Europe holds 10% of global aluminium extrusion demand, supported by Germany’s Constellium, France’s Hydro Extrusions & Italy’s Metra
Across Europe, aluminium extrusion has become closely woven into some of the region’s biggest industrial and construction markets. From automotive and transport to buildings and industrial applications, extruded profiles are finding demand across a wide range of sectors. This is reflected in Europe’s position in the global market: the region accounted for 12 per cent of global aluminium extrusion capacity, making it the second-largest regional contributor after China. At the same time, Europe represented 10 per cent of global aluminium extrusion usage, out of total global usage of 35.35 million tonnes . With production capacity and usage shares relatively close, Europe’s extrusion capacity and consumption are broadly at par. If we break down Europe’s 10 per cent share of global aluminium...
H1 2026 sees more renewable energy than ever: Here’s a region-by-region guide to renewable energy supply in the recent past
In the first half of 2025, humanity generated more electricity from renewables than from coal for the first time ever. What led to it? It was possible only because of two decades of falling solar panel prices, taller wind turbines, and governments finally treating clean power like an economic opportunity instead of a favour to the planet. But the renewable energy scenario cannot be portrayed as a single global story. To get the full picture, one has to connect dozens of regional stories moving at wildly different speeds. Some countries are already powered almost entirely by sun, wind and water. Others are still warming up. Here is a tour of how renewable energy supply looks across the world’s regions right now, and who is actually leading the charge. The global scorecard: Renewable energy...
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India’s electronics aluminium demand to grow 10.18% CAGR: Why aren’t makers benefiting from strong domestic production?
India’s aluminium smelters operate with some of the highest margins in the value chain, at around 10 per cent, but this profitability is not reflected among downstream manufacturers, where margins are closer to 5 per cent. These companies convert the metal into finished products such as heat sinks, enclosures, connectors, frames and other aluminium components for electronics manufacturers, but are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with imports. This matters because India's electronics industry is growing rapidly, creating a much larger market for aluminium components. Electronics production has increased nearly six-fold to around INR 147 billion in 2024-25, from about INR 24.7 billion in 2014-15, while the sector has created around 2.5 million jobs over the past decade. The...
Aluminium extrusion 2035 demand nears 44.22Mt: Industry experts decode next decade drivers
Global aluminium extrusion demand is entering a phase with consumption projected to rise from 35.25 million tonnes in 2025 to 35.93 million tonnes in 2026 and 44.22 million tonnes by 2035, representing a 2.29 per cent CAGR. While building and construction will remain the largest end-use sector and China will continue to dominate the global market, the next decade is expected to bring stronger momentum from transportation, electrical and electronics, industrial applications and emerging markets across Asia. China accounted for 64 per cent of global aluminium extrusion usage in 2025, while the Rest of Asia Pacific (ROAP) represented 10 per cent, North America 8 per cent, Europe 10 per cent, the Middle East and Africa 5 per cent and South America 3 per cent. At the same time, the global...
EU aluminium extrusion trade story: Exports rebound and imports retreat, yet inbound volumes remain higher
The European Union’s aluminium extrusion trade is moving in two distinct, although equally subdued, directions. Exports have remained broadly resilient despite repeated fluctuations, while imports have been declining consistently since reaching a peak in 2022, according to International Trade Administration data. As far as exports are concerned, the volumes have been fluctuating over the years now. After declining for the two consecutive years by total 10.14 per cent from 345,241.74 tonnes to 310,217.09 tonnes in 2020, the exports rose strikingly in the subsequent year and regained higher volume than in 2018 level, coming in at 356,523.94 tonnes in 2021. However, the recovery did not last beyond two years and eventually plunged to as low as 319,840 tonnes as of 2023. They subsequently...
AL Circle Analysis: How are scrap, CBAM, EVs, energy rewiring the aluminium industry?
The aluminium industry stands at a juncture material quality, recycling capacity, cross-border cooperation, carbon compliance and energy security are falling into a network of interconnectivity. The aluminium supply chain is evolving from simply securing enough metal to securing the right quality, the right carbon profile, the right technology and the right energy at the right cost. For businesses, this means supply-chain decisions are increasingly becoming strategic rather than purely transactional. From secondary aluminium trust to a recycling ecosystem India’s secondary aluminium market is expanding, but buyers need stronger checks before committing to suppliers, as trust has to accompany volume. As Indian buyers increase their participation in secondary aluminium, supplier...
Australian bauxite forecast at $39/t vs Guinea at $34-46/t: How ore quality, freight and oversupply are shaping prices
What happens when the world’s biggest bauxite supplier produces too much of the one commodity it dominates? Guinea’s bauxite market is offering a striking answer. Record exports have strengthened its position in global trade, but the surge in supply has also pushed prices lower. Australia, meanwhile, continues to command a premium, even as prices across the market weaken. Guinea’s FOB bauxite price is forecast at around USD 34–46 per dry metric tonne in 2026, while Australia’s FOB price is forecast at around USD 39.15 per wet metric tonne in FY26. So why does Australian bauxite continue to hold a different price position when Guinea is supplying the market at such enormous volumes? The answer begins with quality, but it does not end there. Ore characteristics, freight costs, mining...
Coal-heavy Australian aluminium vs renewables-led New Zealand: How Oceania is balancing decarbonisation
Oceania’s primary aluminium industry is facing a fragmented energy transition. While Australia, the leading aluminium producer of the continent, has abundant renewable resources and a well-established aluminium value chain, its smelters remain significantly more dependent on fossil-fuel-based electricity than the broader Oceania region. New Zealand, another major aluminium producer in the region, tells a different tale. The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) classifies Australia and New Zealand together as Oceania, but their smelting power profiles are markedly different. In the Australia dataset for 2023, coal accounted for 58 per cent of primary aluminium smelting electricity, compared with 36.4 per cent from hydropower and 5.2 per cent from other renewables. The 2024 Oceania...
Aluminium extrusion usage in building and construction to grow 1.24% CAGR through 2035, with Americas at 1.15%, Europe at 1.30% & MEA at 2.47%
What does the building and construction market mean for aluminium extrusion industry? The answer may depend less on how much the world builds and more on where it builds and what those buildings require. As construction activity picks up across regions, aluminium extrusion is set to follow - but with the strongest opportunities emerging in different ways across markets. The global construction market was valued at about USD 11.4 trillion in 2024 and is estimated at USD 12.1 trillion in 2025. It is forecast to expand to around USD 16–17 trillion by 2030, representing a 5-6 per cent CAGR over the next five years, according to various industry sources. This expansion matters for aluminium extrusion because building and construction is already the largest end-use sector for extruded...
Asia’s alumina exports jump 27%: Is an 8Mt H2 shipment within reach?
Asia’s alumina exports entered 2026 on a strong footing, with shipments to global markets reaching 7.05 million tonnes worth USD 2.76 billion in H1 2026 , up 27.36 per cent year-on-year . The sharp rise in H1 was driven by a quarter-on-quarter surge by a considerable margin. This indicates an acceleration in aluminium production, translating into an increased demand for alumina in the market. The key question for H2 2026 is whether Asia can maintain this pace despite geopolitical disruptions, evolving refinery capacity and changing market demand. H1 2026 sets a strong export benchmark Comparing the H1 export graphs of Asia across 2026, 2025 and 2024, the Y-o-Y improvement remains consistent. H1 2026 – 7.05 million tonnes, up 27.36 per cent Y-o-Y from H1 2025 H1 2025 – 5.54 million tonnes,...
AL Circle analysis: From cans and NEVs to extrusion, shifting end-use demand reshapes aluminium’s growth story
The aluminium industry is entering the second half of 2026 with demand signals moving in different directions. Beverage cans are finding new consumption opportunities in Brazil, extrusion demand remains resilient in key markets, and aluminium producers are benefiting from firmer prices. At the same time, tariffs and trade-policy uncertainty are adding cost pressure, while automakers and packaging companies are placing greater emphasis on aluminium’s role in lower-carbon products. Demand: New consumption patterns open fresh opportunities Brazil’s beverage can market is maintaining a positive trajectory in 2026, with 16.4 billion cans sold in the first half and full-year growth expected in the low single digits. The more interesting development, however, is the changing beverage mix. Beer...
AL Circle Analysis: Regional output & trade reflect bauxite-alumina supply contrast in aluminium market
If aluminium has a pressure point right now, it sits one step upstream of the metal itself - in alumina. China’s appetite for imported ore remains elevated, alumina markets diverge between regions, and disruptions in Guinea and Australia expose logistics risks. At the same time, tariffs and regional premiums are reshaping the economics of aluminium, making access to competitively priced alumina and metal increasingly dependent on geography, trade routes and policy. Bauxite supply: Sourcing, scrutiny and shifting trade flows Jamaica and Ghana are negotiating a USD 60 million arrangement in which Jamaican bauxite would be refined into alumina at ATALCO’s Gramercy, Louisiana plant before shipping to Ghana’s aluminium industry. Talks, backed by Ghana’s President Mahama, began in March 2026...
India’s alumina trade surplus nearly quadruples to 1.72 Mt in H1 2026 as exports hit 2.5 Mt
India’s alumina trade underwent a sharp shift in the first half of 2026, with exports accelerating to a new high while imports contracted substantially. Data for HS 281820, i.e. aluminium oxide excluding artificial corundum, shows that India exported 2.5 million tonnes in H1 2026, up 51.3 per cent from 1.65 million tonnes in H1 2025. At the same time, imports fell 34.9 per cent year-on-year to 775,362 tonnes from 1.19 million tonnes. The result was a substantial widening of India’s net alumina trade surplus. The country moved from a surplus of about 460,466 tonnes in H1 2025 to 1.72 million tonnes in H1 2026, a nearly fourfold increase. Exports climb to a record level India’s alumina exports have been on a clear upward trajectory since Q2 2024. Quarterly shipments rose from 458,621 tonnes...
Europe’s aluminium extrusion demand set to grow at 2.42% CAGR through 2035 - Which end-use sectors will drive it?
Europe’s aluminium extrusion market is entering a new phase, with demand expected to expand across several key industries. The region accounts for around 10 per cent of global aluminium extrusion usage, making it an important market for producers and suppliers. Electric vehicles, grid investment and construction activity are set to play an important role in shaping demand over the coming years. Aluminium extrusion usage in Europe is forecast to rise from 3.48 million tonnes in 2025 to 3.56 million tonnes in 2026, an increase of 2.30 per cent. By 2035, usage is projected to increase by 27.01 per cent from 2025 levels. The CAGR for 2025-2035 is expected to be approximately 2.42 per cent. For the exact figures and detailed sector-wise outlook, read our updated aluminium extrusion report -...
Germany aluminium extrusion market outlook H2 2026 after imports fall 3.5% as exports rise 1%, & billet premiums double
Germany’s aluminium extrusion trade enters the second half of 2026 on firmer footing than a year ago, even as Europe's extrusion industry works through plant closures, elevated billet premiums and a shift toward low-carbon, value-added output. Quarterly trade data through Q2 2026, along with AL Circle’s recently updated “ The World of Aluminium Extrusions - Industry Forecast to 2035 ” and other reports on Germany’s aluminium extrusion market sizing, point to a market that is stabilising in volume but being rewritten in composition, with automotive lightweighting, EU carbon border rules, and energy-driven capacity rationalisation the dominant forces heading into H2 2026. Germany's Aluminium Extrusion Trade Pulse (Q2 2024-Q2 2026) Germany runs a large, structural trade deficit in basic...
Trump’s 50% auto tariff puts US-Canada trade, aluminium supply chain at risk
The US-Canada trade debate has taken a sharper turn after President Donald Trump warned of raising tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks and automotive parts to 50 per cent from January 1, 2027. The move could have significant implications for the deeply integrated North American automotive supply chain, where cross-border movement of vehicles, components and aluminium-intensive parts is central to production. With Canada preparing retaliatory measures, automakers and suppliers now face greater uncertainty over costs, sourcing and investment decisions. President Donald Trump announced the proposed tariff increase after US-Canada trade negotiations broke down. He also called on companies to manufacture in the US, stating, “Build in the US and there are ZERO TARIFFS.” To know the aluminium...
Canada’s aluminium extrusion imports rise 20% over five years, strengthening the case for protection measures
Canada’s aluminium extrusion market is expected to expand significantly over the coming years. The market was valued at USD 2,747.8 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 3,745.4 million by 2030, representing a 6.4 per cent CAGR, according to industry data. Recovery in automotive production, infrastructure investment and resilience in aerospace are expected to support this growth. At the same time, imports remain a significant part of Canada’s aluminium extrusion market. Average annual imports increased from 100,068.18 tonnes in 2016-2020 to 120,266.40 tonnes in 2021-2025, representing a 20.18 per cent increase. Imports peaked at 135,981 tonnes in 2022, before falling to 116,054.48 tonnes in 2024, down 14.7 per cent, and then to 111,376.35 tonnes in 2025, a further 4.0 per cent...
Metal packaging leaders call for clarity, competitiveness and collaboration
Europe’s metal packaging industry is facing mounting pressure from rising costs, regulatory uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, labour shortages and competition from alternative materials. But according to three industry leaders, its biggest challenge may be internal: moving faster, communicating more effectively and acting with greater unity. Iris Arsic reports. Speaking at the Metal Packaging Europe (MPE) conference in Berlin, Paulo Sousa, CEO of Colep Packaging and president of MPE, Seàn Cairns, president of Sonoco Consumer Packaging EMEA & APAC, and Michael Mapes, CEO of Trivium Packaging, argued that metal packaging enters this period from a position of strength. The industry already has proven circularity and strong sustainability credentials. The challenge, they said, is ensuring...
AL Circle Analysis: Inside aluminium’s global recycling reckoning with scrap, solar and smelters
Aluminium’s circular economy is no longer a sustainability side story — it is becoming a contest over who controls scrap, who sets the compliance bar, and who can afford the energy to keep smelting. On one hand, recycled aluminium is being tested, as dross piles up in China, scrap ships out of the US faster than domestic recyclers can replace it, and only a third of the world’s beverage cans actually become cans again. On the other hand, governments are throwing real money at keeping primary production alive, from Canberra’s power-price rescue of an Australian smelter to Chinese capital scouting a new industrial base in Egypt. These indicate that circularity is becoming as much a matter of industrial strategy and geopolitics as of technology. To know the aluminium casting demand forecast...
From 67% to 80%: Crown Holdings steps up its recycled aluminium ambition for beverage cans
What does it take to make an aluminium beverage can more sustainable? The answer is no longer limited to what happens on the production line. For Crown Holdings, it starts with the aluminium entering the plant, continues through energy and water use during manufacturing and extends to what happens to the can after it is used. That wider picture runs through Crown’s 2025 Sustainability Report. As the company reaches the midpoint of its Twentyby30™ programme, the report brings together its progress on emissions, renewable energy, recycled aluminium, lightweighting, water, waste and responsible sourcing, while setting out the next stage of its sustainability ambitions. For the aluminium industry, perhaps the most significant part is the growing focus on the material itself - from increasing...
