Armenia's aluminium foil exports to log 6.6% YoY growth in 2017

European aluminium foil exports are charting a steady growth. According to delivery numbers released by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) in March 2017, exports in 2016 rose by 1.3 per cent year-on-year, reflecting a smaller-than-expected competition impact in the overseas market. Increases in the first and third quarters were more than sufficient to offset flagging numbers in the final quarter. Armenia, a region covered by EAFA, stands as a bright spot in the European aluminium foils market. The country's offshore sales increased at around 2 per cent rate year-on-year since 2015.

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EAFA’s Executive Director Guido Aufdemkamp said, “To have exceeded the previous all-time high is very encouraging. But we have seen volatile swings in demand patterns quarter on quarter for both thinner and thicker gauges through the last years. While the overall performance is very robust we will remain alert to continuing changes in market circumstances.”

Armenia shipped 29826.12 tonnes of aluminium foil worth US$88.13 million in 2016. While the export volume increased 1.1 per cent year-on-year, revenue from exports declined by 5.3 per cent. In 2015, aluminium foil export from Armenia totalled 29579.38 tonnes and was valued at US$ 93.12 million.

Armenia is estimated to export 31792.15 tonnes of aluminium foil and earn revenue amounting to US$108.15 million in 2017.

The countries which were the top destinations of Armenian aluminium foil exports in 2016 include Belgium (6759.5 tonnes), Poland (6698.4 tonnes), USA (5737.68 tonnes), Germany (3837.6 tonnes), and Netherlands (4305.3 tonnes).

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UC Rusal, the world's largest aluminium producing company, operates the only aluminium foil plant in the Caucasus and Central Asia- Armenal, the downstream unit of the Kanaker aluminium smelter. The plant having 30,000 tonnes per annum production capacity churns out hard and soft aluminium foil and aluminium tapes. The company mainly caters to the food, pharmaceutical, and construction industries and enjoys a steady demand both within Europe and internationally.