Indian group’s purchase of US-based non-met alumina producer gives access to low-soda grades for hi-tech and clean energy applications.

Indian metals conglomerate Hindalco Industries, part of the Aditya Birla Group, announced in June 2025 that it would acquire US speciality alumina producer AluChem for US$125M. 

The acquisition gives Hindalco an additional 60ktpy speciality alumina capacity, and notably expands its portfolio into low-soda calcined aluminas and tabular alumina, from AluChem’s three plants in Ohio and Arkansas. 

Low-soda alumina demand has grown strongly in recent years, as a key material in dielectric ceramics – used across hi-tech and clean energy applications such as electronics, photovoltaic solar cells and electric vehicles. Tabular alumina is used in high-performance refractories, used for sectors such as steelmaking. 

In a release Hindalco stated that it would scale up production of ultra-low soda alumina to gain a larger global market share. Such investments are likely to be welcome in a market that has become increasingly tight, with speciality aluminas playing an understated but key role in enabling emerging technologies. 

The group also revealed plans to increase its overall non-metallurgical alumina capacity from 500ktpy currently to 1Mtpy by FY2030, a bullish expansion plan for the sector which Project Blue estimates reached just over 11Mt globally in 2024.  

Speciality alumina has clearly emerged as a bright spot for the group, which Hindalco noted had achieved “consistent double-digit growth” in recent years; with alumina products finding newer applications across e-mobility, semiconductors, and precision ceramics.