SHFE Aluminum Futures Rise, Central China Downstream Buyers Delay Purchases Amid High Prices

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has restarted 315 of the 1,262 reduction cells at its Al Taweelah smelter, bringing the restoration to 25% as of August 26. The site was forced into an emergency shutdown following the March 28 attack on Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi. EGA is now restoring all three potlines in parallel, with Potline 1 energized on May 26, Potline 3 on July 13 and Potline 2 on August 3. Each restarted cell typically requires around one week to stabilize and reach full production. EGA expects Al Taweelah primary aluminum production to return to full capacity in Q1 2027, with around 1,000 people currently involved in the restoration. Progress has accelerated from 89 cells restarted as of July 2, to 227 cells or 18% by August 10, and now 315 cells or 25%. Some of the recovered hot metal is being used to restart additional cells, while the remaining metal is sent to the Al Taweelah casthouse for finished aluminum production. Meanwhile, the Al Taweelah alumina refinery remains at around 50% of capacity, and EGA said further ramp-up will depend on supply-chain conditions and optimization of its alumina sourcing strategy. Importantly, EGA said the smelter's recovery does not depend on the alumina refinery returning to full capacity, meaning external alumina sourcing can support the aluminum restart. The Al Taweelah recycling plant is also ramping up, with full production targeted by late Q4 2026.

[SMM Aluminum Alloy Express] This week, China's social inventory of cast aluminum alloy ingots recorded 31,800 mt, up 3,700 mt WoW, marking the third consecutive week of inventory buildup. The market remains in the traditional consumption off-season, with downstream die-casting enterprises showing weak purchase willingness and primarily making just-in-time procurement. Meanwhile, purchases by futures and spot traders contributed to the social inventory intake to some extent. In the short term, social inventory is expected to continue its slight upward trend.

Recently, five government agencies, including the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the Zhongguancun Science Park Administrative Committee, announced the list of projects selected for Beijing’s New Technologies, New Products, and New Services (the 21st batch overall). Two key automotive lightweighting technologies submitted by Chalco Materials Research Institute were successfully selected: “Development and Industrialisation of Key Technologies for Integrated Battery Swapping Assembly at the Bottom of New Energy Heavy-Duty Trucks” and “Research and Application of Key Technologies for Aluminum-for-Steel Substitution in All-Aluminum Auto Body Lightweighting.” They were classified under the high-end equipment and new manufacturing technologies category. Among them, the battery swapping assembly technology independently developed the 6E21 aluminum alloy, which has been deployed in scenarios such as trunk logistics, ports, and mining areas. The all-aluminum auto body technology achieves a 20%–30% weight reduction for body structural components, and the related achievements have been mass-produced in aluminum structural parts for auto bodies of mainstream NEVs in China.