N. American aluminum shipments rose in Sept. -Assn

NEW YORK Dec 7 （Reuters） - Demand for U.S. and Canadian aluminum products, measured as shipments from domestic producers plus imports, rose 9.9 percent in September from a year ago, but slipped 0.1 percent from August, an aluminum industry group said in its latest report.

On a year-to-date basis, aluminum shipments jumped 16.9 percent, the report said.

Total demand increased to an estimated 1,795.1 million lbs in September from 1,633.3 million lbs in September 2009, but edged down from 1,797.1 million lbs shipped in August, according to the Aluminum Association's latest Aluminum Situation report.

Year-to-date through September, aluminum shipments were up at 15,400.7 million lbs from 13,179.1 million lbs for the first nine months of 2009.

Demand for semi-fabricated, or mill, products rose by 7.8 percent in September to 1,214.4 million lbs from 1,126.3 million lbs in September 2009, but were down by 1.3 percent from August, when 1,230.9 million lbs were shipped.

In its breakdown of U.S. and Canadian mill products, the association said, demand for aluminum sheet and plate jumped 8.0 percent to 726.8 million lbs in September from 673.2 million lbs in September 2009, but fell by 0.5 percent from 730.5 million lbs shipped in August.

Shipments of extruded products went up by 4.0 percent to 265.9 million lbs in September from 255.8 million lbs in September 2009, but slipped 4.9 percent from 279.6 million lbs in August.

September shipments of aluminum ingot for castings and other uses soared 14.5 percent to 580.7 million lbs in September from September 2009's 507.0 million lbs shipped. Ingot shipments were 2.6 percent higher than 566.2 million lbs shipped in August, the aluminum report said.

The industry group also said U.S. and Canadian producer inventories rose by 8.3 percent in September to 2,208.0 million lbs from 2,038.3 million lbs in September 2009, and by 1.2 percent from 2,181.4 million lbs in August.

The Association's index of net new orders of aluminum mill products declined by 5.8 percent in October from September, and follows a drop of 4.0 percent in September from August.

The net new orders index was down 2.8 percent in October compared with the comparable 2009 month.

Total imports of ingot, scrap and mill products into the U.S. and Canada, excluding cross-border trade, totaled 368.5 million lbs in September, a 19.9 percent advance on year-earlier imports of 307.5 million lbs, and 15.2 percent more than 320.1 million lbs in August.

Total exports grew by 13.9 percent in September to 622.8 from 546.6 million lbs in September 2009. Exports were up by 0.5 percent over August at 619.9 million lbs. （Reporting by Carole Vaporean; Editing by David Gregorio）