Zhang Anle, a Metallic Materials Engineering graduate from Wuhan University of Science and Technology, has been instrumental in advancing aluminium processing since 2007. Currently, at Luoyang Longding Aluminum Co., Ltd., he has led innovations in product R&D, quality management and industrial upgrades, earning multiple national patents and industry accolades. In an interview for the “ALuminium China 2025 & Beyond” e-Magazine, Zhang stated how high-value-added product development and process optimisation significantly enhanced output and market competitiveness.

AL Circle: Could you walk us through your journey to achieving an annual production capacity of 400,000 tonnes with a total investment of $3.4 billion? What key challenges did you face, and what lessons have you learned along the way?

Zhang Anle: As a national high-tech enterprise, Longding Aluminum has established a provincial-level engineering technology research centre and won multiple ministerial/ provincial science awards and aluminium foil innovation prizes. In 2024, we obtained CNAS (China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment) certification for our laboratory, achieving internationally recognised testing capabilities – solidifying the foundation for premium-quality production. 

For the company, overcoming this technological barrier means: 

•Accessing high-value-added markets 

•Significantly enhancing technical prowess and competitiveness 

•Securing a strategic position in the new energy industrial chain

For the industry, this represents: 

•A major breakthrough in China’s high-end aluminium processing sector 

•Enhanced international influence 

•Stimulated resource investment and sector-wide development

For China’s NEV industry, the technological achievement:

•Enables import substitution, ensuring supply chain security and autonomy 

•Intensifies market competition, reducing battery aluminium foil costs 

•Ultimately lowers EV manufacturing costs, accelerating market penetration 

•Strengthens global competitiveness

AL Circle: How do you anticipate the demand trends for aluminium plates, foils, and coils in China in 2025 and beyond? Which manufacturing sectors do you believe will be the primary demand drivers?

Zhang Anle: While the aluminium processing sector is currently navigating some cyclical headwinds, China’s aluminium industry maintains an unassailable competitive advantage globally, with aggregate market consumption continuing its upward trajectory – giving us strong reason for optimism moving forward.

Against the backdrop of China’s Carbon Peak/Carbon Neutrality initiatives and industrial upgrading programs, we’re witnessing: Accelerating demand for premium aluminium products in emerging industries Stable-to-adjusting demand patterns in traditional sectors. 

Key growth drivers are emerging in: 

• EV Sector 

• Solar PV 

• Sustainable Construction 

• Aerospace 

• AI Infrastructure

These innovation-fuelled markets are rapidly becoming the new demand frontiers, fundamentally reshaping aluminium consumption dynamics through both technological breakthroughs and mass commercialisation.

AL Circle: What are the biggest challenges in penetrating the high-end aluminium foil market?

Zhang Anle: Taking battery foil as an example, the technical specifications—including thickness precision, surface quality, mechanical properties, and production processes—are far more stringent than those for conventional aluminium foil, demanding superior equipment capabilities, shopfloor management, and process control. Compounding these challenges, the rapid evolution of battery technology continues to raise the bar for foil quality, necessitating continuous R&D investment and equipment upgrades to meet escalating performance requirements. From a market perspective, while the high-end aluminium foil sector offers substantial growth potential, the influx of competitors has intensified price competition, leading to severe margin erosion. To maintain competitiveness, we must optimise production processes, reduce energy consumption, and modernise equipment—all while preserving our quality standards—to achieve cost efficiencies and strengthen our market position.

To explore the full interview and gain deeper insights about innovation in the aluminium foil industry, click here.