Aluminum 2024 Review

The Aluminium 2024 celebrated its new visitor record with 20,904 visitors from 99 countries in Düsseldorf from October 8 to 10, 2024. The surface technology and finishing industry was also represented at the aluminium trade fair.

With 20,904 visitors from 99 countries, the Aluminium trade fair set a new visitor record in Düsseldorf from October 8 to 10, 2024. Industry players and trade fair management are generally positive about the future. The surface finishing industry in Germany, as part of the international value chain for the promising material aluminum, is cautiously optimistic. This was demonstrated by the many member companies visiting the stylishly designed stand of the German Aluminum Surface Finishing Association (VOA) in the Surface Pavilion in Hall 3, which proved to be the absolute meeting place for the surface finishing industry at the heart of the trade fair. In addition to professional exchange, the focus was also on networking. At the same time, the Surface & Design Lounge attracted many visitors with the VOA's always fascinating fashion pieces.

With a view to lightweight construction, competitiveness and decarbonization, Dr. Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, described aluminium as the ideal material for the future and its demands in his video message at the start of the trade fair. In fact, the particular advantages of the metal lie above all in the favorable combination of high strength and low weight, its versatile use in industrial and consumer goods and the considerable recycling possibilities with energy- and resource-saving reprocessing. The sustainability aspect in particular is driving demand for surface-treated aluminum worldwide.

Reason enough to take an in-depth look at the forward-looking topic of "Sustainability & Circularity" at the Aluminum Conference. During the subsequent panel discussion, VOA Managing Director Dr. Alexa A. Becker sharpened the international audience's awareness of the very special and absolutely essential role of the surface finishing industry in the global value chain: it is surface finishing that gives aluminum its decorative and functional properties, makes it particularly hard, scratch-resistant and resilient, gives it the desired feel or a wide variety of colors. Another cornerstone for the increasing demand for aluminum as a central component of industrial transformation with growth potential worldwide.

Aluminum has been a fixture in the VOA calendar for a number of years. Many member companies and representatives of international bodies took the opportunity to discuss the current situation in the industry and hold technical discussions at the trade fair and then at the VOA stand. "As an association, we offer close contact with our member companies and friendly organizations and are of course also happy to welcome anyone interested in the surface finishing industry, whether from Germany, France or Canada," says Dr. Becker. "In addition, we are happy to take the opportunity to put the surface finishing industry at the center of a broad audience at the trade fair and to convince them of its enormous capabilities and production in many different facets," continues the VOA Managing Director.

In fact, visitors from a wide variety of countries often photographed the fashion pieces from the VOA collection "stories of surfaces", created for the 60th anniversary of the association in a joint project with the AMD Academy for Fashion & Design in Munich, which the VOA exhibited both at its own trade fair stand and in the Surface & Design Lounge. A real eye-catcher and at the same time proof of the incredible design possibilities and the importance of the surface finishing industry. Dr. Becker sums up the VOA's conclusion on this year's Aluminium as follows: "Thanks to our numerous visitors, who made the trade fair appearance a success. Gladly again in 2026 - we look forward to it!" (OM-10/24)