Aluminum Industry in China: 5 Purchasing Advice

The Aluminum Industry in China

Production:

China is the biggest producer of aluminum in the world which made up nearly 60% of the world’s total. These numbers have been climbing in the last several years.

China is a major exporter of aluminum products due to its massive output.China exported roughly 20 million tons of aluminum in 2020. Aluminum sheets, coils, profiles, and alloy materials are the primary forms of aluminum manufactured and used in China.

Aluminum Industry:

There are a large number of aluminum factories in China, including Aluminum Corporation of China, Chalco Group of Hong Kong, China, and Aluminum Corporation of China Limited. In addition, there are numerous smaller aluminum factories, especially in northern industrial cities that are rich in mineral deposits and resources, with many factories and intense competition. Some small aluminum factories are also developing their own foreign trade divisions to enhance their competitive advantage.

Region:

As the development of aluminum industry is affected by geographical location, government support, market demand and so on. Different provinces and cities have significant differences in aluminum resources, industrial chain, number of factories and market influence. The following are some of the best developed regions in China’s aluminum industry:

1.Gongyi:

A county-level city in Henan Province, China, and one of the most important regions for China’s aluminum industry.

Gongyi has a complete industrial chain of bauxite mining, aluminum smelting and aluminum processing, covering the production and processing of aluminum sheet, aluminum foil, all kinds of aluminum alloys and other products.

The government has been paying attention to the development of the aluminum industry in the region, with financial support. So the development of the aluminum industry is at a high level in the country.

2. Anshan:

One of the main hubs for the production of aluminum in China, Anshan is situated in the northeastern Liaoning Province.

Among the well-known aluminum factories in the city is Anshan Aluminum Factory, which is a division of Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (CHALCO).

The city boasts a sophisticated chain of aluminum production that includes downstream processing, alumina refining, aluminum smelting, and bauxite mining.

3.Tongling:

Tongling, located in Anhui Province, is renowned for its rich bauxite reserves and significant aluminum production capacity.

Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group, a subsidiary of CHALCO, is headquartered in Tongling and operates one of the largest aluminum smelters in China.

The city has a cluster of aluminum factories involved in various stages of the production chain, from mining and refining to smelting and processing.

4. Guangdong Province:

Guangdong Province, situated in southern China, is one of the most important aluminum bases in southern China, has a well-established aluminum industry, particularly in cities like Foshan and Jiangmen.

Foshan is known as a significant aluminum processing and manufacturing hub, housing numerous aluminum profile and sheet producers.

Jiangmen is home to several large-scale aluminum factories, including Guangdong Weiye Aluminum Factory and Jiangmen Dingsheng Aluminum Group, involved in aluminum extrusion, fabrication, and manufacturing.

Purchasing Advice

Pay Attention to the Price

Sourcing aluminum materials in China, you need to pay attention to the price fluctuation of aluminum ingot to determine a reasonable price range. You can follow the latest data and fluctuations of aluminum prices in China through different securities softwares. You will know the price fluctuation trend to avoid sending inquiry when the price rises, and at the same time, you won’t be cheated by the low price of inferior aluminum or overpaying because you don’t know the market.

Technical Certificate and Standards

The most authoritative standard in China is GB (National Standard of the People’s Republic of China), in addition to: ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials), EN (European Norm) and so on. You can ask your suppliers to provide relevant certificates (as shown in the table below) to ensure product quality.

Normes	ASTM（American Society for Testing Materials）-B209, EN（European Norm）573-1, GB（Guo Biao）/T3880.1-2006
Certificats	ISO（International Organization for Standardization）, RoHS（Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive）

Know the Difference

The most important properties of aluminum are alloy grade, strength, corrosion resistance and etc. Different alloy grades vary greatly in properties and prices. Common al alloy and strengths on the market: aluminium 6061, al 6061 t6, al 6063, aluminium 5083, al 3003. Aluminum sheets: 5052 aluminium sheet (alu 5052).

Make sure you choose the right product for your project needs. You can refer to the table below:

ALUMINUM ALLOY	Grade	Normal	Tempérer	Résistance à la traction	Limite d'élasticité	Elongation%		Brinell Hardness
		Tempérer		N/mm	N/mm	Plate	Bar	HB
1XXX	1050	O,H112,H	O	78	34	40	–	20
	1060	O,H112,H	O	70	30	43	–	19
2XXX Al-Cu	2019	O,T3,T4,T6,T8	T851	450	350	10	–	–
	2024	O,T4	T4	470	325	20	17	120
3XXX Al-Mn	3003	O,H112,H	O	110	40	30	37	28
	3004	O,H112,H	O	180	70	20	22	45
4XXX Al-Si	4032	O,T6,T62	T6	380	315	–	9	120
5XXX Al-Mg	5052	O,H112,H	H34	260	215	10	12	68
	5083	O,H112,H	O	290	145	–	20	–
6XXX Al-Mg-Si	6061	O,T4,T6,T8	T6	310	275	12	15	95
	6063	O,T1,T5,T6,T8	T5	185	145	12	–	60
7XXX Al-Zn-Mg	7003	T5	T5	315	255	15	–	85
	7075	O,T6	T6	570	505	11	9	150

Before purchasing, you can ask the aluminum supplier to provide quality certificate (including Technical Standard, Chemical Composition Standard, Chemical Composition, Mechanical Properties, etc.).

Choose a Reliable Aluminum Supplier

To get high quality products and good customer service. Pay close attention to check whether the trader or factory has a business license and whether the product has a third-party testing agency’s report and satisfies the technical standards before purchasing. It is better for a factory to have its own independent website, which proves that the company has invested more money and is more reliable.

You can also search through Alibaba, some factories have their stores in online platforms such as Alibaba. Alibaba certifies stores with excellent product quality and good service, such as Alibaba.com Gold Plus Supplier, and such businesses can be considered more reliable. Also pay attention to the reviews and feedbacks of other buyers about the supplier to get an idea of their quality and service. You can also compare their response speed, a factory with rich export experience will have its own foreign trade department and professional salesmen, try to choose the supplier who can reply you within 12~24 hours to ensure timely communication in the future.

Choose an Aluminum Factory With Regional Advantages

Some cities have inherent advantages in aluminum mining resources, and in the long-term development, not only the industrial chain is complete and the quality of products is high, but also some cities got all sorts of policies and financial support from the Chinese government, so their price will be more competitive.

When looking for suppliers, you’d better define the scope of the search according to your production requirements to determine the specifications and dimensions. There are aluminum plate, aluminum coil, aluminum circle, etc. Different manufacturers can provide different specifications with different products. Try to add more detailed information in your search box, such as “aluminium circle supplier “”aluminium 6061″”5052 aluminium sheet””al 6061 t6″” to shorten the search time and find the right supplier as fast as possible.

Tips: Small factories may not have so much experience in supplying, but they may be in expansion and are looking for long-term collaborators. If the factory is located in the above mentioned areas where the aluminum industry is developing well, and can provide all the certificates and test results as stated above, you could try out their samples, then you may find products with good quality and a lower price. Also before placing an order, you can also express your willingness of long-term cooperation in order to get the best price.

Other: Follow the latest news, trends, and developments regarding the aluminum industry to stay on track with market updates. Avoid working with suppliers with poor reputation.