Brazil's consumption of processed aluminum products to grow 5.3% in 2013 - Abal

Brazil's national aluminum association Abal is forecasting domestic consumption of processed aluminum products to total 1.51Mt in 2013, up 5.3% year-on-year.

"In a year where government forecasts point to an economic growth close to 2.5%, with industrial production growing less than 2%, the aluminum industry showed its strength with a growth rate twice that expected for the Brazilian GDP," Luis Carlos Loureiro Filho, the coordinator for Abal's economic and statistics committee, said.

"This growth is linked to improved performance in such segments as packaging, transport and construction, major markets for processed aluminum products," Loureiro added.

FORECASTS

Abal is forecasting aluminum plate consumption to grow 9.2% over last year, to 582,800t.

Consumption of aluminum sheets is expected to increase 8% in 2013, year-on-year, and extruded products are forecast to grow 7.5% in the same period.

According to the association, the country produced 1.43Mt of processed aluminum products in 2012.