All about aluminium

31 July NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Completes Deal to Acquire Bauxite and Alumina Interests in Suriname Alcoa today announced that Alcoa World Alumina LLC has completed its previously announced transaction to acquire BHP Billiton’s bauxite and alumina refining interests in Suriname. Terms are not disclosed.
30 July MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL and Coordinating Committee agree terms of long-term restructuring UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, today announces that it has agreed the principal terms of a long-term debt restructuring with the Coordinating Committee which represents more than 70 international lenders. According to the agreement, RUSAL will settle its debt to international banks within seven years. The agreement puts RUSAL on a strong and stable financial footing and ensures that the business is capable of weathering the current economic environment.
30 July OSLO, Press Release	Hydro lands Bohn order for aluminium tubing Bohn Mexico, one of the best-known suppliers of refrigeration components in North America, has elected to replace its copper tubes with aluminium tubing from Hydro. The substitution of materials will affect about one-third of Bohn’s production of evaporators in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration market.
28 July NEW YORK & CHINA, Press Release	Alcoa Partners with CIMC in China to Develop Energy-Efficient, Sustainable Aluminum Fuel Tanker Trailer Alcoa and CIMC Vehicles (Shandong) Co., Ltd., a leading specialty truck manufacturer in China, announced today that they have formed a strategic partnership, to design and develop a new, energy-efficient, aluminum fuel tanker trailer for the Asian market. Kevin Kramer, President, Alcoa Growth Initiatives, and Xiaoxu Liu, General Manager CIMC Shandong, formalized the partnership in Jinan City, Shandong Province. Alcoa will apply its world-class design, engineering and manufacturing expertise with CIMC Shandong’s fabrication knowledge to produce the lightweight, environmentally-friendly tanker trailer.
27 July LINTHICUM, Press Release	Hydro Aluminum extruded frames selected for world’s first hybrid solar facility Hydro’s Extrusion Americas unit has signed an agreement with Florida Power & Light (FPL) to supply custom aluminum extrusions for the first hybrid solar/fossil fuel energy generating facility in the world. When it comes online in early 2010, the Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center will produce 75MW. It will be the world’s second-largest solar plant and the largest outside of California.
23 July MONTEREY, Press Release	Century Aluminum Reports Second Quarter 2009 Results Century Aluminum Company reported a net loss of $33.9 million ($0.46 per basic and diluted share) for the second quarter of 2009. Reported second quarter results were negatively impacted by a charge of $9.2 million ($0.12 per basic and diluted share) related to ongoing costs associated with the production curtailments at the Ravenswood, WV and Hawesville, KY primary aluminum smelters. Lower of cost or market inventory adjustments of $26.9 million ($0.36 per basic and diluted share) favorably impacted the quarterly results.
22 July OSLO, Press Release	Norsk Hydro’s second quarter 2009: Solid cash flow and cost savings, markets remain weak Hydro had an underlying loss before financial items of NOK 618 million in the second quarter, compared with a NOK 493 million loss in the first quarter, as the weak global economy continued to weigh on historically low aluminium markets. Results in downstream operations improved due to seasonally stronger demand and swift adjustments made early in the downturn.
22 July MELBOURNE, Press Release	BHP BILLITON issues production report for the year ended 20 June 2009 BHP BILLITON issued production report for the year ended 20 June 2009. Annual production was solid despite weak and volatile demand conditions and weather related interruptions.
17 July MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL announces H1 2009 results UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, has provided an H1 update on the success of its Cost Efficiency Leader programme, which is aimed at counteracting the consequences of the global economic downturn and increasing the efficiency of the company.
16 July CLEVELAND, Press Release	Alcoa Launches Seventeen-Inch Classic Dually Wheels Alcoa Automotive Wheels, a Cleveland, Ohio based business unit of Alcoa, Inc., today announced the extension of their Classic aftermarket catalog to include new seventeen-inch dually fitments for ¾-ton and 1-ton trucks.
15 July MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto announces second quarter 2009 results Chief executive Tom Albanese said: "Markets remained tough in the second quarter, as expected, particularly in aluminium. The production curtailments announced in January in this product group have started to take effect and are reflected in this report. We continue to press ahead with actions to reduce costs across the board, align production with demand, and bring down levels of net debt. We have successfully completed our US$15.2 billion rights issue this month and during the course of this year we have agreed divestments to the value of US$3.7 billion."
10 July OSLO, Press Release	Hydro raises price for rolled products Hydro is increasing its basic fabricating price for all uncoated aluminium rolled products in the general engineering segment. The price increase will take immediate effect for all deliveries not already contractually agreed and for all alloys and quality grades.
10 July MELBOURNE, Press Release	BHP Billiton Announces First Production from the Alumar Alumina Refinery Expansion Project BHP Billiton yesterday announced first production from the expansion of the Alumar alumina refinery in Brazil. The project, which involved upgrading the existing plant to eliminate bottlenecks and adding an extra line, is now more than 98% complete. Full mechanical completion is expected in September and the final ramp-up to full production will by the second half of the year.
10 July MOSCOW, Prime TASS	Basic Element sells emission reduction units to US fund En+ Group, a part of Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska’s holding Basic Element, has concluded an agreement to sell 1 million emission reduction units to U.S. investment fund Natsource, En+ Group said Friday. En+ Group is selling the ERUs from United Company RUSAL’s Bratsk Aluminum Smelter, whose emissions were reduced thanks to the launch of a new production system, the company said.
9 July NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Second Quarter 2009 Results — Solid Cash Performance Alcoa yesterday announced it generated cash from operations in the second quarter of 2009 of $328 million, a $599 million improvement from the first quarter. This improvement was driven by the Company’s wide-ranging financial and operational initiatives to reduce costs, increase cash, and strengthen its balance sheet.
8 July MOSCOW, Press Release	ARMENAL’s H1 results exceed its nominal design capacity UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announced a marked increase in output from its ARMENAL foil mill, Armenia. In June, the foil mill produced nearly 2,500 tonnes of foil, a 12% improvement on its nominal design capacity, taking ARMENAL’s half-year production to over 10,000 tonnes.
6 July LONDON, Press Release	Rio Tinto reaches agreement to sell Alcan Packaging Food Americas division for US$1.2 billion Rio Tinto has signed an agreement to sell its Alcan Packaging Food Americas division to Bemis Company, Inc for a total consideration of US$1.2 billion of which US$ 200 million may be in the form of shares in Bemis Company, Inc. Completion of the transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
1 July CLEVELAND, Press Release	Tim Myers to Lead Alcoa’s Wheel and Transportation Products Business Alcoa announced today that effective immediately Tim D. Myers, 43, has been named President, Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products, with responsibility for forged wheels and aluminum structures. This global business serves the commercial vehicle, defense and automotive markets with products used in a range of applications including forged aluminum wheels, and niche products such as Dura-Bright® and Dura-Flange® wheels, LvL One™ truck wheels, and M-Series™ medium truck wheels, as well as a variety of other aluminum components. AWTP has operations in North America, Europe, Russia, South Africa, Australia and Japan. Myers succeeds Kevin B. Kramer, who has been appointed President, Growth Initiatives. Myers had been vice president and general manager, Commercial Vehicle Wheels, accountable for Alcoa truck wheel plants worldwide and sub-assembly and logistics sites in North America.
1 July NORCROSS, Press Release	Alcoa’s Kawneer Business Introduces AA^®3350 ISOPORT^® Window Designed to Enhance Energy Efficiency Alcoa announced today that its Kawneer business, the leading manufacturer of architectural aluminum building products and systems for commercial construction, introduced its new AA®3350 ISOPORT® Window, designed to enhance the views and energy efficiency of commercial and institutional applications. Available in single-hung, double-hung or fixed with an innovative polyamide thermal break design and factory glazing, the AA®3350 ISOPORT® Window is highly versatile, leading the way in thermal performance at a competitive price.

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