by Alunorf, Novelis and Hydro as well as their customers produce beverage cans and other packaging materials, offset printing sheets, automotive parts and materials for the building industry and the transport sector.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this news release which describe Novelis’ intentions, expectations or predictions may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities laws. Examples of forward-looking statements in this news release include Novelis’ expectations regarding anticipated capacity of the new recycling facility.  Novelis cautions that, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty. We do not intend, and we disclaim any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Important risk factors which could impact outcomes are included under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2011.

SOURCE Novelis Inc.

Novelis is exhibiting at ALUMINIUM 2012 in Düsseldorf, Germany, in hall 11, booth 11E20.

Düsseldorf/Sao Paulo. From Düsseldorf to Shanghai and Mumbai, on to Dubai and from 2012 on to Sao Paulo: ALUMINIUM, the world’s leading trade fair partner for the aluminium industry, once more extends its global activities. Starting next year, it will also hold an event in Brazil.

With International ALUMINIUM BRAZIL, which will take place from 24 to 26 April 2012 as part of EXPOALUMINIO, Reed Exhibitions is intensifying its event activities in the world’s most important regions for the aluminium industry.

As a growing economical superpower, Brazil – third largest supplier of bauxite in the world and, with an output of 1.6 million tons the number 7 among primary aluminium producers – holds a key position on the South American continent also in aluminium production and processing. “As part of its ‘ALUMINIUM goes global’ strategy, ALUMINIUM is closing a gap with its presence in Brazil”, says Hans-Joachim Erbel, CEO of ALUMINIUM organiser Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH.

Even today, EXPOALUMINIO, which is performed by ABAL and organised by Reed Exhibitions Alcantara Machado bringing together 120 exhibitors and more than 10,000 trade visitors on an exhibition area of 5,000 m², is one of the most important meeting places for the aluminium industry on the American continent. “With the International ALUMINIUM BRAZIL Area as part of EXPOALUMINIO we offer companies with worldwide operations a targeted entry into one of the most dynamic markets with a world format”, says Hans-Joachim Erbel. In a first step, an area of approximately 2,000 m² is planned.

www.aluminium-brazil.com

http://bit.ly/o0BNY9

FATA EPC, a Division of FATA SpA (a Finmeccanica Company) located in  Turin, Italy was selected and awarded by Oman Aluminium Rolling Company the USD 300 million turnkey EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction)  Contract for the aluminium rolling plant in Oman.

This strategically important project will be located in Sohar, north of Muscat.

At a cost of USD 385 million, the project will provide 275 direct jobs at full production.

The project will also generate many other jobs required to support the operation of the plant.

With an annual capacity of 160,000 tons, the facility will contain a Hazelett continuous caster, while FATA Hunter, Division of FATA S.p.A., will supply a  hot rolling mill along with a world-class cold rolling and finishing equipment.

Under an Interim Agreement, FATA began the engineering works in January 2011.
FATA estimates the employment levels during construction will peak at approximately 1,200 persons.

The rolling mill will serve the aluminium food container and food preservation foil markets, along with material for the automotive heat exchanger and air conditioning markets.

The mill is uniquely positioned for the growing regional demand and sales are expected to reach international markets as well.
The mill is being supplied molten metal from Sohar Aluminium Company which is located next door.

Sales Agreements with GARMCO in Bahrain are in place to market the mill’s products  until an in-house sales and marketing team is established in the coming years.
Ground- breaking will occur in July 2011 with the first production coils targeted for August 2013.

The project is designed to deliver high quality and short lead time products to its customers.

Oman Aluminium Rolling Company is currently interviewing forty persons to begin training for plant operating jobs and four full time management employees are in place with more being added to launch the business.

The project fits with the strategy of adding value to existing local raw material and developing economically attractive downstream investments in Oman industries that in turn contribute to creating sustainable  employment, expand the local industrial network an well as increase and diversify revenues for the local economy.

For further information please click here http://bit.ly/jr3III

Increasing quality requirements and cost optimized processes require the control of aluminium quality. With the FMA developed Alu Test Units, which are being used worldwide and are among the quickest of their types, we are your partner for standard and customer specific solutions in aluminium quality control.

FMA Feinmechanik & Elektronik AG
Im alten Riet 24, FL-9494 Schaan, POB 237
Phone +423 239 85 85, Fax +423 239 85 89

Halle 2, Stand 2C09/29

http://www.fma.li

AD CHEMICALS bv, founded in 1974, is specialised in the development, production and sales of exceptionally high quality and environmental sound chemicals for the surface treatment of aluminium and its alloys.  A full line of products for all common metal surfaces as well as paint strippers is available. Also multi-metal treatments for mixed metal lines have been developed.

Strategically located in the Netherlands, close to the port of Rotterdam, AD’s products find their way throughout the world. AD is continuously expanding its network, which already includes distributors and warehouses in 15 countries, worldwide.

Read Full Post

When customers and other interested parties visit the first time ever Danish Pavillion at the Essen fair, they will not only meet exhibitors from the danish aluminium industry. They will also be able to meet and talk to representatives from the Danish Technical University (DTU), AluConsult, The danish trade media J&M, the Royal Danish Embassy in Berlin and the the Danish aluminium association. All together with the exhibiting companies they will all add to the picture of what is behind the Alu-Made in Denmark concept.

Read Full Post