AMU
December 12, 2025
Written by Nicholas Bell
This piece was first published by SMU’s nonferrous sister publication, Aluminum Market Update. To learn about AMU, visit their website or sign up for a free trial.
In the aluminum world, aerospace is one of those sectors everyone recognizes as important, but it rarely drives the market narrative the way construction, automotive, or packaging does. The tonnage just isn’t comparable.
Recycler forward expectations swung toward oversupply in September as inventory drawdowns eased and export demand lost August’s improving responses.
Kibar Americas said production has started at its aluminum plant in Fairmont, W.Va., where it will manufacture products for the HVAC, packaging, automotive and industrial sectors.
China is bumping up against its official primary production capacity limit of 45.3 million metric tons/year, but production can still increase through “capacity creep.”
Automotive aluminum demand is rising as extrusions, sheet, and castings gain ground across vehicle applications and powertrains.
Recycler demand increased while fewer respondents reported sufficient obsolete scrap, even as inventory drawdowns remained widespread.