US aluminium scrap imports decline in September vs August

Imports of aluminium scrap into the United States fell by 9.61% month on month in September, with decreases recorded in all import categories, according to the latest data from the US Department of Commerce

Imports of used beverage cans (UBC) fell 20.97% month on month to 15,852 tons in September from 20,058 tons in August. Imports from Canada fell by 13.21% on the month to 10,969 tons. Imports from Mexico similarly fell 20.56% to 3,203 tons, down from 4,032 tons the month prior.

At the same time, US exports of UBCs to Mexico declined by 17.55% to 5,593 tons in September, down from 6,784 tons in August. For the first nine months of 2022, UBC imports from Mexico fell by 17.97% to 46,354 tons, down from 56,512 tons in the same period in 2021. But US exports of UBCs to Mexico rose substantially year on year, soaring to 50,135 tons in January-September 2022 from 8,786 in the first nine months of 2021.

In the first nine months of 2022, UBC imports rose 1.63% to 171,338 tons from 168,592 tons in the same year-earlier period.

Fastmarkets’ assessment of the used beverage cans, domestic aluminium producer buying price, fob shipping point US declined in September, beginning the month at 74-78 cents per lb and ending at 68-72 cents per lb. The price was last assessed at 70-74 cents per lb on November 3.

US industrial aluminium imports totaled 13,569 tons in September, down 2.86% from 13,968 tons in August. Imports from Canada rose 4.01% to 10,150 tons from 9,759 in August. However, deliveries from Mexico fell by 20.74% to 3,202 tons from 4,040 tons in August.

Despite the month-on-month decreases in September, industrial aluminium imports continued to register year-on-year gains. In January-September 2022, imports of industrial aluminium increased by 18.25% to 128,131 tons, up from 108,356 tons in the same period of 2021.

US imports of other aluminium scrap decreased by 4.11% in September to 23,295 tons, down from 24,294 tons in August. Imports from Canada increased 1.10% on the month to 14,047 tons, but imports from Mexico declined 8.93% to 8,071 tons in September.

In January-September 2022, other aluminium scrap imports fell by 22.43% year on year to 223,371 tons from 287,968 tons.

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