Japan Aluminium Output Hits Record in F2006

Japanese output of secondary and alloyed aluminium ingot increased by 3.6% to record 1.08 million tonnes in fiscal 2006 ended March 2007 from fiscal 2005, announced by Japan Aluminium Alloy Refiners Association on Tuesday. The shipment increased by 3.7% to record 1.085 million tonnes with firm demand for automobile. The output and shipment increased for 5 years in a row.

The shipment increased by 3.4% to 288,676 tonnes for castings and by 5.4% to 589,869 tonnes for die-castings in fiscal 2006 from fiscal 2005 under firm demand. The flat products shipment increased by 0.1% to 74,820 tonnes while the shipment decreased by 1.3% to 68,638 tonnes for extrusion and by 5.0% to 27,513 tonnes for steel.

Japanese automobile export increases while the domestic automobile output decreased in March from a year earlier, which dropped for the first time in 17 months. The aluminium shipment is likely to keep high level in fiscal 2007 due to firm automobile demand.

See attached table.