This development is part of a phase in which the industry has been struggling with weak demand, high location costs and tight raw material markets for several years.

The President of Aluminium Deutschland e. V., Rob van Gils, describes the situation correspondingly clearly:
"The current figures show that the aluminum industry continues to operate in a difficult economic and structural environment. Individual positive developments do not change the fact that central segments are under pressure. The situation will not improve in the long term without a noticeable improvement in site conditions."

Production with no upward trend

In the first quarter of 2026, 684,564 tons of recycled aluminium were produced in Germany. This corresponds to a decrease of around three percent compared to the previous year. The production of semi-finished aluminium products also fell slightly by one per cent to 568,688 tons.

There are therefore no signs of an economic recovery at the start of the year. Instead, the weakness recently observed in the core industrial segments is continuing.

Recycling: inconsistent, but declining overall

In the recycling sector, the picture is mixed - with a negative trend overall. While the so-called refiners were able to increase their production slightly by 2% to 128,639 tons, the production of remelters fell by 4% to 555,925 tons. They therefore remain the main driver of the overall downward trend in the recycling segment.

The situation is further exacerbated by the raw materials side. 85% of companies report a shortage of aluminum scrap. This is a structural problem for the industry, in which scrap forms a central basis for production.

Semi-finished products segment continues to weaken

Momentum also remains weak in the semi-finished products sector. The production of rolled products fell slightly by one percent to 452,894 tons. The decline in extruded products was significantly greater, falling by four percent to 115,794 tons.

This particularly affects customer sectors such as the construction and automotive industries, where demand has been under pressure for some time.

Sentiment remains subdued

The production data is supported by current industry surveys. 66% of companies rate their order situation as poor or very poor, 71% report low capacity utilization. For 2026 as a whole, 57% do not expect any improvement.

There is also a fundamental location debate: 76% of companies believe that it is either not possible or not possible at all to achieve climate neutrality by 2045 and secure industrial production in Germany at the same time. This means that the debate is increasingly shifting from economic issues to structural risks for the future.

Adjustments in the companies

The continuing burden is leading many companies to take countermeasures: Cost reductions, capacity adjustments and location decisions. This also includes job cuts, relocating production and closing capacities in Germany.

In particular, staff cuts are the most frequently cited measure. Industry representatives warn of a permanent shift in industrial value creation abroad if production sites are abandoned.

Demand for better framework conditions

Against this backdrop, the industry is calling for reliable and competitive site conditions. Aluminium Deutschland e. V. refers in particular to energy prices, bureaucracy, availability of raw materials and planning security.

Angelika El-Noshokaty, Managing Director of the association, also describes the situation in general terms:
"The situation in the aluminum industry shows that it is not about a short-term weakness of individual segments, but about the industrial substance of Germany as a business location. High costs, weak demand, scarce raw materials and increasing regulation are all weighing on companies at the same time. In order to maintain production and employment in Germany, the industry needs reliable, competitive and investment-friendly framework conditions."

The industry is therefore not only facing a period of economic weakness, but increasingly a structural burden that will last beyond 2026.