ALUMINUM DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION SHOULD GROW 5.3% THIS YEAR

The consumption of aluminum sheets and plates for use in civil construction, packaging and transportation grew significantly this year in Brazil and helped pull domestic sales of processed metal products. According to figures released by the Brazilian Aluminum Association (ABAL), the industry will finish this year with an average growth of 5.3% in domestic consumption, adding 1.5 million tons, up from 1.4 million tons for all of last year.
For next year, prospects are also positive for the plates and plates, at least for use in the civil construction sector, says Luis Carlos Loureiro Son, Coordinator of the Commission of Economics and statistics of the Association. "There are already many contracts resulting from releases 2011 real estate. As aluminum enters the finishing of buildings, now there is a stronger demand for the product, "said Lena.
According to the data, there was an increase of ABAL 9.2% in the domestic consumption of aluminum this year, considering the estimated volume by the end of December. In the case of the growth plates segment is 8%, when compared to 2012. The figures consider the data already obtained by the entity with the companies in the sector.
In the case of the segment of wire and cables of aluminum, the performance was bad in 2013, with 8.6% drop in household consumption compared to last year. These products have their performance influenced mainly by investments in power transmission lines, says Lena therefore depends a lot of the work schedules of the electric sector.
The Coordinator of Abal ponders that the current fall in this segment is also the strong base of comparison last year, with the demand for aluminum wires and cables for the Jirau hydroelectric power plant, on the Madeira River. "When entering the time of Belo Monte will have an absurd leap of demand," he said.
The consumption of aluminum powder, used primarily in the production of ferro-alloys, also had a bad year. The estimate is 15.1% drop, according to the entity. Already the destructive consumption of aluminium has a predicted drop in 1% on the year, while the estimate for aluminum castings products is 5.1% growth.