China’s aluminium FRP exports to the US jump 278% in H1 2026
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China exported 208,000 tonnes of aluminium flat-rolled products (FRP) to the United States in the first half of 2026, compared with 55,000 tonnes in the same period last year. This was an increase of 278.2 per cent, with plates, sheets and strip accounting for most of the growth.
Exports of plates, sheets and strip (HS 7606) reached 184,000 tonnes in H1 2026, up from 33,000 tonnes a year earlier, an increase of 457.6 per cent. Shipments rose from 86,000 tonnes in Q1 to 98,000 tonnes in Q2, up 14 per cent. Compared with the 13,000 tonnes exported in Q2 2025, the latest figure was 653.8 per cent higher.
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In 2025, exports of plates, sheets and strip stood at 20,000 tonnes in Q1 and 13,000 tonnes in Q2. They rose to 23,000 tonnes in Q3 and 41,000 tonnes in Q4. In comparison, China shipped 98,000 tonnes to the US in Q2 2026, more than double the Q4 2025 volume.
Foil exports (HS 7607) grew more slowly, rising from 22,000 tonnes in H1 2025 to 24,000 tonnes in H1 2026, up 9.1 per cent. Shipments also increased between the first two quarters of 2026, from 10,000 tonnes to 14,000 tonnes, a rise of 40 per cent. The Q2 figure was also 40 per cent higher than the 10,000 tonnes exported in Q2 2025.
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In 2025, foil exports to the US stood at 12,000 tonnes in Q1, 10,000 tonnes in Q2, 8,300 tonnes in Q3 and 9,000 tonnes in Q4.
The figures show that plates, sheets and strip drove the rise in China’s aluminium FRP exports to the US in H1 2026. Foil exports also increased, but by a much smaller margin.
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