Japan Aluminium Demand Hit Record in 2005

Japanese aluminium demand increased by 0.3% to record 4.349 million tonnes in 2005 from 2004, announced by Japan Aluminium Association on Monday. The demand increased for 4 consecutive years. The firm demand for automobile lifted the total demand despite of the lower demand for construction. The demand for transportation increased by 7.0% to 1.663 million tonnes in 2005 from 2004. The largest consuming sector kept the firm demand after 2004. The demand for civil works and metal products decreased. The can demand was slow after the demand surged due to very hot summer in 2004. The export decreased by more than 10%. The demand increased by 3.7% to 412,456 tonnes for castings and by 8.6% to 1.026 million tonnes for die-castings in 2005 from 2004. The rolling products demand decreased by 4.3% to 2.35 million tonnes. The higher demand for castings and die-castings, which are used mainly for automobile, covered the lower demand for rolled products and electric wire. The import increased by 13.1% to 250,268 tonnes. The demand increased by 7.9% to 1.569 million tonnes for automobile in 2005 from 2004 while the demand decreased by 1.6% to 437,161 tonnes for can, by 3.6% to 152,253 tonnes for foil, by 17.3% to 35,245 tonnes for ship, airplane and railcar and by 2.3% to 494,488 tonnes for sash and door. The demand was flat at 47,898 tonnes for electronics and communications. The demand was firm for automobile while the demand was slow for foil, construction materials and liquid natural gas carrier.