Aluminum consumption worldwide 2016-2023

This statistic represents global aluminum consumption from 2016 to 2018 and includes a forecast through 2023. In 2018, global aluminum consumption amounted to some 60 million metric tons.

Aluminum usage for industrial production

Thanks to its light weight, durability, and malleability, aluminum is a highly used metal in consumer goods, electronics, and vehicle production. In 2019, roughly 26 percent of total aluminum globally was used by the transport sector for manufacturing and production. The trend towards high industrialization across the globe triggered a demand increase for all types of metals necessary for production. In 2018, the size of the global aluminum market was 160 billion U.S. dollars. This market is expected to reach approximately 250 billion U.S. dollars by 2026. As of 2019, the top three major importers of aluminum and aluminum products were the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands. On the other hand, the top three exporters were China, Germany, and the United States during the same year.

Aluminum recycling

Primary aluminum production is an very energy-intensive process and this induces organizations to repurpose waste aluminum. Across the globe, firms recycle aluminum to meet the increasing demand and gain profits. The price of one pound of recycled aluminum cans was 60 U.S. cents in 2018, down from 70 U.S. cents per pound in 2017. This rapid decline in the price of recycled aluminum suggests a surge in aluminum recycling and increasing efficiency of the recycling process worldwide. In 2018, the production volume of recycled aluminum in Asia reached roughly 11 million metric tons, up from 7.8 million metric tons in 2014. Nonetheless, not all aluminum waste is recycled. In North America, only 55 percent of total aluminum waste was recycled between 2015 and 2017.