Japan Rolled Aluminium Shipment Keeps Weak for Cars in June

Japanese aluminium re-rollers’ output of rolled aluminium products, including flat products and extruded products, decreased by 2.2% to 174,772 tonnes in June from a year earlier while the shipment decreased by 0.8% to 178,452 tonnes, according to Japan Aluminium Association. The output and the shipment decreased for the first time in 2 months. The shipment of flat products kept slow for automobile industry. On the other hand, aluminium foil production and shipment represented year-on-year increase for 2 months in a row. The shipment increased for capacitors and foods.

In May, the output of flat products turned to year-on-year increase after 3 months and the shipment showed first year-on-year increase in 5 months. However, both the production and the shipment turned to year-to-year decrease again. The shipment for automobiles dropped by 25.7% to 9,694 tonnes. The shipment of can materials increased by 17.5% to 41,898 tonnes but could not cover weak car related demand.

As for extruded products, both the production and the shipment maintained year-on-year decrease for 3 straight months. The shipment for automobiles decreased by 14.2% to 10,219 tonnes. Meanwhile, the shipment for constructions increased by 7.4% to 41,023 tonnes along recovery of domestic new housing starts.

Aluminium foil shipment for capacitors increased by 2.1% to 4,115 tonnes. The volume hit the record high as June. The demand was steady for capacitors used inside flat televisions and air conditioners. The shipment for foods also maintained year-on-year increase for 3 straight months. The demand increased for instant and retort foods for the shipment to the major earthquake disaster areas of North Japan.