ALFED comments on UK Industrial Strategy
Image: UK Government via ALFED
The Aluminium Federation (ALFED) welcomes the UK government’s launch of its first Industrial Strategy in over a decade – a document that rightly places energy, manufacturing resilience, and innovation at the heart of national priorities.
The Federation particularly welcomes the expansion of the British Industry Supercharger, which will now offer up to 90% relief on electricity network charges for eligible energy-intensive businesses.
ALFED CEO, Nadine Bloxsome, commented: “ALFED has been advocating for targeted energy relief for years. Aluminium is one of the most electricity-intensive materials to produce and process, yet also one of the most strategically important. The Supercharger expansion is a welcome step, but we now need urgent clarity on how it will be implemented, who qualifies, and how SMEs in our supply chain can access support.”
However, despite these positive developments, the Federation has expressed concern at the lack of specific reference to aluminium in the Industrial Strategy – and the fact that “metal” itself is mentioned only once.
Bloxsome continued: “Aluminium is foundational to almost every sector the Industrial Strategy aims to support. Its absence in the policy paper is a missed opportunity. We need a joined-up national approach that puts aluminium at the heart of the UK’s decarbonisation and reindustrialisation future. Through the UK Aluminium Alliance, we will continue to make that case.”
The Federation is now calling on the government to provide:
- Eligibility clarity for smaller producers and downstream SMEs, many of whom are critical to UK aluminium’s value chain and resilience.
- Clear timelines and delivery guidance on how the Supercharger measures will be applied across regional energy networks and grid operators.
- Assurance that upcoming frameworks, such as the UK Critical Minerals Strategy, will address the materials security and circular economy opportunities that this Industrial Strategy has not fully explored.
The UK Aluminium Alliance, recently launched by ALFED, brings together stakeholders across the sector to align data, policy and investment around aluminium’s role in strategic manufacturing. Its work will now intensify to ensure that aluminium is recognised and supported through the delivery phase of the new Strategy.
For a full breakdown of the Industrial Strategy and its implications for UK aluminium, members can access ALFED’s detailed update at: www.alfed.org.uk/alfed-member-update-a-new-industrial-strategy-for-the-uk-what-it-means-for-aluminium/
