Salient Aluminum Statistics

This table presents key data on aluminum production, consumption, trade, and inventory levels in the United States from 2018 through 2022, along with global production figures. It includes metrics such as primary production quantity and value, average market prices, stocks held by the aluminum industry and at London Metal Exchange warehouses, secondary recovery from scrap, exports, imports, and apparent supply and consumption. This information is crucial for understanding the economic and industrial dynamics of the aluminum sector, which is integral to manufacturing, transportation, construction, and packaging industries. Tracking these statistics helps stakeholders assess market trends, supply chain stability, and the impact of global demand and pricing on the U.S. aluminum industry.

Analysis of the data reveals several notable trends over the five-year period. U.S. primary aluminum production peaked in 2019 at 1,093 thousand metric tons but declined to 861 thousand metric tons by 2022, reflecting a 21% decrease from the peak. Despite this production drop, the value of primary aluminum increased from $2.264 billion in 2018 to $2.896 billion in 2022, driven by a rise in the average U.S. market spot price from 114.7 cents per pound in 2018 to 152.6 cents per pound in 2022. Secondary recovery from new scrap showed a rebound after a low of 1,630 thousand metric tons in 2020, rising to 1,890 thousand metric tons in 2022, while old scrap recovery remained relatively stable. Stockpiles held by the aluminum industry increased steadily, reaching 2,050 thousand metric tons at the end of 2022, whereas stocks in London Metal Exchange U.S. warehouses sharply declined to just 9 thousand metric tons in 2022 from 186 thousand metric tons in 2018. Imports for consumption rebounded to 5,610 thousand metric tons in 2022 after a dip in 2020, supporting an apparent supply of 6,650 thousand metric tons and apparent consumption of 4,760 thousand metric tons in 2022. Globally, aluminum production showed consistent growth, rising from 63.3 million metric tons in 2018 to 68.4 million metric tons in 2022, underscoring the expanding scale of the worldwide aluminum market.