Aluminum foil rollers in the EU delivered 245,000mt of aluminum foil in Q1 2021, up by 2.3pc from 239,500mt in last year’s quarter, the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) reported.
The EAFA noted that while Q1 is historically a strong quarter for the foil industry, the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted sales last year. However, the industry is showing signs of recovery this year. Exports from the EU grew by 10pc annually in the quarter while domestic consumption rose by 1pc.
The packaging market foils (thin gauge) continue to grow, clocking a 4.2pc increase in shipments in Q1 while industrial grades (thick gauge) used for containers and other technical applications fell by 1pc.
Guido Aufdemkamp, executive director of EAFA said that while the global economy recovers, logistics issues and lack of raw materials continue to hinder growth in this sector. Still, the industry remains “cautiously optimistic” about the rest of the year.