Aluminum/ACCELERATING ALUMINUM -- Because of markets like aerospace, automotive, truck and trailer, and oil and gas, aluminum is on an upward trajectory

摘要

"WE THINK IT'S AN EXCITING time for the aluminum industry, and despite all the doom and gloom you read in the newspapers every day, the fundamentals are quite solid. We are looking at our industry as a growth industry; obviously, there are some differences in markets and geography, but overall, we're very bullish about the future," commented Jean-Marc Germain, senior vice president and president, Novelis North America, at a press conference during Aluminum Week, Sept. 12-15 in Chicago. According to the Arlington, Va.-based Aluminum Association's August 2011 Aluminum Situation report, preliminary estimates of aluminum demand show a year-to-date increase through June— 7.4 percent above 2010 numbers. Demand for semi-fabricated (mill) products was up 4.9 percent, and year-to-date apparent consumption in domestic markets was 3.7 percent above the previous year. Additionally, the report noted exports of aluminum ingot and mill products from the United States and Canada (excluding cross-border trade) were up 27.4 percent over last year's numbers.