For decades, aluminium producers and exporters have been locked in familiar battles, fighting for price, pushing volumes and struggling to balance costs with quality. In recent years, trade wars, tariff disputes and shifting geopolitics have only added to the strain. Margins are constantly squeezed and competition grows fiercer. Now, another layer of pressure is taking […]
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The aluminium extrusion industry is standing at a turning point. For years, the playbook was simple: add capacity, push output and chase prices. But the market has shifted. Competing on volume alone no longer guarantees survival and competing on cost is a losing game. The last decade was about adding capacity. The next one will […]
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In my last column, I wrote about a dilemma that most small and mid-sized aluminium extruders live with: the constant trade-off between cutting prices to stay competitive and protecting product quality to survive. I suggested there’s a third path, upgrading. But before we talk about what that looks like, we need to understand what we’re […]
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I had an idea: Assemble a team of AI/ML interns—mentored by an industry veteran—to address the operational headaches of extrusion plants. To validate the concept, I discussed it with the owner of a regional facility. He didn’t lead with the usual grievances—volatile metal prices, rising energy bills, tariff wars, heavy subsidies for low-cost competitors or […]
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