1060 aluminum plate remains one of the most economical, highly formable, and corrosion-resistant pure-aluminum products for non-structural parts in 2025; typical market prices in 2025 vary widely by region, volume, temper and trade terms — roughly $2,200–$3,500 per metric ton (≈ $2.20–$3.50 per kg) for standard mill-finish 1060 sheets from major Chinese suppliers, while landed/distributor prices in North America and Europe are commonly higher because of premiums, tariffs and fabrication costs.
What is 1060 aluminum? (short technical profile)
We treat AA 1060 (EN AW-1060 / UNS A91060) as a commercially pure aluminum in the 1000 series. Its chemical composition is dominated by aluminum (≥99.6%), and it cannot be strengthened by heat treatment — it gains strength only through cold work. The alloy is prized for very good ductility, excellent corrosion resistance, and strong electrical and thermal conductivity relative to many alloys in the 2000–7000 series.
Short practical takeaway: pick 1060 where formability, conductivity and corrosive environment performance matter more than high mechanical strength.
Why pricing varies — the cost drivers for 1060 plate
We separate price drivers into upstream and downstream factors:
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Raw aluminum market (primary metal): primary aluminum/LME price sets the base. Movements in LME and regional spot markets are transmitted into sheet prices.
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Regional premiums and logistics: markets add region-specific premiums (freight, inland transport, insurance, packaging). In the U.S. the “Midwest premium” has meaningfully increased overall landed cost in 2025.
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Alloy type and processing: 1060 is lower-cost because it is a low-alloy, high-Al content alloy, but value-adds (anodizing, tempering, surface finishing, cut-to-size) raise price.
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Order size & business terms: MOQ, FOB vs CIF, credit terms (L/C vs T/T), and whether the buyer accepts standard coil/plate sizes impact unit price.
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Tariffs, taxes and trade policy: changes in import duties or export controls increase landed cost; distribution channels add markups. Market reports in 2025 show how trade policy affected domestic sheet premiums.
2025 market snapshot — headline numbers and interpretation
We analyzed supplier quotes, marketplace listings and market reports to summarize typical price bands for standard mill-finish 1060 plate in 2025. The following are representative market ranges (not fixed offers). Suppliers often quote by ton, kilogram or by custom cut dimension; always request a written FOB/CIF quote.
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China (FOB factory / trading company) — commonly quoted ~$2,200–$2,800 per metric ton for generic mill-finish 1060 sheets in 2025 depending on quantity and temper. Many China B2B listings and factory pages sit in this band.
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Indian domestic — spot and primary cash prices in 2025 show around $2.80–$3.00 per kg for certain domestic offerings (≈ $2,800–$3,000/ton), reflecting local production costs and market demand.
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Europe (distributor/wholesale) — European sheet prices for 1000-series can be higher; price indices show values in the $3,000–$3,400/ton band for comparable products in 2025.
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North America (landed/distributor) — base LME values plus regional premiums, tariffs and transport frequently place finished sheet prices higher than primary metal quotes; many buyers see distributor prices well above factory FOB, depending on quantity and processing. Industry reporting on premiums and on-the-ground distributor price lists confirm the upward pressure.
Note: online retailer listings for small retail pieces will show very different per-unit prices (higher) compared with bulk tonnage FOB quotes.
How grades / tempers / finishes affect price and selection
We break this down into short bullets — these are the principal specification choices that influence price:
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Temper (O, H12/H14/H16/H18) — harder tempers (more cold work) cost more because of extra processing and lower yields.
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Thickness & sheet size — custom thicknesses or non-standard sizes may carry surcharges; very thin foils and very thick plate have differing mill processes and price offsets.
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Surface finish (mill, bright, polished, anodized) — anodizing or mirror polishing adds a premium.
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Certification & testing — If you require material certificates (mill certs, EN 10204 3.1) or third-party inspections, expect higher unit cost.
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Special packaging / flatness tolerances — specially prepared shipments for sensitive customers are more expensive.
Practical tip: match the temper and finish to the function — do not over-specify strength or surface treatments that are not required; excess specification is an easy way to raise the unit price unnecessarily.
Common applications and demand patterns that influence pricing
We track primary demand categories where 1060 is favored:
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Electrical components & heat-sinks because of good conductivity
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Decoration and architectural facing where surface appearance and formability matter.
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Shallow-draw cookware, reflectors and lighting components due to excellent deep-drawing characteristics.
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Jacketing for insulation and chemical tanks where corrosion resistance is required but high strength is not.
Seasonal and project-driven demand in manufacturing (e.g., appliance runs, lighting programs, solar reflector orders) will create spikes that feed through to short-term pricing.
Buying strategies to reduce landed cost
We recommend the following practical approaches that we use internally or advise our clients:
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Buy by the ton if possible — MOQ drives unit economics; small qty retail purchases carry steep per-kg pricing.
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Consolidate processing with the mill — ask suppliers to deliver cut-to-size or pre-anodized finished stock at scale to reduce downstream handling.
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Opt for standard tempers and sizes — avoid bespoke thicknesses that trigger additional rolling or annealing runs.
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Negotiate trade terms (FOB vs CIF) and use local logistics partners — sometimes a slightly higher FOB price plus efficient local freight is cheaper than a low-priced CIF offer with hidden fees.
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Request LME-linked or index-linked pricing for multi-shipment contracts — this reduces volatility risk for both buyer and seller. Industry advisory services can help set fair index clauses.
Quality, inspection and EEAT compliance for product pages
As we prepare web content for buyers and search engines, we apply EEAT (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) rules:
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Expert voice and verifiable specs: include chemical composition, mechanical properties, recognized standards and typical tempers.
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User-centered advice: clearly state when 1060 is a good choice and when an alternative alloy (e.g., 3003 or 5052) is preferable.
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Transparent sourcing language: indicate whether prices are FOB, CIF, or distributor and emphasize they are indicative, not binding.
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Practical datasets: include concise tables (chemical, mechanical, pricing snapshots) and a clear FAQ addressing common procurement and technical questions.
Case study (practical): sourcing a 3 mm × 1.25 m × 2.5 m 1060 mill finish plate
We walk through how we estimate landed cost for a single representative purchase:
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Calculate material weight: 3 mm thickness → 0.003 m. Area = 1.25 m × 2.5 m = 3.125 m². Volume = 3.125 × 0.003 = 0.009375 m³. Density of aluminum ≈ 2,700 kg/m³ → weight ≈ 25.31 kg.
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Factory FOB unit cost (example): if factory quote is $2.50/kg (≈ $2,500/ton) → plate raw price ≈ $63.27.
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Processing & cutting surcharge: small cut & deburr fee (example) ≈ $10–$25 depending on supplier.
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Packing & freight (LCL / small parcel): could add $20–$60 for small quantities.
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Import duties & local VAT: varies by market; check tariff lines — duties may be 0–10% for aluminum sheet depending on country and trade measures.
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Total landed for small order: likely $120–$200 per plate in a small-quantity retail purchase; for bulk orders per-kg landed cost will be much closer to the factory per-kg quote.
This illustrates why small retail purchases appear expensive on e-commerce sites compared with FOB bulk quotations.
Global price comparison
Below is a practical table showing representative 2025 price bands for standard mill-finish 1060 sheet/plate. These are compiled ranges from marketplace quotes and market reports; treat them as indicative.
| Region / Channel | Typical 2025 range (USD/metric ton) | Approx (USD/kg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| China — factory/FOB (major suppliers) | $2,200 – $2,800 | $2.20–$2.80/kg | Many B2B factory listings sit here for tonnage orders. |
| India — domestic spot | $2,800 – $3,000 | $2.80–$3.00/kg | Primary cash regional pricing observed mid-2025. |
| Europe — distributor / wholesale | $3,000 – $3,400 | $3.00–$3.40/kg | Reflects higher regional sheet indices and distribution costs. |
| North America — landed/distributor | $3,200 – $4,200+ | $3.20–$4.20/kg | LME base + regional premium/tariff & distributor markup; retail slices higher. |
| Retail / cut-to-size (global online) | varies widely; small qty often far higher | often $5–$20/kg equivalent | Small pieces and cut panels on marketplaces have large per-unit premiums. |
Interpretation: the cheapest unit prices appear in FOB factory quotes out of China; after shipping, premiums, processing and distributor margins, the landed per-kg price typically increases for buyers in Europe and North America.
FAQs
Q1 — What is the single best way to get the lowest per-kg price for 1060 plate?
Buy in large tonnage with standard temper/size, accept FOB factory terms, and request factory packing without extra finishing. Consolidating purchases into one shipment reduces per-kg freight and handling surcharges.
Q2 — Are online retail prices useful for cost planning?
They are useful only for understanding small-quantity retail costs. For procurement planning, rely on supplier FOB/CIF quotes and regional index reports because retail listings include disproportionate cut, packaging and marketplace fees.
Q3 — How much does tempering or anodizing add to cost?
It depends on batch size and finish spec; expect processing surcharges that range from small single-digit percent for simple anodizing to larger per-piece fees for complex surface work. Always ask for a separate line item in the quote.
Q4 — Is 1060 suitable where structural strength is required?
No — 1060 is not a structural alloy. For load-bearing parts choose alloyed grades (e.g., 5000 or 6000 series) that give higher yield strength. 1060 is chosen for formability, conductivity and corrosion resistance.
Q5 — What variables should I include when requesting a supplier quote?
Request exact dimensions, temper, finish, tolerance, required certificates, desired trade term (FOB/CIF/DDP), expected delivery port and payment term. This lets suppliers give apples-to-apples offers and avoids hidden adders.
