Japan Secondary Al Shipment Increases by 2.7% in February

Japanese secondary aluminium and aluminium alloy production totaled 68,167 tonnes in February, plus by 1.3% from a year earlier, according to Japan Aluminium Alloy Refiners Association. The shipment increased by 2.7% to 69,310 tonnes. Both of the production and the shipment represented year-on-year plus for 2 months in a row.

The shipment showed year-to-year plus for die casting, casting and flat rolled products. Especially the shipment for casting increased by 8.6% thanks to the stable export of automotive pistons and wheels.

Meanwhile, the shipment represented year-on-year decrease for steel making and alloy making. The shipment also decreased for extrusion but the range of decline narrowed compared with the level in January, entering the demand season of Japanese fiscal year end.

Secondary aluminium and aluminium alloy makers increased procurement of domestic materials in February, according to the statistics. Especially their procurement volume of domestic base metal increased by 18% from January when imported base metal prices were relatively high.

In March, secondary aluminium and aluminium alloy production would decrease largely since both secondary aluminium producers and users, such as automakers and die casting makers, temporarily suspended their plants in East Japan after Japan Earthquake. Plant operations were also lowered by TEPCO’s power outage plan.