Japanese domestic demand for aluminium architectural materials will increase by 2.6% to 369,000 tonnes in fiscal 2012 starting in April, announced by Japan Sash Manufacturers Association on March 15. The association sees the volume will represent year-to-year increase for three years in a row thanks to Japanese government’s tax benefit programs mainly for environment-friendly residents.
The demand of aluminium sashes adopted to wooden houses is forecasted to increase by 1.9% to 132,000 tonnes in fiscal 2012 from fiscal 2011. The association estimated Japanese new housing starts would increase by 1.6% to 832,000 units in fiscal 2012 from fiscal 2011 along the governmental tax benefit programs. The demand for aluminium sashes used for buildings is forecasted to increase by 3% to 94,000 tonnes. Japanese new floor starts of non-wooden buildings are expected to increase by 3% to 76 million square meters in fiscal 2012 from the previous fiscal year. Many construction projects of office buildings are progressed mainly around Tokyo. The association didn’t involve the demand related to restorations in the disaster areas of the Japan Earthquake. Restorations haven’t progressed yet and the movement seems still slow in fiscal 2012. Large building construction projects have almost been fixed for fiscal 2012. Thus the association analyzes the total demand would not increase largely along with the restorations.