Aluminium show | The Prospective Market Outlook for 2023 China Aluminum Processing Industry 

According to the aluminium show, the aluminum industry is an important foundational raw material industry in China, closely related to transportation, construction, electricity, machinery manufacturing, aerospace, electronics, packaging, and other sectors. China is a major player in the aluminum industry, with both production and consumption ranking at the top worldwide. As China's aluminum industry continues to deepen supply-side structural reforms, strictly controls new electrolytic aluminum production capacities, and rigorously implements capacity replacement, the industry is showing good operational trends.

The processing techniques for aluminum materials include rolling, extrusion, drawing, forging, and casting, producing various aluminum alloy products with different properties and uses, such as aluminum plate strip and foil, extruded aluminum profiles, and aluminum castings. In the first half of 2023, the national aluminum output reached 31.875 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 10.2%. With the rapid development of emerging industries such as lightweight automobiles, photovoltaics, wind power stations, and ultra-high voltage, the demand for processed aluminum products is also growing rapidly, leaving immense room for growth in the aluminum processing industry.

Aluminum Output

Products made from aluminum and other alloy elements are referred to as aluminum materials. In recent years, China's aluminum output has been on an overall growth trend. In 2022, the national aluminum output was 62.216 million tons, a decrease of 1.4% year-on-year. In the first half of 2023, the cumulative output of aluminum was 31.875 million tons, an increase of 10.2% year-on-year. As the economy gradually recovers, the demand for aluminum in fields such as construction, new energy, and photovoltaics will increase, and output is expected to continue to rise.

Segmented Product Share in Aluminum Processing

In 2022, among processed aluminum products, aluminum extrusion had the highest production share, reaching 21.5 million tons, accounting for 47.6%. The second-largest category was aluminum plate strip (including aluminum foil blank), with a 2022 production of 13.8 million tons, accounting for 30.5%.

Sub-market - Extruded Aluminum

Products made from aluminum through the extrusion process are called aluminum extrusion, which can be processed into profiles, tubes, rods, and wires. In 2022, the output of aluminum extrusion was 21.5 million tons, a decrease of 2.4% year-on-year, ranking first in processed aluminum production. Currently, China has become the world's largest producer, exporter, and consumer of extruded aluminum profiles and is an essential supply base in the international market. Analysts from the China Commerce Industry Research Institute predict that China's extruded aluminum output will reach 22.47 million tons in 2023.

Sub-market - Battery Aluminum Foil

Battery aluminum foil's share in the overall aluminum foil production is relatively small. In 2021, its production was 140,000 tons, and in 2022, it grew to 280,000 tons, a year-on-year explosive growth of 100%. This makes it the fastest-growing segment in foil products. The robust development of power batteries, energy storage batteries, and sodium-ion batteries has driven the demand for battery aluminum foil. Observations from the aluminium show , combined with forecasts from analysts at the China Commerce Industry Research Institute, suggest that China's battery aluminum foil production will reach 560,000 tons in 2023.