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Domestic aluminum extrusion consumption grows 7.6 percent in 2014

The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC), Wauconda, Ill., and the Aluminum Association, Arlington, Va., have released industry estimates of aluminum extrusion shipments in North America by major markets for 2014. Among key findings in the “End Use Shipments of Aluminum Extruded Products” report, domestic consumption of aluminum extrusions in the U.S. and Canada, which includes imports, totaled an estimated 4.90 billion lbs. in 2014, an increase of 7.6 percent over the revised 2013 total of 4.55 billion lbs.

This is the fifth year in a row that shipments of extrusions have grown and reflects a nearly 44 percent increase in annual shipments compared to 2009. Aluminum extrusions are the third-largest product segment in the domestic aluminum industry, representing about 18 percent of the total market.

Building and construction continues to be the largest market segment in the extrusion sector, with domestic shipments of 1.83 billion lbs., or 37.4 percent of the domestic market for extrusions. In 2014, shipments in this market segment grew 8.3 percent compared to the previous year. Doors and windows, representing 31.9 percent of this market segment's total shipments, grew 10.4 percent over 2013. At 31.7 percent of the building and construction market segment in 2014, shipments to curtain wall, storefronts, and entrances increased by 9.0 percent over 2013.

Transportation is the second-largest market segment, totaling 1.50 billion lbs. in 2014 and representing 30.6 percent of total domestic shipments. In total, shipments to transportation end uses increased by 10.8 percent over 2013. Passenger cars, trucks, and buses accounted for 42.8 percent of shipments within this segment in 2014, followed by trailers and semitrailers at 28.8 percent.

Other market sectors include consumer durables (9.6 percent), machinery and equipment (10.2 percent), electrical (10.2 percent), and other end uses (2.0 percent). While not for domestic consumption, U.S. and Canadian producers also exported 287 million lbs. of aluminum extrusions in 2014, representing 5.4 percent of total industry shipments.