The new trade deal between the U.S. and the United Kingdom (UK) is being called historic, and for good reason. It gives American producers better access to UK markets and puts a hard quota on British car exports. But for metals and recycling, the bigger story may be the creation of what officials are calling a new union for steel and aluminum.
With tariffs back on the table, aluminum companies are feeling the squeeze. While most attention has focused on cost hikes and policy shifts, some critical tools are still in play. Foreign trade zones (FTZ) and in-bond warehousing may not offer the same levers they once did, but they still give companies a way to manage risk, improve flexibility, and stay competitive - especially if you're handling LME-grade primary aluminum or shifting toward recycled inputs.
CRU just took a red pen to its global economic forecast and they didn’t hold back. They’re calling this the biggest monthly downgrade since the pandemic, and tariffs are at the center of it.
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.
April's survey paints a picture of a market holding steady, but it's far from smooth sailing.
I don’t want to be the grandparent telling number one grandchild that Santa bailed out on Christmas this year and there won’t be any toys coming (from China).
Mass layoffs at the RV industry's biggest name flashes a warning light on the dashboard on US consumer discretionary spending.
Container routes are collapsing, and tariffs are tightening, cross-Pacific trade is in flux, and aluminum exporters and North American Manufacturers are feeling it from both ends.
“They need a little bit of time,” Trump said this week, referring to carmakers shifting their sourcing back to the U.S. “Because they’re going to make them here.”
“It takes many years to build a new smelter and at least five to six smelters would be required to address the U.S. demand for primary aluminum” - Alcoa during Q1 2025 earnings call