Mario Conserva (FACE): “Aluminium, the key metal in global industry”
Aluminium is increasingly at the heart of the major industrial, energy and geopolitical transformations under way. Global demand continues to rise, driven by the energy transition, electric mobility and advanced technologies, while supply remains constrained by growing production and energy challenges.
In Europe, this dynamic is particularly evident. Primary aluminium production has been in structural decline for years due to high and volatile energy costs, and today more than 85% of demand is met through imports. This creates a growing vulnerability for Europe’s industrial competitiveness and supply security.
In this context, recycling plays a decisive role. Secondary aluminium delivers significant energy savings and represents a strategic industrial and environmental lever, as the Italian experience clearly shows. However, to fully seize this opportunity, Europe needs coherent policies that protect scrap availability, encourage investment and strengthen the entire value chain.
The challenge for Europe’s aluminium industry is clear: invest in innovation, recycling and energy self-sufficiency to remain competitive in an increasingly complex global market.
The full editorial by FACE Secretary General Mario Conserva in A&L Magazine is available here.
