UK’s aluminium foil import to rise 4.2% YoY in 2019 after remaining flat last year

In Europe, as flexible packaging market is expected to grow from $28.22 billion in 2016 to $ 41 billion by the end of 2021 at a CAGR of 7.76%, the United Kingdom emerges as a large consumer of aluminium foils.

According to the global export-import data, the United Kingdom in 2016 imported 66,025 tonnes of aluminium foil, which in 2017 grew 46 per cent to 96,586 tonnes. In 2018, the country’s import volume remained flat at 96,448 tonnes, while this year is expected to see a growth of 4.2 per cent to 100,499 tonnes.

Unique characteristics like strength, formability, and barriers properties are playing the most important role in consistently stimulating the use of aluminium foil. It is largely used in flexible packaging, container applications, automotive and heat exchange components, insulation material, and other industrial applications.

In tandem with the rising trend in UK’s aluminium foil import, the import cost is also recording growth over the years. In 2016, the United Kingdom’s aluminium foil import cost was at US$174 million, while in 2017 and 2018 US$ 289 million and US$ 293 million. This represents a year-on-year rise by 66 per cent in 2017 and 1.38 per cent in 2018. This year is likely to follow the trend by recording a growth of 7.5 per cent to US$315 million.

Germany is estimated to be the leading supplier of aluminium foil to the United Kingdom in 2019, providing 17,565 tonnes at US$65 million. Italy is expected to be the second large supplier by providing 15,648 tonne at US$36 million, followed by Turkey 10,459 tonnes at US$27 million.