Kaiser Aluminum 2025 mix shift sets up 2026 plate and coated sheet growth

Kaiser Aluminum ended 2025 with lower shipments but higher conversion margins. Management now expects 2026 to mark a return to volume growth in aerospace and packaging, while automotive retools for specialty capacity.

Shipments in 2025 totaled 1.1 billion lbs, down 5%, or 64 million lbs, from 2024. Fourth-quarter shipments sank to 274 million lbs, a 6% decline from the year earlier, or roughly 18 million lbs.

Nicholas Bell

Nicholas brings over half a decade of experience covering metals markets, pricing trends, and supply chain dynamics. Prior to joining AMU, he reported on aluminum, high-temperature scrap, and ferro-alloy markets at Argus Media, with additional coverage of minor metals and rare earths. His work has built deep expertise in North American metals pricing and trade flows. A native of Houston, Nicholas holds a bachelor’s degree in Media Production and an MBA with a concentration in Finance, both from the University of Houston.