Brazilian aluminum consumption is due to go up 11.9% in 2008, according to forecasts from Brazilian aluminum association Abal.
For 2008, Abal is projecting consumption in Brazil to hit 1.03Mt, compared to 919,000t in 2007 and up 22.6% from the 837,600t consumed in 2006
"On the consumption side we've had four consecutive years of strong growth," Abal economist Claudio Chaves told BNamericas.
Chaves said the rampant growth is happening due to what he calls a "repressed demand" in Brazil. The population has a much stronger purchasing power than in the past due to a more robust economy.
However the economist warned that Brazil's consumption, despite growth, remains a fraction of what is consumed in developed countries.
"We still have a long way to go," said Chaves, citing aluminum annual consumption in developed countries of 30kg per capita, versus Brazil's roughly 5.5kg per capita.
On the production side, the industry's output for 2008 should more or less equal the 1.6Mt seen in 2007.
In April, the Brazilian industry had an output of 135,900t, 0.6% lower than April 2007. In the first four months of the year, the nation's aluminum production rose to 542,700t, 1.4% higher than the same period in 2007.
