ASUKA ALUMINIUM NEWS NO. 634 APRIL 2014
JARA estimates 1.3% growth in fiscal 2014
On March 14, The Japan Aluminum Refiners Association held a board of directors,
at which the presumption of secondary aluminum alloy demand in fiscal 2013 started
in April 2013 and ended in March 2014, and its prediction in fiscal 2014 starts in April
2014 and ends in March 2015 were approved and revealed subsequently.
According to the announcement, the presumed demand in fiscal 2013 increased 4.5
per cent from a year earlier to 1,609,800 ton. In fiscal 2013, Japanese economy enjoyedsome steady recovery. The lower yen and the rushed orders of automobile against
consumption tax increase brought an active auto production, and a brisk knockdown
auto parts export. Ultimately, every item of aluminum alloy demand rose, and its total
demand increased 4.5 per cent year on year.
Regarding the demand in fiscal year 2014, the association calculates that it increases 1.3 per cent from the previous year to 1,631,500 ton. The association predicts;(1) The demand for cast and diecast will not show a big change. The auto production
will slow down by the reaction of consumption tax increase, but contrarily theexport of knockdown parts will swell.
(2) The demand for sheet and extrusion will increase slowly supported by a steady
popularity of beverage can.
(3) The demand for steel will dwindle a little.
The table on page one shows the prediction of secondary aluminum alloy demand,on which 24 means fiscal 2012, 25 means fiscal 2013 and 26 means fiscal 2014. Top line
shows cast, second diecast , third sheet and extrusion, fourth steel and others andbottom total. The right side figures show the comparison with the previous years.
The tonnage includes the consumption of imported ingot. Unit is ton.
Our golden week holidays
We are pleased to inform you that our golden week holidays areApril 26 Saturday ~ May 5 Monday
In Japan, April 29 is a national holiday, Green Day. May 3 is a national Holiday, Constitution Day. May 5 is also a national holiday, Children Day.
Since this season has the best whether, we call the first week in May “Golden Week”.
During this week, the people go on a pleasure trip domestically or abroad. Consequently, every train and airline is fully occupied and long jams are usual onhighways.
Nippon Light Metal Co., Ltd. withdrawals from smelting
On March 14, Nippon Light Metal Company, Limited, the only one primary aluminum smelter in Japan, revealed that they stop the primary aluminum smelting plantat Kambara, Shizuoka, on March 31, and withdrawal from aluminum smelting
perfectly.
Japanese aluminum smelting business has been destructed by oil crisis, but only
Kambara smelting plant of Nippon Light Metal survived owing to keeping some waterpower stations themselves. This only one smelting plant produced 4,141 ton of primaryaluminum in 2012 and 2,600 ton in 2013, literally fought alone.
The produced primary aluminum has higher quality, 99.95 per cent, and has beenused for electronics parts only. However the electro furnaces and other facilities at theplant are decrepit, and the renewal of these equipment is unprofitable, the company
concluded, and revealed this perfect withdrawal.
Nippon Light Metal Company, Limited was established in 1939 by Furukawa
Denkou and Tokyo Electric Power to produce 100,000 ton of alumina yearly and 50,000
ton of primary aluminum a year, which was a leading aluminum producer in the world
at that time. With the aggressive demand increase of aluminum, the production
recorded 113,000 ton yearly in 1974 at Kambara Plant.
Japanese aluminum production started in 1934 by Showa Denkou, and thenNippon Light Metal, Sumitomo Chemical, Mitsubishi Kasei, Sumitomo Light Metal
participated, and the total production peaked at 1.19 million ton in 1977. However
they had never survived, excepted Nippon Light Metal since energy crisis age.
Thus Nippon Light Metal had been only one aluminum producer in Japan, which
valuable 74 years’ footprint will remain on Japanese industrial history forever. All
aluminum men in Japan feel deep lonely to hear this report.
The photo on page two is Kambara smelting plant, and the chart shows the yearly
total production of primary aluminum in Japan.
Aluminum cast and diecast production favorable in January
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry recently revealed the aluminum castand diecast production in January. According to this report, the production ofaluminum cast in January increased 3.4 per cent from the previous January to 34,681
ton, and the production of diecast in January rose 10.9 per cent yearly to 81,266 ton
Owing to the steady production of automobile, the both figures of cast and diecast
showed five months’ successive increase from the previous same month.
It is expected that the production will be steady in the near future supported byfavorable industrial activity.
The first air pollution alarm astonishes on March 18
The Aichi Prefectural Government raised the alarm of air pollution warning
against “PM 2.5” on March 18, which was the first event in Aichi area. The government
called out to abstain from unnecessary going out and outdoor sports. Especially theycalled out for respiratory and circulately diseases cases to be cautious fully.
It was alerted at one o’clock P.M. in Nagoya area, and at four o’clock P.M. in Nishioarea, at which every emergency network broadcasted the alarm. Since most people had
few comprehension on “PM 2.5”, they were very much surprised.
“PM” is particulate matter, and “2.5” means that its diameter is 2.5 micro meter orless. It is supposed its outbreak is from soot in exhausted gas of diesel car or plants.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare decided the alarm is raised when it reaches
70 micro gram and over in a cubic meter in February 2013.It is said “PM 2.5” is carried
from China with the westerlies to Japan in March, April and May. .