Aluminum Association updates on downstream market, U.S. & Canada

Estimated net shipments of Aluminum Sheet and Plate by U.S. and Canadian producers totaled 662.2 million pounds during January 2014, a decline of five-tenths of one percent from the January 2013 total of 665.4 million pounds. Compared to the previous month, shipments increased 9.9 percent over the December 2013 revised total of 602.5 million pounds. Preliminary shipments for 2013 totaled 8,014.6 million pounds, off three-tenths of one percent from the 2012 total of 8,040.5 million pounds. Shipments of Can Stock totaled 348.3 million pounds during January 2014, down 8.3 percent from the January 2013 total of 379.7 million pounds, while shipments of Non-heat Treatable Sheet (excluding Can Stock) rose 9.0 percent to 239.0 million pounds and shipments of All Other Sheet and Plate increased 12.8 percent to 75.0 million pounds.

Shipments of Aluminum Extruded Products (extruded shapes, pipe & tube, and rod & bar) by U.S. and Canadian producers totaled an estimated 365.0 million pounds during January 2014, a rise of 3.4 percent over the January 2013 total of 353.0 million pounds. Compared to the previous month, shipments increased 37.8 percent over the December 2013 revised total of 264.8 million pounds. Preliminary shipments for 2013 totaled a revised 4,194.3 million pounds, up 2.3 percent over the 2012 total of 4,098.2 million pounds.

Shipments of aluminum mill products totaled 1,195 million pounds, five-tenths of one percent below a year ago.

Demand for semi-fabricated (mill) products was up 1.0 percent to a total of 16,461 million pounds. Apparent consumption (demand less exports) in domestic markets totaled an estimated 20,470 million pounds, up 1.2 percent.