Compared to April 2011, net new orders of mill products reported by domestic producers increased 3.7%.
A significant increase was seen in demand for semi-fabricated or mill products which increased 7.9% over Q1 2011. Total demand for semi-fabricated products climbed 5.4% over March 2011.
A 3.0% and 12.7% increase was seen in March’s demand for sheet and plate and extruded products, respectively.
Domestic aluminium production increased slightly in April after slipping in January and February from a two-year continuous upward momentum. Primary production in April 2012 rose 2,056 metric tons/year over March 2012’s rate.
Secondary aluminium recovery increased 13.0% over March 2011, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Electrical wire and cable used in buildings applications and electrical transmission has increased 28.8% for the first four months of 2012. “Aluminum’s high conductivity and low-weight make it the material of choice for power transmission lines,” said Heidi Brock, President of the Aluminum Association.
Likewise, the Ducker Report expects aluminium as a percentage of the automotive material mix to double by 2025 to 16%. The apparent consumption of aluminium in the North American market increased 7.0% over March 2011 to 1,688 million pounds and producer inventories declined two-tenths of one percent from March 2011.