North American aluminum demand up 15.2% on year in first 11 months of 2010

Washington （Platts）---Aluminum demand in the US and Canada （shipments by domestic producers plus imports） totaled an estimated 18.849 billion pounds during the first 11 months of 2010, 15.2% above the same period of 2009, according to preliminary estimates from the Aluminum Association.

Demand for aluminum mill products was up 11.4% to 13.018 billion lb. Apparent consumption （demand less exports） in domestic markets was an estimated 15.918 billion lb, 15.4% above 2009. Exports of aluminum ingot and mill products from the US and Canada （excluding cross-border trade） totaled 2.931 billion lb through November, 13.9% above last year, while imports totaled 3.356 billion lb, up 1.4%.

The Aluminum Association, in cooperation with the Aluminium Association of Canada, said primary aluminum production in the US and Canada was down 1.4% in 2010 to a total of 4.69 million mt. During December, the annual rate of production totaled 4.726 million mt, up less than 1% over the previous month. Compared with a year ago, the annual rate of production in December was 1.2% above the December 2009 rate of 4.757 million mt.

For November, demand for aluminum mill products in the US and Canada fell 6.7% from October to an estimated 1.123 billion lb. Compared with a year ago, demand for mill products was up 7.8%.

Aluminum sheet and plate demand totaled 687 million lb in November, off 6.6% from October, while extruded products decreased 7.3% to 224 million lb.

Estimated shipments of aluminum ingot for castings, exports and other uses totaled 578 million lb in November, increasing 7% over October levels. Apparent consumption in domestic US and Canada markets was 1.369 billion lb in November, down 7.9% from October, but 6.5% over the year-ago levels.

Producer inventories totaled 2.214 billion lb in November, off 2.1% from the October total of 2.261 billion lb. Compared with a year ago, producer inventory levels were up 12%.

The US aluminum industry purchased an estimated 622 million lb of aluminum scrap during October, according to the US Geological Survey. That was down 16.5% from a year ago. USGS estimates that recovery of aluminum and aluminum alloys totaled 500 million lb in October, down 20.4% from last year.

Through the first 10 months of 2010, recovery of aluminum from scrap totaled an estimated 4.956 billion lb, off 13.7% from 2009. US exports of scrap not included in the government's consumption statistics, totaled 356 million lb during October, 9.3% above a year ago. Year-to-date, exports of scrap totaled 3.359 billion lb, 20.1% over levels reported for same period of 2009.

Aluminum imports of ingot, scrap and mill products into the US and Canada （excluding cross-border trade） totaled 285 million lb in November, 1.2% below the 2009 total of 288 million lb. During the first 11 months of 2010, imports totaled 3.681 billion lb, up 3.6% over the 3.552 billion lb reported for the same period of 2009. Including scrap, exports totaled 688 million lb in November, up 12% over a year ago. Year-to-date, exports totaled 6.646 billion lb, 15.9% above last year. Excluding scrap, exports totaled 2.931 billion lb year-to-date, up 13.9%.