June Aluminum Plate/Sheet and Strip Exports Set a 2026 Monthly High; Reclaimed Transferred Orders May Pressure H2

In June 2026, China's aluminum plate/sheet and strip exports reached 354,000 mt, up 10.6% MoM, hitting a new monthly high for H1 2026. Cumulative exports in Jan-Jun totaled 1.7891 million mt. By destination, Mexico ranked first with 45,300 mt, surging 46.4% MoM; exports to the US pulled back 29.2% MoM to 26,100 mt. By exporting province, Henan and Shandong together accounted for over 43% of the total, continuing to lead the country. In terms of product mix, exports of 0.2-0.28mm aluminum alloy sheet (mainly can stock) reached 153,700 mt, accounting for 43.5%, and continued to dominate the export market. Notably, the leading rolling mill in North America resumed production from June, and the transferred orders have been gradually reclaimed. The export boom boosted by order shifting in H1 is expected to face significant pullback pressure in H2.

According to customs data, China's aluminum plate/sheet and strip exports reached 354,000 mt in June 2026. On a MoM basis, exports grew 10.6% from 319,900 mt in May, staying above 300,000 mt for the fourth consecutive month.

Looking back at H1 2026, monthly exports showed a pattern of low then high: January exports were 278,600 mt; February pulled back to 230,800 mt due to Chinese New Year, the lowest in H1; March recovered to 278,200 mt; April jumped to 327,800 mt; after pulling back slightly to 319,900 mt in May, June surged again to 354,000 mt. Cumulative exports in Jan-Jun totaled 1.7891 million mt.

By product mix, aluminum alloy sheet dominated exports in June. Specifically, exports of 0.2-0.28mm aluminum alloy rectangular plate/sheet (mainly can stock) reached 153,700 mt, accounting for 43.5% of total exports and growing 14.6% MoM, contributing the largest boost to June's export growth.

By destination, Mexico topped in June with 45,300 mt, surging 46.4% MoM and taking a 12.8% share. The US ranked second at 26,100 mt, but saw a 29.2% MoM decline (vs. 36,900 mt in May), the largest drop among the top 10 destinations. This change is linked to the resumption of production at the leading North American rolling mill from June, as the order shifting effect for can stock and auto body sheet due to an earlier fire-induced outage is fading. Southeast Asia performed strongly: combined exports to Vietnam (26,000 mt), Thailand (17,200 mt), Indonesia (11,700 mt), and Malaysia (11,100 mt) totaled 66,000 mt, accounting for 18.6% of the month's total. As a traditional core market for aluminum plate/sheet and strip exports, Southeast Asia maintained solid demand. In addition, markets such as the UK (14,200 mt, +42.1%), Brazil (11,900 mt, +45.2%), Australia (12,700 mt, +25.4%), and Cambodia (9,300 mt, +30.3%) registered notable MoM increases, reflecting a broadening of global demand for China's aluminum plate/sheet and strip.

By exporting province, Henan ranked first with 83,000 mt, up 12.9% MoM and accounting for 23.5% of the month's total. In H1, Henan's cumulative exports reached 423,600 mt, 23.7% of the national total. Shandong followed, with 70,700 mt in June, up 10.2% MoM and holding a 20.0% share.

Since late June, the SHFE/LME price ratio rebounded rapidly, swiftly shutting the arbitrage window that had driven large-scale aluminum semis exports. Meanwhile, with the order shifting effect gradually fading, new orders in some segments have already declined. However, earlier fixed‑price orders remain under execution as planned. Exports are expected to gradually pull back starting in July, with the H2 monthly average likely falling to the 280,000-320,000 mt range. Given the strong H1 performance, annual exports are still likely to rebound to 3.3-3.4 million mt.