Alcoa continues to project steady growth in its end markets in 2015

Alcoa’s strategy to build its innovative value-add portfolio, both organically and inorganically, remained on course in the second quarter. And the company continues to project steady growth in 2015 across the majority of its end markets.

In the aerospace sector, the Company expects global sales growth of 8 to 9 percent in 2015. The 2015 forecast shifted one point on a slower ramp up primarily in the A350 and Bombardier C Series, and future estimated growth rates have been revised upward. Projections for 2016 and 2017 aerospace sales growth have nearly doubled to 8 and 13 percent, from 4 to 5 percent and 6 percent, respectively, showing the ongoing strength of the sector.

Alcoa sees increasing orders in the North American heavy duty truck and trailer market, and projects 9 to 11 percent growth for 2015, up from the previous forecast of 6 to 8 percent growth. In the global heavy duty truck and trailer market, the Company is lowering its projection for the year to a decline of 4 to 6 percent, from a decline of 2 to 4 percent, on slower economic growth in Brazil and China.

In the automotive, building and construction, industrial gas turbine, and packaging end markets, the Company’s global forecasts remain unchanged. Alcoa estimates a global automotive production increase of 2 to 4 percent for the year, with a 1 to 4 percent rise in North America; 5 to 7 percent global sales growth in the commercial building and construction market; 1 to 3 percent global airfoil market growth in the industrial gas turbine market; and a 2 to 3 percent global sales increase in the packaging market.

Alcoa continues to project robust global aluminum demand growth of 6.5 percent in 2015.