IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘U.S. Aluminum Sheet, Plate, And Foil Market. Analysis And Forecast to 2025’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

In 2020, American imports of aluminium plates, sheets and strips slumped to 836K tonnes, reducing by -35.6% y-o-y. In value terms, they shrank from $4.2B to $2.5B over the last year. Canada, China and Saudi Arabia remain the largest suppliers of aluminium plates, sheets and strips to the U.S. In 2020, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Canada managed to boost shipments to the American market, while other exporting countries experienced significant drops in supplies. The average import price for aluminium plates, sheets and strips in the U.S. decreased by -6% y-o-y to near $3,000 per tonne.

American Imports of Aluminium Plates, Sheets and Strips

In 2020, the amount of aluminium plates, sheets and strips of a thickness exceeding 0.2 mm imported into the U.S. shrank markedly to 836K tonnes, dropping by -35.6% compared with the previous year. In value terms, imports of aluminium plates, sheets and strips dropped remarkably from $4.2B to $2.5B (IndexBox estimates) in 2020.

Canada (131K tonnes), China (113K tonnes) and Saudi Arabia (93K tonnes) were the main suppliers of imports of aluminium plates, sheets and strips to the U.S., together comprising 40% of total imports. Oman, Germany, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, South Korea, Austria, Taiwan (Chinese), the UK and Spain lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 38%.

In 2020, amongst the key exporters, Thailand (+47% y-o-y), Saudi Arabia (+9.8% y-o-y), and Canada (+2.1% y-o-y) featured the most notable growth rate of supplies to the U.S. in physical terms, while imports from other countries went down.

In value terms, the largest aluminium plates, sheets and strips suppliers to the U.S. were Canada ($387M), China ($325M) and Saudi Arabia ($255M), with a combined 38% share of total imports. Germany, Oman, Austria, South Africa, Thailand, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, Taiwan (Chinese) and Spain lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 38%.

In 2020, the average import price for aluminium plates, sheets and strips amounted to $3,009 per tonne, falling by -6% against the previous year. Prices varied noticeably by the country of origin; the country with the highest price was Austria ($4,416 per tonne), while the price for Oman ($2,437 per tonne) was amongst the lowest. In 2020, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by Thailand, while the prices for the other major suppliers experienced mixed trend patterns.

Source: IndexBox Platform