This page describes standards, ports and documentation practice. It is not a claim of shipment history or of volume to this market — our published figures are only the ones we can evidence.
At a glance
| Standard cited | German and wider European specifications cite the EN series. |
|---|---|
| Main container ports | Hamburg is the principal container gateway, with Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven also handling volume. |
| Grades usually called for | 6060 and 6063 dominate architectural and general extrusion; 6082 is the European workhorse for structural plate and machined parts where a North American drawing would call 6061; 5083 in marine tempers for shipbuilding and offshore; 5754 for automotive and general fabrication; 1050 and 1070 for foil and fin stock. |
| Packaging & marking | EN 10204 3.1 is the normal expectation and is often written into the purchase order by type rather than left as "certificate". |
| Inland leg and packing | European buyers often work to defined delivery windows and to documented packing requirements. |
Each line above is the opening of the detail section below it — nothing here is stated anywhere else on the page.
Standards
Which standard the drawing cites
German and wider European specifications cite the EN series. EN 485 covers wrought aluminum sheet, strip and plate across its parts — technical conditions, mechanical properties and dimensional tolerances. EN 755 covers extruded rod, bar, tube and profiles. Temper notation differs from ASTM in places, and designations such as H111 have no direct ASTM counterpart — map them deliberately rather than loosely.
Logistics
Ports and transit
Hamburg is the principal container gateway, with Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven also handling volume. Rotterdam and Antwerp serve as entry points for onward movement into Germany and are frequently competitive on inland leg cost.
Handling
Inland leg and packing
European buyers often work to defined delivery windows and to documented packing requirements. Pallet quality, strapping and wrapping condition are inspected, not just the metal. Dimensional accuracy expectations are typically tighter than on commodity orders, so confirm the mill can hold the tolerance before quoting a tight band.
Specification
Grades usually called for
6060 and 6063 dominate architectural and general extrusion; 6082 is the European workhorse for structural plate and machined parts where a North American drawing would call 6061; 5083 in marine tempers for shipbuilding and offshore; 5754 for automotive and general fabrication; 1050 and 1070 for foil and fin stock.
Documentation
Certificates and compliance
EN 10204 3.1 is the normal expectation and is often written into the purchase order by type rather than left as "certificate". Chemical and substance compliance declarations — REACH, and RoHS where electrical or electronic application is involved — are commonly requested at European customers. Where a product falls under construction product regulation, ask which declaration the project requires before production rather than after.
Cost of getting it wrong
Four things that go wrong here
Substituting 6061 for 6082 on a European drawing without checking the property table — they are close but not equivalent, and the certificate will show it.
Assuming a compliance declaration is optional. European customers ask for it routinely, and asking late adds weeks.
Loose temper mapping between EN and ASTM notation.
Underestimating how closely packing condition is examined on arrival.
Send us the drawing
If you tell us which standard the drawing cites, we will say whether the quoted mill works to that table and whether the tolerance can be held — before you commit, not on the inspection report.
Trade measures and marking requirements change. We do not publish rates for that reason — we confirm the current position at quotation.
Before you ask
Aluminum into Germany — Questions Buyers Ask
Which standard do German drawings cite?
The EN series — EN 485 for wrought aluminum sheet, strip and plate across its parts, covering technical conditions, mechanical properties and dimensional tolerances.
Which ports handle aluminum into Germany?
Hamburg is the principal container gateway, with Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven also handling volume; Rotterdam and Antwerp serve as alternative entry points.
Which grades are the European workhorses?
6060 and 6063 for architectural and general extrusion, and 6082 for structural plate and machined parts.
What certificate do German buyers expect?
EN 10204 3.1 is the normal expectation, often written into the order by type rather than left as "certificate".
Can I substitute 6061 for 6082?
Not without checking. Substituting on a European drawing without confirming the tolerance and temper mapping is a common, avoidable error.
Is a compliance declaration optional?
Do not assume so. European customers read conformity documentation closely, and chemical and substance documentation is often a condition, not a courtesy.
Elsewhere
Other markets
Each page covers what actually differs: which standard the drawing usually cites, which ports the cargo moves through, and what the customs paperwork expects.