The Growing Demand of Aluminium Extrusions

Ar Apurva Bose Dutta
Aluminium - the third most abundant element in the earth's crust finds its implementation in many sectors due to its environment and user -friendly nature - in Building and Construction (B&C), power sector, automotive, packaging, household appliances etc. The surge in the demand of this youngest metal of the non-ferrous metal industry is indicated to the escalating infrastructural development of the country. According to a recent issue of the European Journal of Business and Management, published by International Institute for Science, Technology and Education, the overall consumption of aluminium in India is projected to be about 5 million tonnes by 2015, and 10 million tonnes by 2020.


India is considered to be the fifth largest producer of aluminium in the world with a tremendous bauxite reserve of about 3 billion tonnes. While the major consumption of aluminium in India is done by the electrical (31%) and B&C sectors (13%), the future growth is envisaged to happen in the solar power and industrial sector. One is witnessing the rapid development of this industry with a phenomenal growth noticed since 2002 and the industry is posed to play a significant role in the future growth of the Indian economy.

The aluminium extrusion process involves creating parts of homogeneous cross-sections which is achieved by forcing the metal through an outlet (that is designed in the required configuration/shape of the extruded profile) under high pressure. In an era when architects are increasingly coming forward with experimentations, aluminium extrusions are giving way to some imaginative and exquisite architectural designs which have been made simpler by the plethora of technological innovations and advancement in the aluminium extrusion industry.


Aluminium Extrusions - The Pros And Cons
India's per capital consumption of aluminium extrusion is amongst the lowest in the world. The B&C industry which is the major consumer of aluminium extrusions in India (followed by the industrial and the transport segment) uses aluminium extrusions in prefabricated structures, windows and door frames systems, curtain walling, roofing and exterior cladding, space frame systems, geodesic domes, canopies, bridge decks, atriums, arches, etc. The popularity of aluminium formwork and shutters is also on the mount as it augments construction speed. There exists today an assortment of aluminium extrusion profiles in the market which are fabricated and are customised according to the specific requirements.