Australia’s aluminium foil import to drop in 2019 after three consecutive years of rising

Aluminium’s unique ranges of properties make it the perfect material for many packaging requirements. Approximately 75% of aluminium foil is used for the packaging of foods, cosmetics, and chemical products, and 25% used for industrial applications such as thermal insulation, cables, and electronics. According to a report, the global market for aluminium foil packaging is expected to grow at 4.8 per cent CAGR through 2025.

In Australia, the aluminium foil import market has also been found rising over the years since 2016. According to our third-party data, Australia in 2016 had imported 19,919 tonnes of aluminium foil, which in 2017 increased to 22,104 tonnes, up 11 per cent. In 2018, the amount rose further by 11 per cent to 24,521 tonnes, learned the data. This shows that aluminium foil import by Australia rose year on year over the last three years. But this year is estimated to be an exception as the data found aluminium foil import by Australia to be pegged at 22,152 tonnes, down 10 per cent from the previous year.

As far as Australia’s aluminium foil import cost in concerned, it has been found growing too along with the import volume. The available data shows that in 2016, Australia’s aluminium foil import cost was at US$89 million, while that in 2017 at US$104 million, up 17 per cent year on year. In 2018, the import cost rose further to US$120 million, 15 per cent higher from 2017. But in tandem with this year’s estimated plunged import volume, the cost is expected to stoop down at US$114 million, 5 per cent less from 2018.

Australia’s large share of aluminium foil import comes from China. In 2017, the amount supplied by China to Australia was at 13,197 tonnes after rising by 12 per cent from 11,747 tonnes in 2016. In 2018, the amount had recorded a little plunge from the previous year amounting at 12,940 tonnes, while this year to inch down further to 10,858 tonnes expectedly.