UBC Market Price Keeps Flat Around Tokyo

The market price of UBC (used beverage can) keeps flat around Tokyo. Local secondary aluminium alloy makers are purchasing UBC at around 200-205 yen per kilogram in cash without freight.The alloy makers and scrap dealers almost agreed to set the UBC price unchanged for shipment in the first half of May compared with the second half of April. UBC supply maintains tight with strong demand from secondary aluminium alloy makers and deoxidizing agent makers, though UBC generation is gradually increasing in spring. UBC price was unchanged reflecting the supply tightness.On the other hand, a local major aluminium can recycler decreased its UBC purchasing price by 10 yen per kg in May. The recycler had raised the UBC price by 15-20 yen per kg in the first half of April to secure the volume. The recycler could refill UBC inventory thanks to the price hike. Current purchasing prices by the recycler and other secondary aluminium alloy makers seem to become almost same.Demand for RSI (re-melted scrap ingot) is rather slow even though Japanese aluminium re-rollers entered the season to produce can materials before summer. A RSI maker source said their order receptions for RSI are decreasing by 10% year-on-year. Aluminium re-rollers seem using primary aluminium ingot rather than RSI since RSI price is higher than primary aluminium recently.