Following a time of numerous challenges, the aluminium industry is beginning to show positive indications of revival. In fact, the 2024 data reveal a positive picture: the rolled order index showed a year-on-year increase of 25.4 percent in the domestic market and 6.8 percent in the foreign one. Simultaneously, the extrusion sector experienced a 28.4 percent rise in domestic orders and a remarkable +42.4 percent gain in export orders .

With the aim of monitoring trends in the aluminum supply chain, the MECSPE Observatory devotes a focus to this sector, and the data collected for the 1st quarter, show an adequate order backlog for 67 percent of companies and a leap forward from the previous 60 percent, confirming the positive trend of the sector. Satisfaction is also on the upswing, with more than eight out of ten entrepreneurs rating it as average to high. So is the willingness to grow: 69 percent of enterprises intend to expand over the next two years.

These figures not only show a strong recovery but also point to a potential growth phase in the second half of the year when MIMIT’s Transition 5.0 Plan will be approved and Italian enterprises will have access to new incentives for green transition.

Against this backdrop of renewed dynamism, from March 5 to 7, 2025, BolognaFiere will host the 13th edition of METEF, the flagship international expo in Italy for the aluminum supply chain organized by Senaf. The event, which will run concurrently with MECSPE, the leading trade fair for the manufacturing industry, promises to be an unprecedented showcase of the industry’s advances and difficulties, particularly in terms of sustainability. METEF will highlight the development of the industry through an extraordinary heritage of culture that must contend with the new frontiers of technology and the new challenges of sustainable innovation.

On this very issue, the MECSPE Observatory highlighted how the aluminum industry is already making efforts to adopt sustainable practices. The use of energy-efficient devices (64 percent), the purchase of up-to-date, efficient machinery and/or equipment (50 percent), and the installation of renewable electricity and heat generation systems (40 percent) are among the most frequently taken actions. These are just a few of the programs created by companies in the sector that are trying more and harder to lessen their environmental effect. Of them, 33% of them regard themselves as sustainable or fairly sustainable, and 48% as moderately sustainable.

The use of energy-efficient devices (64 percent), the purchase of up-to-date, efficient machinery and/or equipment (50 percent), and the installation of renewable electricity and heat generation systems (40 percent) are among the most frequently taken actions. (Credit: Makets Insider) 

With a history of more than 140 years in Italy, the aluminum supply chain continues to evolve, and METEF is positioned as an essential platform for exploring the new frontiers of sustainability and energy efficiency in the world of aluminum. The event will provide a comprehensive overview of the industry, from the production of blanks to intermediate processing, foundry to extrusion, die-casting to rolling, machining, finishing, and the recycling system. The latter is a sector in which Italy excels: in fact, if we consider only the aluminum packaging sector, as reported by CiAl‘s data, a recycling rate of 70.3 percent of the total placed on the market was reached.

Sustainability and ecological transition will also be at the heart of METEF 2025’s rich program, thanks to major initiatives such as the third edition of the Aluminium Energy Summit. A key event within the show, the conference will bring together experts and industry leaders to discuss decarbonization and energy efficiency strategies. METEF will be the ideal platform for stakeholders to discuss and present the latest innovations and best practices in the industry.

Also reconfirmed in this edition will be the METEF Awards 2025, an awards event for companies that have distinguished themselves for technologically advanced solutions in process management throughout the supply chain. There will also be an award ceremony in the new “Closing the STEM Gap” category aimed at promoting female entry into the aluminum industry.

Special attention will then be paid to the crucial role of aluminum in electric mobility through the presentation of the industrial spin-offs of SALEMA, a European Union-funded project designed to produce new aluminum alloys with minimal Critical Raw Material content by integrating the recycling of scrap metal. In mass-produced autos, aluminium makes up 15% of all parts; in the supply chain for electric vehicles, this number is above 50% and continues to rise.

METEF will offer visitors a unique opportunity to explore these innovations, understand the challenges ahead, and actively participate in shaping the sustainable future of the aluminum industry.

This promises to be a must-attend event for all industry professionals, offering unique opportunities for networking, technology upgrading, and business diversification. Against a backdrop of renewed market confidence and growth, the fair will be the meeting point for those who want to be key players in the new era of aluminum: greener, more efficient, and more innovative than ever before.

According to metef.com