Operating rates across secondary aluminium producers higher in Oct

SHANGHAI, Oct 19 (SMM) – Chinese secondary aluminium producers continued to step up operation in October, as overall demand in the second half of the year improved from the first half. 

An SMM survey showed that operating rates across secondary aluminium producers in China rose to 61.52% in October. This was up 0.83 percentage point from September and up 4.71 percentage points from October 2018.

The rise in the operating rate, however, was capped as continued shortage of aluminium scrap affected production at some secondary smelters. 

For November, greater impact of scrap shortfall amid low inventories will likely weigh on the operating rates at secondary aluminium producers, despite expectations of stable downstream orders.