Aluminium demand in the European market is on the rise. Fuelled by carmarkers that are increasingly using aluminium, consumption of the lightmetal has been rising in the U.S. and Europe. There is no gainsaying the fact that aluminium glut is worsening globally- China singlehandedly driving the supplying surplus; yet, Norsk Hydro, one of Europe’s largest producers, insists that a surplus of up to 1.5m tonnes of aluminium in China this year will be offset by a deficit elsewhere in the world and steady demand. The Netherlands with a developed domestic downstream aluminium industry remains a key consumer of primary aluminium in Europe. It is home to some of the biggest manufacturers of aluminium extruders such as Hydro-Sapa. To cater to the domestic demand, it imports a substantial volume of non-alloyed aluminium ingots. The import figures show a year-on-year rising trend since 2015.
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The Netherlands imported 363,016.31 tonnes of aluminium (non-alloyed) ingots in 2015. In the following year, the volume grew significantly to total at 1.12 million tonnes. In 2017, till October, the aluminium non-alloyed ingot import volume is estimated to stand at 766354.17 tonnes. 
The value-wise growth in imports of primary aluminium by the Netherlands has also been substantial since 2015. Last year, the total aluminium non-alloyed ingot imports by the European country was estimated at US$1.59 billion against US$0.69 billion in 2015. In 2017, till October, the Netherlands' total import of aluminium non-alloyed ingots is estimated to be valued at US$1.4 billion, up 6.06 per cent from the corresponding period previous year. 
The Netherlands also boasts a well-developed market for its primary aluminium. Exports of aluminium non-alloyed ingots have increased year-on-year since 2015. In 2016, the country shipped around 706415.71 tonnes of non-alloyed primary aluminium ingots, up from 439011.5 tonnes in 2015. In the current calendar year, till October, the Netherlands is estimated to export 556858.008 tonnes of aluminium non-alloyed ingots.
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The value of exports (aluminium non-alloyed ingots) by the Netherlands has also logged a YoY growth since 2015. In 2016, total aluminium non-alloyed ingot expotrs by the European nation was valued at US$1.21 billion up from US$0.88 billion the previous year. In 2017, till October, the Netherlands is estimated to sell aluminium non-alloyed ingots worth US$0.93 billion, down 7.9 per cent from the corresponding period previous year. However, the value is expected to rise when estimation is done till 2017 end with order bookings picking up as the year unfolds.
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