Early last month, CRU joined industry leaders in Cairo, Egypt for the 20th Arab Cable Manufacturers Conference (Arabcab). Representing CRU at Arabcab, Zaid Aljanabi, Head of Aluminium Products, presented CRU view on wire and cable raw materials, the outlook for aluminium, copper and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) while Aisling Hubert, Lead, Wire & Cable Services, shared CRU's outlook for wire and cables market.
Wire and cable producers in MENA are operating in a fast-evolving environment. Trade flows are shifting, changing competitive dynamics and procurement strategies. Policy is becoming a cost variable, with CBAM increasingly part of commercial conversations. Technology is accelerating, with AI moving from experimentation to real operational impact — particularly in quality control, automation, and efficiency.
As the flagship wire and cable gathering for producers across the Middle East and North Africa, organised by the Arab Cable Manufacturers Association and hosted by Elsewedy Electric, the Arabcab conference brought together decision-makers to discuss the forces reshaping the sector, under the timely theme: artificial intelligence and the cable industry.
CRU’s cable raw materials outlook: aluminium and copper
In his presentation, Zaid Aljanabi focused on CRU’s view of the outlook for key wire and cable raw materials — specifically aluminium and copper — and how producers can interpret the latest market signals.
Key takeaways from CRU on aluminium and copper
- The latest economic data has painted a robust picture of US consumers spending, but there are also major tensions in both the US and Chinese economy — a reminder that macro resilience can coexist with underlying fragilities.
- Higher aluminium prices will elicit a supply and demand response, reinforcing the importance of monitoring how quickly the industry reacts through restarts, curtailments, substitution, and shifting buying behaviour.
- The recent aluminium LME price surge is probably overdone. CRU expects prices may drop back, but remain elevated due to low stock levels, keeping a floor under sentiment.
- Copper demand is benefitting from secular trends, which may help offset any business cycle weakness — a key theme as electrification-related demand becomes more structurally embedded.
- Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) demand will be a key source of growth. CRU’s view is that this demand is likely to be met by growing capacity and supply from China, with important implications for global trade and competitive positioning.
For wire and cable manufacturers, these dynamics reinforce a central message: raw materials are not just an input cost — they are a strategic variable that influences pricing, procurement, hedging, inventory policy, and customer negotiations.
