EAA predicts growth for the aluminium market

The European Aluminium Association (EAA) has predicted that the European aluminium market will be driven by a demand for its applications in transport in years to come.

End-use demand for aluminium in Europe is expected to grow from around 3.8 million tonnes per year today to 7 million tonnes in 2050, with the average use of aluminium per European citizen rising by nearly 64% to 36kg by 2050. Overall the demand for aluminium is expected to almost double from 12 million tonnes to 20 million tonnes by 2050.

At the Aluminium 2014 Fair in Düsseldorf this year, director-general of the EAA Gerd Götz says, “Our new data shows that Europe is a long-term growth market for aluminium. Consumers seek high-quality, innovative products that meet their evolving needs whilst reducing their environmental footprint. No other material can match the performance and sustainability of aluminium in answering this demand. Aluminium’s success story in the areas of transport, buildings and packaging is just the beginning.”

The transport and packaging sectors are thought to be responsible for the increased demand for flat and rolled aluminium products, with a growth rate of 3.1% predicted for 2014 and 3.3% for 2015.

In addition, EAA data also shows that Europe has become the world champion of aluminium recycling. European citizens produce 11kg of recycled aluminium per year compared to around 4kg for the rest of the world.