The Aluminum Association, Arlington, Va., reports that the aluminum industry in the United States and Canada saw year-over-year demand growth of 5% through the end of 2014. The estimated 25.5 billion pounds of aluminum shipped by North American producers and fabricators is the largest shipment total for the industry since 2006. Total mill product shipments grew 4.5% in 2014, led by growth in the extrusion, foil and sheet, and plate markets.
“We’re seeing steady demand growth across many of our key markets,” said Ryan Olsen, Vice President of Business Information & Statistics for the Aluminum Association. “Orders of aluminum mill products are also on the rise, a leading indicator of continued growth for the industry into 2015.”
“The growth in North American demand for aluminum in 2014 was all the more impressive given the harsh winter weather the region experienced at the start of the year, and the significant impact it had on operations,” Mr. Olsen said. “Demand grew just eight-tenths of one percent year-over-year during the first four months (January – April), compared to a year-over-year increase of 7.1% over the final eight months.”
According to this latest data, demand for aluminum has grown by 38.3% since the depths of the Great Recession in 2009, and the industry continues to expand. Over the past two years, Aluminum Association member companies have announced domestic plant expansions and planned investment totaling more than $2.3 billion. These investments are intended to capture and meet anticipated demand growth for aluminum in the automotive sector as automakers strive to make lighter and more fuel-efficient vehicles. The investments announced to date could increase industry auto sheet capacity by more than 2 billion pounds over the next decade.
