German Aluminium Foil Up 4.8% In 2007 On Year

German produced 427,316 tonnes of aluminium foil, tubes, flexible packaging and aerosol, food and beverage cans in 2007, up 4.8% on the total 407,923 tonnes of 2006. Due to the high world price for aluminium, turnover in the industry climbed 8.7% to 2.57bn euros, while 2006 at 2.37bn euros. “Growth in the individual product segments varied from stable to very good. Overall our industry has been on a continuous path of growth in all areas for more than a decade,” explained Stefan Glimm, managing director of Düsseldorf-based GDA Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie e.V. He is also optimistic that the positive trend in production and turnover will continue in 2008. “Orders received in January 2008 offer grounds for optimism in practically all areas.” However, the manufacturers of aluminium packaging are concerned about high raw material prices. In addition, high energy prices and rising transport costs together with ever shorter product cycles are squeezing the profits.