There is an increasing variety of aluminium products together with increasing quality requirements. As response to this market demand, the variety of forms of unwrought aluminium metal and semi-fabricated products is growing. On the European market dealing with different languages, it would have been extremely difficult to communicate such a complexity of forms and requirements without aluminium standards. Therefore, the European aluminium industry has pushed forward the establishment of European Standards dealing with aluminium products. These European Standards describe the state of the art and, contrary to the outdated national standards, can be used as a safeguard against product liabilities.

As long as the variety of national standards, which did not fit together, existed, many customers were reluctant to order according to standards. Standards of particular companies or of associations or a more or less skilfully composed set of customer specifications were used. Now, after most of the European Standards on aluminium have been published, there is an opportunity of a new beginning.

Looking at the title lists of the European Standards on aluminium - some 90 standards have already been published and in two years it will be more than 130 - one may have some doubts if the "European approach" has really brought a simplification. These guide-lines will show that, indeed, the European Standards on aluminium have a high degree of transparency.

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Source: European Aluminium Association