“ALUMINIUM is a trade fair for light metal, but a heavyweight in its global significance for the industry. This is particularly true at a time when there are irritations and when some parts of various markets are realigning themselves, as it’s also a time when trade fairs can play a crucial role in providing orientation for global trade,” says Hans-Joachim Erbel, CEO of Reed Exhibitions Germany, the organizers of ALUMINIUM.
This explains why the number of visitors has remained so robust – despite the current challenges and obstacles in international trade. In total, the organizers reported 24,148 trade visitors (previous year: 24,373). The result of this year’s ALUMINIUM is therefore very close to the record achieved at the previous event. Whether they came from South Africa, the United States, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand or of course Europe, the visitors from 123 nations (previous event: 108) turned the trade fair into a “United Nations of ALUMINIUM”. At nearly 20 %, the number of overseas visitors who came to Düsseldorf was particularly remarkable. It meant that the overall level of internationalism had risen from 58 to 63 %.
The same picture emerges for exhibitors. The trade fair has now reached the point where over two thirds of exhibitors – 664 businesses in all – come from outside Germany, amounting to a 4 % increase since the previous event.
In total, this year’s world trade fair of the aluminium industry featured 971 exhibitors. 54 nations were represented, headed by Germany (307), then Italy as the second biggest exhibiting nation (118), and then China (103), Turkey (64), Spain (32), Austria and Spain (both 32), the United States (29), the Netherlands (25), France and the UK (both 23 exhibitors) and Canada (19).
The material of the future is facing a future that will be greater than its past. “The long-term global trend is highly positive for primary aluminium. According to forecasts, demand should reach 50 % by 2050 and up to 108 million t. The fastest growth can be observed in Asia, although Europe is currently the second biggest market for primary aluminium and is likely to continue in that position until at least 2050. Our estimates show that around 9 million t of primary aluminium will be needed over the next few decades,” says Dr. Gerd Götz, Director General of the industry association European Aluminium.
The forecast matches the findings of a representative industry survey that was conducted at ALUMINIUM by an independent market research company. It showed that 69 % of the 600 businesses who were asked are expecting either a substantial or slight increase in economic developments over the next four years. Only 6 % of businesses believe that there will be a slight downturn. The rest are expecting at least a constant level of business development.
“Electric mobility, digitization, sustainability and additive manufacturing – those are just some of the megatrends that will eventually give the aluminium industry another boost,” says Christian Wellner, Executive Member of the Managing Board of GDA, the German Aluminium Industry Association. He believes that Germany’s aluminium industry is well prepared for such challenges: “We’re the ones who (help to) develop the products and solutions for tomorrow,” says Christian Wellner at the end of ALUMINIUM.
The next ALUMINIUM, the 13^th Aluminium World Trade Fair and Convention, will be held in Düsseldorf from 6 to 8 October 2020. For further information please visit: www.aluminium-messe.com