Itochu Corporation plans to increase primary aluminium and semi-finished aluminium sales by around 30% to more than 240,000 tonnes from Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL) and Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) to Japanese buyers in 2011 from 2010. Itochu Corporation expects the sales volume is slightly more than original plan due to strong demand for A356 alloy for castings and billet. The firm targets annual 300,000 tonnes of sales as early as possible by launching slab sales from EMAL.
Itochu Corporation planned 230,000 tonnes of P1020 ingot, billet, high purity aluminium ingot and A356 alloy sales from DUBAL and EMAL as of the beginning of the year. Itochu Corporation supplies the materials to transplants of Japanese users in Southeast Asia and India along with domestic buyers. The aluminium sales decreased earlier the year temporarily after the major earthquake when domestic automakers reduced the operation. However, the firm expects the sales increases in the second half of the year when domestic automakers increase the production. Itochu Corporation increases the aluminium sales more by starting EMAL’s slab sales in Japanese market. EMAL already sells the slab in South Korea and Japanese users already recognize the high quality. Itochu Corporation also expects DUBAL’s billet sales in Japan due to the high quality and cost competitiveness.