China’s eastern province Shandong exempted 19 Grade A aluminium companies from winter production curbs. The annual production capacities of these companies is around 6mn mt.
Grade A companies in Shandong will continue aluminium production during winter smog season despite a restriction in production applicable on Grade B and C companies. China’s environment authorities have requested companies to carry out mitigating measures to cut industrial emission in a bid to fight heavy air pollution.
In December first week, Shandong Environment Authority issued a list of 19 companies in this Grade A category. Their capacity accounts for 90pc of the total aluminium capacity of Shandong province. The list includes Shandong Weiqiao Aluminium Electric and Xinfo group.
China’s primary aluminium output from Jan-Oct 2019 was 29.8mn mt. The country is facing a shortage of raw material supply following scrap import restrictions on non-ferrous metals.