Aluminum Association updates on downstream market situation in North America

The Aluminum Association’s “Index of Net New Orders of Aluminum Mill Products” for April decreased 5.5 percent from the previous month. Orders for flat roll products were down 6.8 percent, while orders for extruded products declined seven-tenths of one percent and orders for redraw rod were off 6.3 percent. Compared to April 2014, orders rose 3.0 percent. On average, orders recorded by domestic producers through April were up 6.0 percent over last year. Excluding domestic can stock, year-to-date orders are up 6.1 percent over last year.

Shipments of can stock by domestic producers totaled 337.0 million pounds during April 2015, off 1.4 percent from the April 2014 total of 342.0 million pounds. Compared to the previous month, shipments decreased 6.5 percent from the March 2015 revised total of 360.5 million pounds. Year-to-date shipments through April 2015 totaled 1,368.0 million pounds, down 1.0 percent from the 2014 year-to-date total of 1,382.5 million pounds.

Compared to April 2014, producer shipments of can stock to U.S. markets rose 1.8 percent to 288.7 million pounds while exports decreased 17.4 percent to 48.4 million pounds.

Estimated shipments of Aluminum Foil by U.S. and Canadian producers totaled 81.0 million pounds during April 2015, off 3.4 percent from the April 2014 total of 83.9 million pounds. Compared to the previous month, shipments decreased 5.6 percent from the March 2015 total of 85.8 million pounds. Year-to-date shipments through April 2015 totaled 311.7 million pounds, off 6.9 percent from the 2014 year-to-date total of 334.9 million pounds.

Shipments of Aluminum Powder and Paste to domestic markets by domestic producers, including imports by domestic producers, totaled 7.35 million pounds during April 2015, an increase of 23.8 percent over the April 2014 total of 5.93 million pounds. Compared to the previous month, shipments decreased 9.4 percent from the March 2015 total of 8.11 million pounds. Year-to-date shipments through April 2015 totaled 32.51 million pounds, up 14.3 percent over the year-to-date 2014 total of 28.45 million pounds.

Compared to April 2014, shipments of powder to domestic markets increased 27.0 percent to 6.33 million pounds, while shipments of paste rose 6.8 percent to 1.02 million pounds.

Estimated net shipments of Aluminum Sheet and Plate by U.S. and Canadian producers totaled 684.7 million pounds during April 2015, a rise of 2.9 percent over the April 2014 total of 665.3 million pounds. Compared to the previous month, shipments decreased 5.1 percent from the March 2015 revised total of 721.7 million pounds. Year-to-date shipments through April 2015 totaled 2,735.7 million pounds, up 4.5 percent over the 2014 year-to-date total of 2,617.1 million pounds.

Shipments of Can Stock totaled 337.0 million pounds during April 2015, off 1.4 percent from the April 2014 total of 342.0 million pounds, while shipments of Non-heat Treatable Sheet (excluding Can Stock) were down 6.9 percent to 235.4 million pounds and shipments of All Other Sheet and Plate jumped 59.1 percent to 112.3 million pounds.

New can stock (class) scrap receipts totaled 54.6 million pounds during April 2015, a decrease of 6.3 percent from the April 2014 total of 58.2 million pounds. Compared to the previous month, class scrap receipts were down 2.8 percent from the March 2015 total of 56.2 million pounds. Year-to-date class scrap receipts through April 2015 totaled 221.2 million pounds, off 4.1 percent from the 2014 year-to-date total of 230.6 million pounds.