ASUKA ALUMINIUM NEWS NO. 636 JUNE 2014
Can to can season has comeThe higher the temperature gets, the more the beverage consumption swells after
Golden Week. And also the more used beverage aluminum can originates. Every year
from June till October, our can recycling business falls on busy time.
In 2014 the consumption of aluminum beverage can is predicted 19.64 billion can,the highest record, by the Aluminum Can Recycling Association. So our can recycling
will supposedly be pretty busy this season.
Besides, the Japan Coca Cola recently released that they market aluminum coffee
can switched with conventional steel can. In Japan traditionally, the coffee can has
been made by steel completely. So this is a hot news for aluminum can business.
The left photo on page one is piled used aluminum beverage can waiting recycling,
and the right is recycled ingot awaiting shipment to can sheet producers.
The 40th JARA general meeting is held in TokyoOn May 21 the 40th general meeting of Japan Aluminum Refiners Association washeld at Kazan Kaikan in Tokyo, where the new officers were elected. Mr. Shozo
Hamamura, President of Nikkei M C Aluminum Company, Limited, was elected as theChairman, who said that our international competition gets severer year by year, andwe must have stronger competitive power at his inaugural address.
At the same time, President Takashi Amano was re-elected as the Executive
Director of the association.
Aluminum cast and diecast production favorably in March
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry recently revealed the aluminum cast and diecast production in March. According to this report, the productionof aluminum cast in March increased 0.2 per cent from a year earlier to 35,871 ton,and the production of aluminum diecast in March rose 4.8 per cent year on year to84,768 ton.
Owing to the rushed demand against consumption tax increase, the production ofaluminum diecast showed successive seven months’ increase.
It is thought that the reaction of rushed demand will come to the surface in Apriland May, and its scale is worried in all over the business in Japan.
The chart on page two is the production of aluminum cast and diecast, from left
March 2014, February 2014 and the comparison with the previous year. From top
aluminum cast totaled, machines, automobile, others, aluminum diecast totaled,machines, electric appliances, automobile, motorbike and others.
Checkered market price of magnesium
Metalic magnesium is one of the most important metals to produce aluminum alloy,and is made in China mainly. Old days in japan, metallic magnesium was made fromsea water, however today, it is said that it is made with the by-produced gas from cokeproduction by carbonization.

Therefore the relations between the volume of magnesium production and thevolume of its consumption seem to be very hard to balance, and it reflects thecheckered market price.
In China the stable production and firm shipment of magnesium are expected inthe future.
The chart on page two shows the eventful market price of metallic magnesium,
US$ per ton.
Kudos for Shigeo Tsuge
On May 21 in Nagoya, The Aichi Police Department opened the awarding ceremony
for persons who deserve traffic service medals, at which Mr. Shigeo Tsuge, Chief ofPurchasing Department of Asuka, was cited as one of superior managers for safety
driving at company. He made efforts for safety driving as the manager at company formany years at Asuka.
Again on May 28 at the general meeting of Nishio Safety Drive Managing
Association, his honor was released and he won a big applause.
The photo on page three is Mr. Shgeo Tsuge, holding the testimonial.
Nikichi Festival is held on June 1
Nikichi was a macho man born in Kira Nishio City, and sprinted in the end of Edoera. In 1865, he helped his friendly group at a strife without regard to his success. As
the result, his group won but unfortunately he was fatally shot when he was 28 yearsold.
Every June, Nikichi Festival is held at Gentokuji Temple at Kira cerebrating hischivalry. This year a big group dancing show and some entertainments are held at thetemple on June 1.
The photo on page four shows Nikichi’s statue owned by Kira Public Library.
Have a happy day today
Hisashi Amano, Chairman
In the morning at bus stop, I meet a small girl, her smaller brother and theirmother on the way to Kindergarten. When my bus starts, they wave their lovely hands
to send me off, and at the same time I wave my hand out of bus window saying in myheart, “Have a happy day today, everyone. Thank you for sending me off.”
I don’t know who they are, however on such a day, I can spend a very happy time all
day long. Whenever I meet this happy-like family, I remember my Kindergarten age.
I graduated from Nishio Kindergarten in 1933, when it was a dark and poor age, but
fortunately I have had so many happy memories of Kindergarten life.
I sincerely hope that such pretty boys and girls whom I meet in the morning will
thrive uneventfully in the future.
(From Nishio Kindergarten Journal)
Company news
President Takashi Amano and Director Masanao Okada visit business friends inHong Kong, Australia and New Zealand, and return home on June 4. Please expect
the visiting report on next issue.