Don’t overlook aluminium as strategic material, UK sector warns

The UK aluminium industry is urging national policy makers to include the metal as they identify materials and infrastructure for security procurement.

Alfed, the industrywide association which also includes 30 recycling companies and organisations, has welcomed a recent UK Government announcement on boosting the domestic supply chains for defence, steel, shipbuilding, AI, and energy infrastructure.

Ceo Nadine Bloxsomeacknowledges the policy signals a clear shift towards strengthening sovereign capability and building resilient supply chains but argues the omission of aluminium is ‘a notable and concerning omission’.

‘Fundamental gap‘

‘At a time when the UK is actively seeking to strengthen its defence industry and reduce reliance on overseas supply chains, this absence is increasingly difficult to justify,’ she says.  ‘The omission of aluminium represents a fundamental gap in how we are defining strategic materials in the context of national security.’

Bloxsome points out the UK has a strong and capable aluminium sector, with expertise spanning production, processing, recycling, finishing and distribution. It also has the potential to lead in low-carbon aluminium, aligning industrial growth with net zero ambitions.

‘Recognising aluminium as a strategic material would not only strengthen the UK’s national security position, it would also unlock investment, drive innovation and ensure that the country remains competitive in an increasingly complex global landscape.’

Critical metal

Alfed points out that the United States has formally recognised aluminium as a strategic and critical material. Similarly, the European Union has moved decisively in recognising aluminium’s strategic role. Under its Critical Raw Materials Act, the metal is classified as a strategic raw material, essential for the green transition, security and industrial autonomy.

The federation claims aluminium is one of the most globally exposed and energy-intensive supply chains in the world. Without a clear domestic strategy, it adds, the UK risks continued dependence on international markets.

‘If the UK is serious about building a resilient, future-proof defence and industrial base, then its policies must reflect the full reality of the materials that underpin modern systems,’ Bloxsome concludes. ‘Steel has rightly been given a seat at the table. It is time for aluminium to be recognised alongside it.’