Second-quarter breakdown: Tracking divergence in automotive aluminum

Aluminum producers with exposure to the automotive market reported an almost unanimous weak second quarter in terms of shipment volumes.

Three companies – Constellium, Kaiser, and Granges – each posted year-over-year declines across at least one major automotive product segment. Norsk Hydro reported a slight increase in total North American extrusion shipments, a figure that includes but does not delineate automotive extrusions specifically.

Nicholas Bell

Nicholas brings over half a decade of experience covering metals markets, pricing trends, and supply chain dynamics. Prior to joining AMU, he reported on aluminum, high-temperature scrap, and ferro-alloy markets at Argus Media, with additional coverage of minor metals and rare earths. His work has built deep expertise in North American metals pricing and trade flows. A native of Houston, Nicholas holds a bachelor’s degree in Media Production and an MBA with a concentration in Finance, both from the University of Houston.