In Germany, demand for aluminium semis in 2007 was about 2.4 million tonnes. In 2018 this figure will reach about 2.5 million tonnes. The development of rolled and extruded products was more homogenous than in Europe as a whole. Rolled products’ share of total German demand for aluminium semis remained constant at 59 per cent. In 2018, demand in Germany is expected to reach 1.0 million tonnes of extruded products and 1.6 million tonnes of rolled products. This represents a rise in the demand for rolled products of 100,000 tonnes since 2007, whereas the demand for extruded products will have reached its pre-crisis level again. This is not the case in Europe as a whole.
These figures mean Germany has strengthened its leading position as the most important market within Europe. Between 2007 and 2018, Germany’s share of European demand rose from 29 per cent to 31 per cent. In particular, the extruded products sector recorded a marked increase: six percentage points (from 28 per cent to 34 per cent).
Positive development of Germany's position as a location for investment and production As the largest producer of rolled products, Germany has an important supply function within Europe. Just under two-thirds of Germany’s rolled semis are exported, mainly to other European countries. In 2017, a total of 1,861,134 tonnes of rolled products ‘made in Germany’ were produced. Germany is also the major European producer of aluminium extrusions. Some 80 per cent of these are subjected to downstream processing in Germany. The remaining 20 per cent are mainly shipped to neighbouring European countries. In 2017, 583,676 tonnes were produced. Total German production of aluminium semis was thus 2.45 million tonnes. Production in 2016 was 2.46 million tonnes.
The current development in the production of aluminium semis is very positive. In January and February, German production of rolled products totalled 261,860 tonnes. This represents a rise of 5.9 per cent compared with the corresponding period a year earlier. German producers of extruded products also reported positive developments, with a rise of 1.8 per cent.