The German aluminum industry remained under heavy pressure in the first quarter of 2026, with recycling, remelting, rolled products and extrusions all showing weak performance as soft demand, high costs and tight aluminum scrap availability continued to weigh on producers.
German Aluminum Output Remains Weak Across Key Segments
According to industry association Aluminium Deutschland, German recycled aluminum production fell by 3% year on year to 684,564 tonnes in the first quarter. Semi-finished aluminum output also declined by 1% to 568,688 tonnes, showing that downstream demand has not yet recovered.
The remelt sector faced a sharper decline, with production down 4% year on year to 555,925 tonnes. This is significant because remelters are closely tied to scrap flows, industrial demand and the cost competitiveness of secondary aluminum supply.
Rolled and Extruded Aluminum Hit by Weak Demand
German rolled aluminum product output slipped by 1% to 452,894 tonnes, while extruded aluminum production fell by 4% to 115,794 tonnes. Weak demand from the construction and automotive industries was a major factor behind the decline in extrusions.
The data suggest that Germany’s aluminum downturn is not limited to one part of the value chain. Pressure is visible across recycling, remelting and semi-finished product markets, creating a difficult operating environment for producers, traders and industrial buyers.
Scrap Shortage Adds Pressure to German Producers
Aluminium Deutschland’s survey showed that 66% of responding companies rated their order books as poor or very poor, while 71% reported low capacity utilization. More than half of the respondents said they did not expect improvement before the end of the year.
In addition to weak demand, 85% of companies reported shortages of aluminum scrap raw material. This is a critical issue for Germany’s secondary aluminum industry because scrap availability directly affects remelt margins, recycled aluminum output and the competitiveness of low-carbon aluminum supply.
Market Impact
○ Impacted Metals: Recycled aluminum, aluminum scrap, remelt aluminum, rolled aluminum products, extruded aluminum products, semi-finished aluminum products
○ Direction: Bearish
○ Time Horizon: 2026
○ Affected Industries: Automotive, construction, aluminum recycling, remelting, rolling, extrusion, manufacturing, industrial components
○ Related Price Reports: Aluminum Weekly Price Report
○ Watch Item: Monitor whether German aluminum scrap availability improves before year-end as weak demand continues to limit capacity utilization.
SuperMetalPrice Commentary
Germany’s aluminum market weakness is becoming a structural competitiveness issue rather than a short-term demand slowdown. The combination of low order books, weak capacity utilization, scarce scrap and high operating costs shows why producers are struggling to regain momentum even as recycled aluminum remains strategically important for Europe’s decarbonization goals.
For buyers, the key risk is not only price direction but supply reliability. If scrap shortages persist while industrial demand remains weak, German remelters and semi-finished product producers may continue to operate below normal levels, affecting availability of recycled and downstream aluminum products.
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