Germany’s Q1’26 aluminium exports dip 26% as bars, rods, profiles post steeper fall

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Germany’s aluminium exports to the global market in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026 have taken a significant dip compared with the previous years. The cumulative exports in Q1 totalled around 469,178.09 tonnes, valued at USD 2.6 billion. Out of this, aluminium bars, rods and profiles contributed 52,071.88 tonnes or 11.1 per cent, valued at USD 423.34 million.

Trade trends: bars, rods and profiles

According to the data fetched from the International Trade Administration, the difference in export volume from Germany to the world becomes evident as we draw up a year-on-year comparison chart:  

Q1 2026 – 52,071.88 tonnes, down 31.11 per cent Y-o-Y from Q1 2025

Q1 2025 – 75,591.18 tonnes, down 2.31 per cent Y-o-Y from Q1 2024

Q1 2024 – 77,380.15 tonnes

Looking at the annual export figures, 284,364.21 tonnes, valued at USD 2.17 billion were exported in 2025, declining by 7.31 per cent from the 2024 export figures, which amounted to 306,787.14 tonnes, valued at USD 2.13 billion.

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Trade trends: All products

Considering the cumulative of all the products, including unwrought aluminium, bars, rods and profiles, foil, pipes and tubes, plates, sheets and strips, tubes or pipe fittings, and wire, the year-on-year export trend has been like this:  

Q1 2026 – 469,178.09 tonnes, down 25.89 per cent Y-o-Y from Q1 2025

Q1 2025 – 633,085.49 tonnes, up 3.95 per cent Y-o-Y from Q1 2024

Q1 2024 – 609,003.12 tonnes

In terms of annual data, the 2025 export volume was around 2.45 billion tonnes, valued at USD 12.27 billion, representing a slight Y-o-Y surge of 2.16 per cent from the 2.4 billion tonnes exported in 2024, valued at USD 11.26 billion.

Trend comparison: Bars, rods and profiles vs all products

As we look at the Q1 declines in Germany’s export of aluminium bars, rods and profiles against the cumulative of its exported product portfolio, the former singular category appears to have sustained a greater Y-o-Y drop (31.11 per cent) than the slip in the overall export volume (25.89 per cent).

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Germany’s top trade partners

As of Q1 2026, the top five buyers of Germany-exported aluminium bars, rods and profiles have been:

Switzerland – sourced 6,650.27 tonnes, or 12.77 per cent, for USD 53.95 million

France – sourced 5,212.22 tonnes, or 10 per cent, for USD 43.36 million

Austria – sourced 4,878.32 tonnes, or 9.37 per cent, for USD 32.23 million

Netherlands – sourced 3,773.23 tonnes, or 7.25 per cent, for USD 31.11 million

Czech Republic – sourced 3,291.53 tonnes, or 6.32 per cent, for USD 23.59 million