The aluminum sector in Greece is vertically integrated covering all production processes, from bauxite mining to the production of finished products, and as regards 2018 it ranks first among the country's export sectors and second in terms of trade balance.
The aluminum extrusion sector consists of a significant number of businesses. The main product which comes from the manufacturing units of aluminum extrusion is the architectural profile, which is used to make aluminum frames. Furthermore, over the previous years many businesses have enriched the variety of their products with photovoltaic system goods (mounting systems), given the limited construction activity. However, demand for these products has decreased.
The overall domestic production of aluminum extrusion products (in tons) reported a significant development up to 2007. Nevertheless, during 2009-2010 it registered a fall (7% and 21% respectively). In 2010 production registered a slight rise (2.5%) due to the increase in exports. On the contrary, consumption dropped by 13% during 2010/09. From 2015 onwards production followed an upward trend (2015-2018). Particularly, in 2018 domestic production of aluminum extrusion products increased by 15.8% compared to 2017. A further rise is expected for 2019. In 2018 28% of the total sales of aluminum extrusion products was absorbed by the domestic market and the remaining 72% was channeled abroad.
The domestic production of rolled aluminum products comes from very few industries. It registered a rise during 1995-2007 while during 2008-2009 it registered a slight decline. During 2010-2018 production reported a significant rise, due to the increasing demand for exports. Particularly, domestic production of rolled aluminum products increased by 5% in 2018 compared to 2017. A further rise is expected for 2019. In 2018 12% of the total sales of rolled aluminum products was absorbed by the domestic market and the remaining 88% was channeled abroad.