Ranging from architectural profiles, solar cells, automotive, to aerospace parts, aluminum extrusion presses play an integral role in the production of lightweight materials.
More than 70% of aluminium profiles currently used within the construction and transport industries worldwide are produced through extrusion processes, making the process performance of an extrusion press a crucial issue, and not a purely technological issue.
Despite this, many purchasers tend to focus their comparison of extrusion presses on either reputation or tonnage capacity while ignoring the underlying engineering that determines actual performance.
According to industry summaries published by European Aluminium, energy consumption and scrap rate have become the two fastest-growing cost factors in extrusion plants since 2020. This article explores aluminum extrusion presses from a systems and engineering perspective.
Top 10 global aluminum extrusion press brands
The development of extruders worldwide has not followed a single best solution, but rather formed distinctive engineering concepts that are influenced by regional manufacturing.
SMS Group
SMS specializes in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the metals industry.
With 150 years of experience and unique expertise in metallurgy, industrial processes, and digitalization, they emphasize ultra-large tonnage extrusion presses, long service life, and over-engineered structures.
These systems dominate the automotive structural components and aerospace-grade profiles sectors, where downtime and dimensional deviations are extremely costly.
Daniel
This century-old Italian company (founded in 1914) is a global supplier of metallurgical technology and equipment, providing end-to-end services from raw materials to finished products.
It boasts comprehensive technology in the extrusion press field, paying close attention to the heating uniformity and synchronization between the extruder and the furnace. By improving the thermal profile, the extruder and furnace are synchronized, ensuring the timely delivery of billets to the extruder at the appropriate temperature, thereby improving extruder performance. Its branches cover more than 30 countries worldwide.
UBE Machinery
Ube Industries, Inc. is one of the many industrial groups under the Ube Industries Group. Its predecessor was the Ube-Shinkawa Iron Works, founded in 1914.
UBE’s extrusion presses, developed with technical expertise gained from years of industry experience, are not only compact, energy-efficient, and highly productive, but also ideal for extruding high-strength aluminum. These presses are typically chosen by automotive supply chains that prioritize process stability over maximum output.
Cometal Engineering
Cometal Engineering is a world-leading Italian aluminum company that designs and manufactures complete extrusion lines, including presses, foundries, heat treatment solutions, and packaging lines.
Over the past 40 years, supported by continuous R&D activities and investments, Cometal Engineering has accumulated consistent experience. Cometal Engineering manufactures all products, and the components used are made in Europe to ensure the highest level of quality.
TZCO
Taiyuan Heavy Industry Group (Taiyuan Heavy Machinery Group) has accumulated strong technical capabilities and a solid market reputation in the industry.
Taiyuan Heavy Machinery holds over 80% market share in the domestic large and medium-sized aluminum extrusion press market. Its technological maturity and equipment reliability have been honed through practical experience, maintaining a leading position in the industry.
The equipment has achieved industry-leading precision control, with temperature control accuracy within the extrusion cylinder reaching ±5℃ and low-speed extrusion speed precisely stabilized at ±0.02mm/s. This meticulous power control ensures high product consistency. Temperature deviation beyond ±5°C often results in uneven metal flow, which becomes especially critical for thin-wall 6xxx series profiles.
Presezzi Extrusion
Presezzi is a leading designer and manufacturer of extrusion presses for aluminium and related alloys, copper and brass profiles.
Its branded extrusion presses are widely used in door and window and curtain wall systems, where surface finish and production efficiency are more important than ultra-large tonnage.
Wuxi Weite Machinery Co., Ltd.
Wuxi Weite Machinery Co., Ltd. is one of the largest and most technologically advanced private extrusion press manufacturers in China. It has developed an extrusion press designed by the British “ANGLO” technical team for extruding aluminum, copper and other metal profiles and pipes.
It is widely used in the automotive, shipbuilding, rail transportation, aerospace, electronics and construction industries.
The extrusion press is technologically advanced and expensive, and has been widely used around the world.
SPM Controls
SPM Controls is one of India’s leading manufacturers of aluminum extrusion presses. Its aluminum extrusion presses are suitable for a variety of aluminum profiles, including round, hexagonal, square, flat, and hollow tubes.
They can be easily customised to various shapes and arrangements according to customer requirements and are highly regarded in the Indian market.
Xinxinke Extrusion
Xinxinke Extrusion Press independently developed a 5500-ton extrusion press is a high-performance industrial piece of equipment designed specifically for the production of large industrial profiles.
It is suitable for processing high-strength, large-section aluminum profiles. It features a high degree of automation, supports continuous production, significantly improves efficiency, and ensures long-term stable operation under high pressure and high temperature environments.
Friends Industry
Founded in 2014, FRIENDS INDUSTRY is a well-established global trading company dedicated to meeting our customers’ needs for a balance of performance, cost control, and rapid deployment.
Our equipment can process aluminum profiles of various sizes and shapes without additional adjustments or setup, thus shortening production line changeover time and reducing production costs.
This allows global aluminum extrusion customers to purchase high-quality, reasonably priced aluminum extrusion production equipment in China.
What defines the real performance of an aluminum extrusion press?
An aluminum extrusion press is not defined by tonnage alone, but by a combination of structural, hydraulic, thermal, and control systems working together.
Extruder selection
（1）Select according to the characteristics of the extruded alloy. For example, for extruding 6063-T5 industrial aluminum profiles, a forward single-action horizontal extrusion press can be selected; for extruding soft alloy pipes, a forward double-action horizontal extrusion press can be selected.
（2）When selecting extrusion presses for the production of high-precision industrial profiles, high-performance, low-consumption, and high-efficiency automated extrusion presses should be chosen.
For example, the industry-leading short-stroke, high-speed, front-loading extrusion press offers numerous advantages. Features such as the stacked tension column/external pressure sleeve design and finite element-optimised machine body ensure a longer service life. Simultaneously, key components like the front beam, extrusion cylinder, and main cylinder possess higher frame rigidity.
Front loading ensures that loading is completed simply by moving the extrusion cylinder forward, eliminating friction between the bar stock and the extrusion cylinder, and symmetrical upsetting improves the venting effect of the extrusion cylinder.
One common mistake we frequently encounter is overspending on press tonnage while underestimating billet temperature control, which later leads to unstable extrusion speed and surface defects.
（3）The selection of an extruder should be based on its specific extrusion capacity. The extrusion capacity must be calculated based on the company’s production conditions, technical level, equipment conditions, and sales conditions.
Parameters such as annual production time and hourly workload should be calculated to determine the annual production capacity of the extruder. The type of extruder chosen depends on the output and cross-sectional size. Different alloy compositions require different extrusion capacities. Ordinary aluminum profiles require 250MPa~400MPa extrusion pressure, hollow aluminum profiles require 450MPa~1000MPa, and pure aluminum extrusion requires less extrusion pressure, 150MPa~250MPa.
The extrusion method also makes a significant difference; forward extrusion requires one-third more extrusion pressure than reverse extrusion.
In several Asian extrusion plants upgrading from 2000T to 3500T presses, downstream synchronization — not press force — became the actual bottleneck.
（4）The choice of extrusion press should be based on the user’s actual financial situation and product positioning.
If the company produces low- to mid-range aluminum profiles, a domestically produced extrusion press can be chosen; if the product is positioned as high-end, an imported extrusion press should be selected.
Regardless of the type of extrusion press chosen, it should be based on the company’s actual conditions. If only low- to mid-range aluminum profiles are produced, there is no need to choose an imported extrusion press.
On the one hand, the investment amount is large, and on the other hand, it will be very difficult to maintain in the later stage.
After all, the costs in all aspects will increase, and it will also affect the production schedule. It is necessary to act according to one’s ability and consider all aspects.
（5）According to the manufacturer’s initial planning and design, standard equipment should be used as much as possible to save on equipment footprint and personnel, and shorten the preparation cycle for production technology.
For example, a new type of compact extruder can be selected. This new concept installs the forged front beam of the extruder at one end, and the forged main cylinder with a balance oil tank at the other end, realizing a new hydraulic concept.
Under this concept, the position of the main oil tank becomes more flexible, so it is no longer necessary to install it on top of the rear beam. This structure optimizes the geometry of the cast frame, resulting in a very compact extruder structure.
（6）Can the extrusion press manufacturer provide efficient and robust technical support, including employee training, to ensure smooth and worry-free production for customers? A strong after-sales service network is also crucial when making a selection decision; only comprehensive after-sales service can provide a strong backing for manufacturing.
FAQ
Which matters more: press tonnage or system design?
System design matters more than tonnage in most real production environments. Two presses with identical tonnage can perform very differently due to hydraulic stability, alignment accuracy, and control logic.
Is European equipment always better than Asian equipment?
Not necessarily. European extruders typically excel in heavy-duty or high-precision applications, while Asian suppliers are increasingly offering competitive solutions, such as faster delivery times and lower prices.
How much does an aluminum extrusion press cost?
Like many other pieces of equipment, the total cost of an aluminum press typically varies depending on a range of factors, such as complexity, size, and even production capacity. Generally, the base cost of these machines ranges from $50,000 to over $1 million per unit.
In modern aluminum extrusion, competitiveness is no longer defined by press size alone. Long-term success depends on system integration, energy efficiency, and engineering compatibility with real production needs.