Demand for magnesium grew an estimated 6% in 2005 with diecasting being the fastest growing segment (10%). Demand from the aluminum segment grew 3%. With the continued development efforts made by European OEMs, Europe is shoving the fastest growth rate than North America who is slowly/ painfully recovering from a difficult period for its car manufacturing industry. Asia in the meantime continues is steady growth in the use of magnesium in automotive and electronics/consumers goods. Specifically, China's rapid development into downstream manufacturing appears to be well engaged, paving the way to further increase of internal consumption for both pure magnesium but also magnesium alloys. Sustained high energy costs combined with historically high aluminum prices should create optimal penetration opportunities for magnesium in structural and powertrain applications worldwide which offer significant growth potential for magnesium alloys. Finally, continued investment in the current R&D efforts in Europe, America, China and Japan and Israel should inevitably lead to the better acceptance of magnesium in a greater array of applications not only in a utomotive but in other high volume magnesium applications.
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