Contributor: Nicholas Bell

Nicholas Bell

Nicholas brings over half a decade of experience covering metals markets, pricing trends, and supply chain dynamics. Prior to joining AMU, he reported on aluminum, high-temperature scrap, and ferro-alloy markets at Argus Media, with additional coverage of minor metals and rare earths. His work has built deep expertise in North American metals pricing and trade flows. A native of Houston, Nicholas holds a bachelor’s degree in Media Production and an MBA with a concentration in Finance, both from the University of Houston.

Week-in-review: Smelters, scrap, and a squeeze play

Terminal markets firmed up amid new smelting announcements, tightening bauxite expectations, and jittery macro signals.

Rio Tinto’s power move: Building to last and green aluminum’s infrastructure

Rio Tinto is embarking on a major upgrade of the nearly century-old Isle-Maligne hydroelectric station in Quebec, preserving one of the lowest-cost smelting footprints in the world.

What Superior’s lost wheel contract says about regional sourcing

While Michigan-based Superior did not name the “large North American OEM customer”, the scale suggests a major Detroit-based automaker.

Novelis builds for tomorrow, pays for it today

In a quarter where aluminum prices rallied and shipments nudged upward, Novelis found itself caught between expansion plans and unfortunate timing.

Tariff time out: US and China pause punitive measures

Since the aluminum market is subject to Section 232 tariffs of 25%, regardless of source, and which supersedes the 10% tariff, it would bring the effective tariff rate on aluminum products brought into the US from China to 45%.

Small deal, sharp edge: Litho sheet finds its niche in trade pact

Litho sheet is typically costly and a rare grade of scrap to come by. Unlike other more specific alloys, like 6061 or 5052, it can be consumed by just about anyone or added to just about any melt mix.

Frames of cars are are in a production line

Aluminum takes the wheel: Passenger car reaches a crossroads

For domestic automotive manufacturers, first quarter earnings results defined by a familiar theme: suspended guidance and constant references to “tariff uncertainty”.

Buried in the footnotes: Overlooked numbers that mattered in earnings season

With earnings season largely behind us it’s time to move past the headline numbers and into the filings – where a few key items across major downstream players deserve closer scrutiny.

The new math of Trump's auto tariffs

The purpose of the tapered tariff reduction is to allow time to readjust supply lines or onshore manufacturing to the U.S., a phaseout that incentivizes shifts in components production.

Muscle Shoals shuffle: Constellium's scrap strategy

The company noted improvements in North American scrap margins, but the details demand a closer read.