Secondary Aluminium Demand Keeps Strong in Japan

Japanese production of secondary aluminium and aluminium alloy ingot increased by 2.2% to 89,469 tonnes and the shipment increased by 1.7% to 91,055 tonnes in June from a year ago, according to Japan Aluminium Alloy Refiners Association. Both the production and the shipment hit the records as June when the production increased for 11 months and the shipment for 13 months in a row. Both keep the gradually increasing trend with the brisk demand for automotive parts to be exported.The shipment of secondary aluminium and aluminium alloy ingot increased by 2% for castings and by 2.7% for die castings in June from a year ago. The shipment increased by 16.7% for steel products, which decreased in May from a year earlier. The shipment for flat products decreased in June from a year ago due to the low demand for aluminium cans. The shipment for extrusions also decreased by around 10% with the slow demand for constructions.The production and the shipment decreased in June from a year ago for billet and base metal, while increased for secondary aluminium ingot, aluminium alloy ingot and master alloy. The production and the shipment increased around Tokyo and Nagoya in June from a year earlier, while that decreased in West Japan including Osaka, Kyusyu, Shikoku and Chugoku regions.