Contributor: Nicholas Bell

AMU: Ford and GM's results show earnings supported by tariff timing and mix, while volumes, inventory, and cash flow point to a constrained supply and uneven demand.

This piece was first published by SMU’s nonferrous sister publication, Aluminum Market Update. To learn about AMU, visit their website or sign up for a free trial. The aluminum market has spent much of the past month focused on supply risks tied to the Middle East. As more detail has emerged, the conversation has begun to shift away from aluminum […]

Toyota Motor Corp.’s $1 billion investment in its Kentucky and Indiana plants aims to expand production of aluminum-intensive vehicles, particularly across high-volume models and future battery electric platforms.

Military strikes on major aluminum facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have introduced a new layer of uncertainty into a market that was already operating with limited flexibility.

The Trump administration has implemented changes to its steel and aluminum tariff framework that alter how duties are applied to imported manufactured goods, according to an April 2 presidential proclamation.

AMU's March survey results show lead times remaining extended as supply tightness persists, even as import competitiveness declines and logistics costs increase.

Pace Industries plans to close two Muskegon die-casting plants following news of the planned shutdown of its Arkansas facility.

February survey results showed notable shifts across measured lead times and sentiment.

Emissions rules, production limits and material substitution are reshaping steel and aluminum use in North American vehicles.

Companies are framing 2026 around backlog, mix and production discipline rather than a uniform market recovery.

Former smelter sites have become increasingly attractive to data center developers competing for electricity to support AI.

As more contracts are up for negotiation in 2026, labor is poised play a larger role in operational planning at a time when trade issues and high prices also are in play.

A cluster of Airbus announcements reveals how quickly the OEM is tightening and rebalancing its US supply chain.

AMU's latest survey of aluminum market participants shows widening gaps in lead times, with extrusions lengthening dramatically.

Ford executives said the automaker expects aluminum supplier Novelis to restart its fire-damaged Oswego, NY hot mill by late November or early December.

While US construction markets are far from uniform, recent indicators from June and July paint an unusually fragmented picture.

Tariff threats on Brazil aren't just hitting steel products. Aluminum is also feeling the heat.

The commercial vehicle sector is showing signs of fatigue, but you wouldn’t know it at first glance of the latest government figures.

CDC Atlantic already houses 13 die-casting machines (ranging from 900 to 1,600 tons), three on-site furnaces, and shot blasting capabilities.

Prysmian’s groundbreaking for a 650,000-square-foot, medium-voltage cable facility on Encore Wire’s Texas campus marks a big development in the aluminum wire and cable sector.

The moves include reciprocal procurement restrictions, import quotas, and the formation of stakeholder task forces for aluminum industries.

Some aluminum parts are being replaced by steel. And more manufacturers are salvaging what they can before sending vehicles to recyclers.

Just when we thought we’d get a breather from tariffs news, we’re back in the thick of it.

Operational results painted a picture of a company that produced more aluminum but shipped less of it as a result of tariffs and timing mismatches.

A counterintuitive aspect of the 25% tariffs on autos is these percentages are measured in value, not by weight or part count. That means a few costly imported parts can outweigh dozens of cheaper local ones – and vice versa.