09.11.2022

Irina Kazovskaya, Co-Chair of the Aluminium Association, took part in a meeting of the Coordination Council for Industrial Policy in the Metallurgical Sector of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia. The event, chaired by Viktor Evtukhov, State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, was held as part of the 28th International Industrial Exhibition, Metal-Expo, at Expocentre. The main topic of the meeting has been the discussion of the Strategy for the Development of the Metallurgical Industry in Russia until 2030, which is expected to be approved shortly. Participants included representatives of industry’s associations and the business community.

Speaking about the current state of the Russian metallurgical industry, Viktor Evtukhov noted that its situation remains quite stable. The most important goal of the Strategy is to meet domestic demand for metallurgical products. And it is not just a matter of a steady supply of these goods to the domestic market, but also of an increase in this supply and an increase in demand, primarily through an increase in housing, industrial and commercial construction, and also the implementation of large-scale infrastructure development programmes: railways, bridges and overpasses.

In turn, Irina Kazovskaya said that Russia’s internal programme to develop demand for high value-added aluminium products had resulted in a 37% increase in production since 2013, including through the development of new high value-added products in various industry’s sectors. During this period, the share of Russian primary aluminium supplied to the domestic market increased from 17% to 30%.

The Aluminium Association contributes significantly to the development of domestic demand and high-tech production in Russia. Today, the Association’s member companies and other industry representatives are focusing on market development in several areas: developing domestic demand for aluminium products; promoting the development of high value-added rolling, extrusion and casting capacities; protecting the domestic market; and developing new export destinations.

However, Irina Kazovskaya drew particular attention to the demand for Russian aluminium products in overseas markets. One of the challenges that the Aluminium Association faces, she said, is to refocus export destinations to sell high-tech aluminium products.