ISTANBUL, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish aluminum sector expects significant growth in the upcoming period despite setbacks related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ismail Gulle, chairman of the Turkish Exporters Assembly, told Xinhua on Monday.
"We foresee that aluminum will be used in many fields, from construction to automotive, from machinery to defense sector, with its superior properties in the coming years," Gulle said.
The chairman said European countries predict that by 2030, aluminum use will grow by 40 percent in transportation, 25 percent in construction, and 20 percent in electricity and machinery.
"We see a 47-percent increase in knitted rope, 13 percent in rod profile, and 12 percent in aluminum casting and kitchenware," he noted, speaking of the recent expansion of the sector in the country.
Germany, the United States, and Iraq are among Turkey's main export markets, the assembly revealed.
Gulle mentioned increasing freight charges and container shortage are the main setbacks.
"Problems regarding this issue continue. Millions of U.S. dollars' worth of goods are having loading-related troubles," Gulle said.
The main reason behind these challenges was the pandemic-related conditions, which limited the logistic and shipment across the world, according to the chairman.
In 2020, the Turkish aluminum sector achieved an export valued 2.9 billion dollars despite the pandemic, and planned to increase this figure to 3.5 billion dollars this year, Gulle said.
Tahsin Oztiryaki, chairman of the Istanbul Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters Association, said at a recent sectoral meeting that the export volume in the aluminum sector reached 288 million dollars in January alone, with a 16 percent year-on-year increase.
"This is a clear indication that the upcoming period will be positive, and the sector will attain its targets," he said. Enditem
