Final Thoughts
August 27, 2026
Some takeaways from AMU Summit 2026
Written by Stephanie Ritenbaugh
We want to thank everyone who attended our first AMU Summit this week in Atlanta. It was a wonderful time to meet with so many of our readers face to face and discuss the important topics facing aluminum at such a critical time.
The event was held in parallel with our sister publication’s SMU Steel Summit, which gave folks with an interest in both aluminum and steel a unique opportunity to take advantage of two conferences in one place.
And there certainly was no shortage of things to talk about. Tariffs, geopolitics, domestic production trends, data center construction, and scrap availability were just some of the topics getting the spotlight.
Stay tuned for more stories on these topics in the coming days.
Trade war with Canda escalates
As trade talks between the United States and Canada fell apart over the weekend, everyone had questions about how this was going to affect an aluminum market already facing historic challenges and opportunities.
Charles Johnson, president & CEO of the Aluminum Association, and Jean Simard, president and CEO of the Aluminium Association of Canada, were joined by Joe Quinn, executive director of Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE), for a lively and insightful panel that helped sort through the noise and finger pointing by political officials. In fact, the news that Canada would retaliate with its own tariffs to match those by the US was announced during the session.
Alan Price, a veteran trade attorney with Wiley Rein LLP, fielded questions during a fireside chat on the latest USMCA negotiations and Section 232 nuances, as well as their potential impact on manufacturing locations. Of course, overcapacity in China also came up.
Data center construction and AI development
Another major talking point was the growth of data centers, including their need for aluminum products, their competition with smelters for electricity and the backlash from communities that don’t want to see such large facilities built in their backyards.
John Mucci from Kibar Americas was just one of the speakers who shared his expertise from the building materials sector. Among his points, he elaborated on the critical role of aluminum in HVAC, electrification and transmission lines. Of course, he also addressed the political factors at play, with some states having established restrictions on the facilities.
The aluminum chain
While trade, data centers and geopolitics threaded through much of the conversations, there was much more to discuss. Flat-rolled products, extrusions, secondary scrap and secondary. Automotive applications also drew attention from several speakers as OEMs look to lightweighting, trends in electric vehicles and internal combustion engines, and how sustainability requirements are driving diverging trends in the US compared with Europe.
Beverage cans remain a positive demand story. New drinks tend to adopt aluminum as their packaging of choice. Even water has made an appearance, noted Scott Ulnick of Ducker Carlisle.
Prices
Prices have seen significant swings this year, with trade, the war in Iran and Chinese overcapacity all playing a role. But those aren’t the only factors.
Zaid Aljanabi of CRU Group and Timna Tanners of Wells Fargo shared their insights on what is shaping the LME and Midwest premiums and their forecasts for where they may end up next.
We will be bringing you these stories and more. Thank you all for your support of AMU. We look forward to seeing you again next year!
