North American aluminum demand up 18% for January-August

North American aluminum demand -- shipments by domestic producers plus imports -- totaled an estimated 13.594 billion lb during the first eight months of the year, 17.7% above a year ago, according to preliminary estimates by the Aluminum Association.

Demand for mill products was up 13% to a total of 9.464 billion lb. Apparent consumption （demand less exports） in domestic markets totaled an estimated 11.530 billion lb, 18.3% above 2009. Exports of aluminum ingot and mill products from the US and Canada （excluding cross-border trade） totaled2.064 billion lb through August, 14.8% above last year, while imports totaled2.477 billion lb, down 1.3%.

Demand for aluminum mill products in the US and Canada, measured in shipments by domestic producers plus imports, declined 1.1% from the previous month to an estimated 1.226 billion lb in August. Compared with a year ago, demand for mill products was up 9.2%. Aluminum sheet and plate totaled 730million lb in August, off 2.1% from July, while extruded products increased to277 million lb.

Estimated shipments of aluminum ingot for castings, exports and other uses totaled 565 million lb in August, jumping 17.9% over July levels.

Apparent consumption in domestic US and Canada markets totaled 1.525 billion lb in August, up 6.8% over the previous month and 13% over last year's levels.

For the January-August period, total demand rose by 17.7% to 13.594 billion lb, with apparent consumption increasing 18.3% to 11.530 billion lb.

Producer inventories totaled 2.202 billion lb in August, down 2.6% from the July total of 2.262 billion lb. Compared with a year ago, producer inventory levels were up 5.9%.

The US aluminum industry purchased an estimated 642 million lb of aluminum scrap during August, according to the US Geological Survey. This represented an increase of 2.8% over the revised July total of 624 million, but was off 10.7% from a year ago. USGS estimated that recovery of aluminum and aluminum alloys in August totaled 518 million lb, 14.9% below last year.

For January-August, recovery of aluminum from scrap totaled an estimated3.951 billion lb, off 12.5% from 2009. US exports of scrap, not included in the government's consumption statistics, totaled 353 million lb during August, up 6.8% over the 331 million lb reported in August 2009. For Janurary-August, exports of scrap totaled 2.657 billion lb, 22.3% over levels reported for same period of 2009.