Germany's aluminium industry has started 2026 with continued production declines across most segments, with no sign of the economic recovery the sector has been waiting for, according to industry association Aluminium Deutschland.
Production of recycled aluminium in the first quarter fell 3% year on year to 684,564 tonnes, while semi-finished aluminium products declined 1% to 568,688 tonnes.
The weakest performance came from remelters, down 4% to 555,925 tonnes, and manufacturers of extruded products, also down 4% to 115,794 tonnes. Rolled products fell slightly by 1% to 452,894 tonnes. Refiners were the only segment to record growth, up 2% to 128,639 tonnes.
A shortage of aluminium scrap is adding further pressure, with 85% of companies reporting supply constraints for the raw material.
The industry's own survey data reflects the difficult conditions: 66% of companies rate their order situation as poor or very poor, 71% report low capacity utilisation, and 57% do not expect conditions to improve by the end of the year.
Structural concerns are also mounting. Some 76% of companies consider it unlikely that they can achieve climate neutrality by 2045 while maintaining industrial production in Germany. Companies are responding with cost-cutting, capacity reductions and in some cases relocating production abroad, with job cuts the most commonly cited measure.
Rob van Gils, president of Aluminium Deutschland, said the figures showed the industry was operating in "a difficult economic and structural environment" and that without improved site conditions "the situation will not improve in the long term."
Managing director Angelika El-Noshokaty called for competitive energy prices, reduced bureaucracy, better scrap availability and greater planning certainty to secure production and investment in Germany.
German aluminium industry shows no sign of recovery in early 2026
