Alumina, Colombia's aluminium producer, expects sales to rise 8% this year as demand from the country's construction industry rises.

Alumina controls 50% of Colombia's aluminum market, and ceocarlos echeverri said the company is currently reducing its exports to the United States, South America and Central America, with 70% of its business focused on the local construction market. About 30% of the aluminum products imported from China, Mexico and Ecuador are from other local enterprises.

Echeverri said alumina's sales fell 4.2% to 2.3 billion pesos ($119 million) last year, of which 20 million came from exports, mainly because of the decline in aluminum prices and competition from China's import price reduction. Since then, aluminum prices have rebounded, with London Metal Exchange trading at $2100 a tonne on Tuesday, the highest in 18 months.

Sales from the local energy and transportation industries fell by 30%, while demand for certain aluminium products in the construction industry rose by as much as 30%.

He added that the company has stopped producing wafers and industrial foils, focusing on 36 new products, including building profiles, door and window profiles and other customized products for customers.