SHANGHAI, Jun 10 (SMM) – Production of primary aluminium in the first five months of 2019 continued to stand lower than a year ago as capacity in operation remained low despite a buildup in May, SMM data showed on Monday June 10. 

Output in January-May declined 1.3% year on year to stand at 14.56 million mt, while output in May came in at 3.04 million mt and was down 1% from a year earlier.

By the end of May, domestic primary aluminium capacity in operation stood at an annualised 35.81 million mt, up 643,000 mt from the end of April but down 377,000 mt from a year ago. New capacity and recovery at smelters in Gansu, Yunnan, Guangxi, and Qinghai lifted the operating capacity from April. 

An additional 210,000 mt in operating capacity is expected in June, as smelters of Suyuan, Zhaotong, Meixin, and Zhongrun will expand or restart capacity. 

SMM expects production of primary aluminium to stand at 3.01 million mt in June, down 0.4% from a year ago. This will bring output in the first half of 2019 to 17.57 million mt, down 1.2% on the year.