Aluminum scrap shortage pinches smelters.
American Metal Market, May 28, 2003, by Christopher Cundy
OSLO, Norway -- The U.S. secondary aluminum industry faces "a year of ongoing challenges" because of tightening scrap supplies, Harvey Rosen, vice president of aluminum at Alpert & Alpert Iron & Metal Inc., Los Angeles, said at the Bureau of International Recycling's spring symposium here Monday.
The shortage of scrap was partly attributable to a decline in U.S. manufacturing and increased production efficiencies, which had reduced the amount of new production scrap available, he said.
However, a strong export market for scrap was making it difficult for U.S. secondary ingot producers to take advantage of the growing market for casting alloys.
"The American Foundry Society is forecasting an increase in aluminum casting shipments of 9.8 percent for the year ... at a time when there is not enough scrap to meet demand," Rosen said...