Webinar
Webinar recording - Securing Aluminum Strategically in Volatile Times: How HYMER Leichtmetallbau Ensures Quality, Compliance, and Supply Security
With aluminum prices at record highs, energy and logistics costs soaring, and stricter regulatory requirements from CBAM and ESG mandates, procurement teams are facing immense challenges today. In our webinar, "Securing Aluminum Strategically in Volatile Times – How HYMER Leichtmetallbau Ensures Quality, Compliance & Supply Security," Brian Neumann (Strategic Buyer, HYMER) and Julius Reinboth (Business Development, Tacto) share their best practices. They demonstrate how to make strategic decisions regarding locations and suppliers and how to define hedging triggers—all without letting operational overhead spiral out of control.
The Starting Point – The Four Biggest Pain Points
- Price Volatility - LME price spikes and rising energy costs complicate budget planning and cost calculations.
- Global Dependencies - Over 55% of global production is concentrated in China, posing a risk during political tensions.
- Regulatory Pressure - CBAM, ESG reporting, and Tier-N transparency are significantly increasing documentation requirements.
- Limited Capacity - European extrusion plants are at capacity, lead times are lengthening, and specialized profiles are becoming scarce.
HYMER's Approach
1. Strategic Location Selection - Suppliers are located almost exclusively in politically stable EU countries; high-risk regions (e.g., Serbia) are consistently avoided.
2. Forward-Looking Hedging for Price Protection - Market and currency signals determine the timing of hedges—price risks are managed proactively rather than endured reactively.
3. CBAM & Regulatory Readiness - Internal processes and data collection are set up to meet current requirements, while maintaining enough flexibility to easily adapt to future regulatory steps.
Key takeaways for raw material procurement
- Targeted site assessment – political stability, energy prices, and ESG standards must be part of an integrated risk assessment.
- Hedging as a safeguard – price hedging with clearly defined triggers measurably reduces budget uncertainty.
- Establish regulatory fitness early – CBAM reports and CO₂ certifications can only be delivered on time with complete supplier data.
- Transparency over Excel sprints – a centralized data and document platform reduces manual effort and prevents compliance gaps.
- Quality beats cheap imports – perceived price advantages from low-wage countries disappear once testing and transport costs are factored in.
- Keep an eye on cost factors – cost modeling analysis allows for structured tracking and targeted reduction of energy, freight, and raw material costs per item.
Conclusion
Aluminum remains a critical lever for cost, quality, and supply. HYMER demonstrates that by choosing locations wisely, hedging prices, and integrating CBAM compliance, companies can turn risks into competitive advantages. Digital transparency with Tacto makes the difference between reactive crisis management and proactive control.
Brian Neumann (HYMER) and Julius Reinboth (Tacto) show how modern aluminum procurement focuses on three key levers: selecting locations in geopolitically stable regions, data-driven hedging via stock market and currency rates, and automated cost modeling of all price drivers. Continuous LME monitoring and close coordination with extrusion plants provide procurement teams with the transparency needed to assess risks early and prevent material shortages—transforming procurement into a proactive value driver.
