The Aluminium Federation (ALFED) has formally submitted a sector response to the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) regarding the proposed UK Critical Minerals Demand Aggregation Platform, outlined within the Government’s Vision 2035: Critical Minerals Strategy.
This consultation marks an important step in the Government’s evolving approach to supply chain resilience. Crucially, ALFED was invited to contribute on behalf of the aluminium sector, reinforcing the Federation’s role as the recognised voice of the UK aluminium value chain in national industrial and trade policy discussions.
Why the Platform Matters
The proposed platform is intended to consolidate UK demand data for critical minerals, improve visibility of supply requirements, and support government policy development. In principle, it could help strengthen understanding of UK industrial demand patterns, inform risk monitoring and provide greater coordination across strategically important materials.
However, any such mechanism must be carefully designed. For aluminium and its associated inputs, supply chain resilience is shaped not only by raw material access, but by energy costs, trade dynamics, domestic processing capacity and global competitiveness.
ALFED’s response therefore took a measured and evidence-led approach, supporting improved transparency in principle, while highlighting the safeguards and structural considerations required to ensure the platform genuinely strengthens UK industry.
Aluminium as a Foundational Material
In our submission, ALFED asserted clearly that aluminium must be treated as a foundational material within the UK’s critical minerals framework.
Aluminium underpins defence capability, electrification, grid infrastructure, transport, construction, packaging and advanced manufacturing. It is central to net zero delivery and industrial resilience. The UK aluminium sector is also already one of the most circular major material systems, supported by mature collection, recycling and remelting infrastructure.
The key issue facing the sector is not a lack of circularity, but the ability to retain material value and processing capability domestically in a globally competitive market.
We emphasised that any platform must explicitly include both primary and secondary aluminium streams, alongside relevant alloying elements essential to downstream manufacturing.
Data Protection and Commercial Sensitivity
Given the diversity of ALFED’s membership, spanning producers, recyclers, extruders, finishers, manufacturers and distributors, procurement data is inherently commercially sensitive.
ALFED therefore stressed that participation must be voluntary and supported by robust anonymisation, clear governance frameworks and strict adherence to competition law. Members would require assurance that data would only be used for its stated purpose, with full transparency over storage, access and permitted applications.
We also highlighted the importance of proportionality. Any reporting burden must be manageable, particularly for SMEs, and should not inadvertently disadvantage UK operators.
A Balanced but Conditional Position
ALFED’s overall position is supportive in principle, provided the platform delivers tangible benefits. These include improved visibility of UK demand trends, stronger supply chain risk assessment, more informed policy development and enhanced security of supply.
However, demand aggregation alone cannot resolve structural competitiveness challenges. Industrial energy pricing, trade alignment, domestic investment frameworks and stable regulatory conditions remain fundamental to strengthening aluminium resilience in the UK.
Continuing to Champion Aluminium
This engagement forms part of ALFED’s wider programme of advocacy across trade, circularity, scrap policy, CBAM implementation, energy reform and industrial strategy.
Securing an invitation to submit evidence to DBT is itself a positive signal of aluminium’s growing recognition within government discussions. We will continue to ensure that aluminium is consistently positioned not as a peripheral input, but as a critical, enabling and foundational material within UK industrial policy.
Members will be kept informed as DBT develops the next phase of this work. As ever, ALFED remains committed to representing the full value chain with clarity, balance and authority.
If you would like to discuss the consultation or contribute to future policy engagement, please contact the ALFED team directly.
