In May, China's aluminum fabrication industry recorded an overall PMI of 50.8%, barely staying above the 50 mark but pulling back significantly by 3.1 percentage points from April. Industry sentiment slid from the edge of expansion territory toward the critical threshold, with structural divergence intensifying further.

This week, the operating rate of China's leading downstream aluminum processing enterprises was 64.1%, down 0.3 percentage points WoW.

Overall, the aluminum processing industry achieved a slight edge up in operating rate this week, driven by the recovery of export orders, the surge in energy storage demand, and the recovery of infrastructure-related orders. The industry maintained relatively strong resilience, and going forward, attention should be focused on the sustainability of export orders and the boosting effect of aluminum price trends on demand.

According to reports, Kazakhstan has formally signed a tripartite cooperation memorandum with the US-based Open Element company and South Korea's Hands company, finalising the construction project of the country's first modern aluminum wheel manufacturing plant. This marks a critical step in the transformation of Kazakhstan's automotive parts industry toward high-end and localised production, and also serves as a significant milestone in deepening its international industrial cooperation and strengthening its industrial capabilities. The project is led by Kazakhstan's leading domestic automaker, Astana Motor Company, in collaboration with Open Element from the US and Hands from South Korea.

In October 2025, China's aluminum wheel exports reached 78,800 tons, showing a slight year-on-year increase of 2.59% but a month-on-month decline of 8.23%, reflecting an ongoing downward adjustment in overseas market demand.

[SMM Express] According to reports, the Shenlika Intelligent Automotive Wheel Hub Production Project (Phase II) is planned to occupy approximately 103.6 mu of land and is expected to construct four standard factory buildings along with supporting facilities, with a total floor area of about 81,600 m². The project aims to introduce a series of supporting equipment, including melting furnaces, casting machines, heat treatment equipment, machining, and coating facilities. Since construction officially began in mid-September, progress has been steadily advancing, and partial production is anticipated to commence by September next year.