GIFA and METEC Indonesia 2026: The aluminium industry opens up new opportunities for technology providers

Indonesia continues to strengthen its position in the international metals industry. This trend is particularly evident in the aluminium industry: new smelting capacity is coming on stream, while downstream processing, casting and industrial applications are moving increasingly into focus. For international technology providers, this development opens a market with growing demand for equipment, processes and solutions across the metallurgical value chain. From 9 to 12 September 2026, GIFA and METEC Indonesia will address this trend in Jakarta with a new focus on aluminium.

According to Shanghai Metal Markets (SMM), Indonesia’s operational primary aluminium capacity is set to rise from around 870,000 tonnes in 2025 to approximately 2.51 million tonnes in 2026. This represents an increase of 188 per cent and one of the largest single-year capacity increases outside China. For 2027, SMM forecasts a further increase to 3.56 million tonnes. At the same time, according to analysis by CRU (Commodities Research Unit), Indonesia has already become a net exporter of primary aluminium. Shipments are going to China, Vietnam and South Korea, among other markets. Recent market data show that exports reached their highest level in 28 months at the start of 2026. New export volumes are also going to the US and Europe. As primary production expands, the importance of downstream value added is growing. Indonesia continues to import significant quantities of processed aluminium and aluminium products. Over the past twelve months, Indonesia’s imports of unwrought aluminium amounted to around USD 698 million. This is in addition to fabricated products such as plates, foil, structures and automotive components, with import volumes running into billions of US dollars. This creates demand for foundry equipment, thermal process systems, simulation solutions, downstream processing machinery, quality control and material handling. It is precisely at this interface that GIFA and METEC Indonesia are positioning themselves.

For the third edition of GIFA and METEC Indonesia, an Aluminium Pavilion will therefore make its debut, bringing together technologies, materials and solutions for the growing aluminium industry. This development is linked to Indonesia’s industrial policy of processing raw materials more extensively within the country and creating greater industrial value added. The ban on the export of unprocessed bauxite, introduced in 2023, has channelled raw material flows into domestic refining and smelting. With smelting capacities on the rise, downstream production stages are moving increasingly into focus. Indonesia’s automotive industry is among the key consumer sectors. The Asia-Pacific region now accounts for almost half of global die-casting demand. For Indonesian die-casters and processing companies, this is not only a matter of additional production capacity, but also of the availability of aluminium grades that meet the international requirements of the automotive industry. Further demand is being generated by electrification and renewable energy. The International Aluminium Institute identifies electric vehicle and solar module production as key drivers of aluminium demand up to 2030. Aluminium is used, amongst other things, in lightweight vehicle construction as well as for frames and cabling in photovoltaic systems. Developments in the global market are also reinforcing the importance of new production capacity. S&P Global forecasts a global aluminium supply deficit of around 764,000 tonnes in 2026. Disruptions at smelters in the Middle East and supply chain volatility have also pushed up aluminium prices and regional premiums.

“Since integrating the Turkish trade fairs ANKIROS and ALUEXPO into our portfolio, we have been systematically driving forward the expansion of the aluminium sector from Düsseldorf. Indonesia is an important market for the future: the strong expansion of capacity is creating new requirements for processing, casting and other industrial applications. With the new Aluminium Pavilion at GIFA and METEC Indonesia, we are addressing precisely these requirements and bringing international technology providers together with an industry that is increasingly creating more value domestically,” explains Malte Seifert, Director Metals & Autonomous Technologies, Messe Düsseldorf.

At GIFA and METEC Indonesia 2026, these market requirements will be met by an international range of technologies. Around 200 exhibiting companies and some 6,000 trade visitors are expected at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Kemayoran exhibition centre. Exhibitors will come from countries including Austria, China, Germany, India, Italy, Singapore and Spain, as well as Indonesia. The spectrum ranges from foundry and continuous casting technology, through furnace and thermal process technology, to simulation, automation, precision machining and solutions for raw material processing.

German exhibitors include Cunova, which specialises in systems for the continuous casting of copper and aluminium. EBNER Industrial Furnaces is showcasing solutions for thermal processes, while the Spanish supplier KALFRISA specialises in combustion and thermal process optimisation. Energy accounts for 30 to 35 per cent of aluminium production costs. Furnace efficiency therefore has a direct impact on margins. MAGMA Engineering Asia Pacific presents simulation solutions for modelling and optimising casting processes. The range also includes solutions for aluminium die casting, metal analysis, precision machining and industrial supply chains.

German machinery and plant manufacturers have a joint platform in the Indonesian market with GIFA, METEC and MINING Indonesia, including the German Pavilion. “The broad scope of the trade fair underlines the importance of Indonesia for German technology providers. The expansion of metallurgical production capacities and the growth in downstream processing are creating fields of application for technologies in areas including foundry and metallurgy, thermal process engineering and industrial production,” explains Dr.-Ing. Timo Würz, Managing Director of VDMA Metallurgy & Thermoprocessing.

GIFA and METEC Indonesia cater to different stages of the value chain.  Smelteroperators and primary producers will find technologies for thermal processes, efficiency and quality assurance. For foundries, die-casters and processing companies, the focus is on simulation, digital quality control, automation and precision engineering, amongst other things. Original equipment manufacturers and end-users from the automotive, infrastructure and energy sectors gain insight into Indonesia’s evolving production capabilities. Technology and plant suppliers will find a market in which expanding production capacity is driving investment in downstream process stages.

GIFA and METEC Indonesia are organised by Messe Düsseldorf Asia and PT Pamerindo Indonesia, a company of Informa Markets. The events will take place alongside the 20th edition of MINING Indonesia as part of the Indonesia Energy and Engineering Series. This brings together mining, raw material processing, metallurgy and foundry technology under one roof.