Aluminium demand and apparent consumption in the US and Canada up in 2016

According to Preliminary estimates, aluminium demand in the United States and Canada that include shipments by domestic producers plus imports totalled an estimated 13 million tons in 2016, up 2.0 per cent over 2015. Demand for semi-fabricated (mill) products totalled 9.1 million tons, slightly up YOY. Apparent consumption (demand less exports) in domestic markets totalled an estimated 11.5 million tons, up 1.2 per cent YOY.

Demand for aluminium semi-fabricated (mill) products in the United States and Canada including shipments by domestic producers plus imports remains flat YOY at an estimated 6,71,000 tons in December. Shipments of aluminium sheet and plate stood at 3,90,500 tons in December.

Extruded product shipments were off 3.3 per cent YOY to 1,83,000 tons. Estimated shipments of aluminium ingot for castings, exports and other uses stood at 2,93,500 tons, down 2.9 per cent YOY. Apparent consumption in domestic U.S. and Canada markets totalled 8,48,500 tons in December, up 1.2% YOY.  Apparent consumption for 2016 stood at an estimated 11.5 million tons, up 1.2 per cent YOY. Producer inventories stood at 1.5 million tons in December, up 10.6 per cent from November 2016 and up 2.9 per cent YOY.

The Association’s “Index of Net New Orders of Aluminum Mill Products” for January increased 12.5 per cent MoM. Orders for flat roll products were up 8.6 per cent, while orders for extruded products increased 29.5 per cent and orders for redraw rod were up 12.1 per cent MoM. Orders increased 6.4 per cent YOY.

Exports of aluminium ingot and mill products from the U.S. and Canada totalled 1.5 million tons in 2016, up 8.3 per cent YOY, while imports were up 33.8 per cent to 3.7 million tons.

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Aluminium imports of ingot, scrap and mill products into the U.S. and stood at 3,51,000 tons in December 2016, up 69.6 per cent YOY. Exports including scrap stood at 2,36,000 tons in January, down 7.3 per cent YOY. Exports of ingot and mill products for 2016 were up 8.3 per cent from 2015 and exports of scrap remain flat in December YOY. Total imports in 2016 were up 33.6 per cent to 3.9 million tons over 2015, while exports were down 3.4 per cent to 3 million tons.