In the second quarter of 2023, aluminum production in Germany fell significantly again. In the primary aluminum smelters, the production volume fell by almost half, while in the further processing of semi-finished products the decline was in the double-digit percentage range.
“The exodus of the industry has already begun and is gaining momentum. Industrial value creation and thus prosperity in Germany are at stake. The federal government must urgently take countermeasures. It's not about permanent subsidies, but about a bridge. And more than 60,000 jobs in the aluminum industry. We welcome the Chancellor's announcement that he will use structural measures to reduce energy prices in Germany to a competitive level. But we can't rely on that alone. Time is of the essence and once large parts of the industry are gone, they won't come back. With all the consequences for industrial value creation and the independence of the country,” explains AD President Rob van Gils.
Data in comparison
In the second quarter, the production of raw aluminum fell by 14 percent to around 748,000 tons. After the first half of the year, the output is a good 1.5 million tons. The production of primary aluminum fell by 50 percent in the period from January to June compared to the same period last year - the smelters produced around 98,000 tons. Before the energy crisis, they made almost three times as much.
The further processing of semi-finished aluminum products also recorded a significant decline (-12 percent) in the second quarter, at almost 595,000 tons. The decline was in the double-digit range for both manufacturers of extruded products (-16 percent) and for producers of rolled products (-11 percent). In the first half of the year, a total of 1.2 million tons of semi-finished products were manufactured in Germany (-10 percent).
“Germany will be the only industrial country not to grow this year. That should give us all something to think about - fundamentally. The production and investment conditions must be significantly improved. The current weak economy is giving us problems. Demand from important customer sectors such as the construction industry and mechanical engineering continues to decline. And the recovery seems further away than ever. The worry lines are getting deeper,” continues Van Gils.
