Weak Japan Aluminium Housing Material Demand in F2007

Japanese aluminium construction materials demand is estimated to decrease by 0.4% to 450,000 tonnes in fiscal 2007 starting April compared with previous year, including aluminium sashes, doors and exteriors, announced by Japan Sash Manufacturers Association on Friday. The total demand would represent year-to-year decrease for 3 years in a row. Demand of aluminium housing materials maintains weak in Japan and seems unlikely to recover soon.Domestic demand of aluminium construction materials would decrease for all items other than aluminium fixtures in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006. The demand continues decreasing for sashes in wooden houses, the largest application of aluminium housing materials.In Japan new residential construction starts are forecasted to decrease by 0.8% to 1.28 million starts in fiscal 2007 from fiscal 2006. Aluminium sash demand would decrease by 1% to 291,000 tonnes in fiscal 2007 from previous year with less new housing starts and demand shift from aluminium sash to resin sash.