US exports of aluminium scrap up 12% YoY in 2018; Chine & South Korea top the importer list

According to the latest report from US Geological Survey, the US exports of aluminium scrap, which is not included in the government’s consumption statistics, came in at 1.76 million tonnes in 2018. The figure was up 190,000 tonnes or 12.1 per cent from 2017 total of 1.57 million tonnes.

{newsStudioGallery}

Total scrap exports increased from 148,000 tonnes to 167,000 tonnes in December, representing an increase of 19,000 tonnes or 12.84 per cent year-on-year. On month-on-month basis, exports dropped 5.11 per cent from the November export volume of 176,000 tonnes.

The U.S. exports to China in 2018 stood at 505,000 tonnes, down 38.41 per cent from 2017 export volume of 820,000 tonnes. The export stood at 43,400 tonnes in December. This was down 42.29 per cent year-on-year, but up 13.32 per cent month-on-month.

Exports to South Korea increased to 33.15 per cent year-on-year to 241,000 tonnes in 2018. The US had exported 181,000 tonnes in 2017. In December alone, the exports volume came in at 22,200 tonnes.

Exports to India jumped 173.76 per cent year-on-year to 216,000 tonnes in 2018. The US exported 21,600 tonnes of aluminium scrap in December 2018. This records an increase of 187.23 per cent year-on-year.

On the import side, the U.S. imported 695,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap in 2018, up 1.46 per cent from 685,000 tonnes in 2017. In December, total aluminium scrap imports stood at 48,400 tonnes.