DOWNSTREAM DISPATCH: Flat-rolled aluminium business strong, but outlook uncertain, Novelis says

The market for flat-rolled aluminium is robust at present, but uncertainty surrounding the direction of the volatile US Midwest premium, and the potential for more disruptions from the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, have made it difficult for Novelis to plan and navigate the markets.

United States-based Novelis is a world leader in the rolling and recycling of aluminium. Its senior vice president and chief procurement officer, Roxana Molina, spoke to Fastmarkets in a recent interview to share the current state of the flat-rolled aluminium market, the challenges that Covid-19 has brought this year, and the many uncertainties that lie ahead.
Flat-rolled product business healthy
"I can tell you that what we have right now is very, very strong demand for [flat-rolled] aluminium," Molina said.
Novelis' plants are all now producing at levels similar to those before the Covid-19 pandemic appeared. "All of our plants are right now actually humming after Covid-19. We're at pre-Covid levels," Molina said.
But this did not include the company's aerospace plants in Koblenz, Germany, and Zhenjiang, China. "The only exception is aerospace. However, that capacity was already under-utilized because of the [Boeing] 737MAX grounding," Molina said.

On...

Mixed outlook for gold as it remains range bound for past three months

Gold stocks down on flat metal price

Gold stocks down on metal decline

Huge quantifiable rise in geopolitical, economic and trade risks

Platinum clearly ahead of palladium for first time in seven years