Due to increasing fuel prices lightweight design is an important factor in the automotive industry. Especially light alloys play a crucial role for weight reduction. The impact extrusion process of aluminium is an important manufacturing method for production of semifinished products, which are further processed by cutting and finally used in the automotive industry. New competitors in North America and China are increasing the cost pressure, which requires process optimizations. In this work different fabrication methods for semifinished products for impact extrusion are analyzed and economical and technological aspects are compared. A comparison between traditional and state-of-the-art production routes is done. Based on an input-output analysis the alternatives are compared by economic and ecologic aspects, allowing a substantiated examination. Based on a material analysis, the pressure during impact extrusion is estimated and input data for simulation purposes is generated. Through the comprehensive analysis, options for technological optimizations are revealed to attenuate disadvantages of alternatives with economic advantages, ensuring technological leadership. In terms of Generic Management, aspects of quality, environmental and risk management are discussed.