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To: craig crawford who wrote (199)	6/12/2001 2:22:27 AM
From: craig crawford	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1643

China's top 12 aluminium plants to lift 2001 output 10.6% Singapore (Platts)--20Apr2001 platts.com China's top 12 aluminum producers are targeting a combined output of 1.487-mil mt in 2001, which represents a 10.6% hike from the 1.345-mil mt achieved in 2000, according to a Platts survey of the plants. The figures show eight of the 12 plants keeping output relatively steady in 2001, while the remaining four will increase significantly. "We are maintaining a high output despite slow trade recently as we remain optimistic of the market for the rest of 2001," top producer Guizhou Aluminium said. But a smaller producer, Xiezhou Aluminium, will see output jump by 233% in 2001 to 110,000mt from 33,000mt in 2000 "as our new 70,000mt/year line just reached full operation in January," the Shanxi-based producer said. The line has lifted Xiezhou's capacity to 100,000mt/year. In 2001, China expects total aluminum output to rise 8-9% to "slightly above 3-mil mt, compared with about 2.8-mil mt last year," a source from China Aluminum Co said. "Domestic demand has been healthy. The construction sector has improved with the state planning many new infrastructure projects," he said. "Aluminum demand in 2000 was 3.3-3.4-mil mt, and is expected to remain at that level this year," he added. Aluminum consumption in 1999 was 2.9-mil mt, with output at 2.6-mil mt. Meanwhile, aluminum imports for 2001 are expected to hold steady at "about 400,000mt, in line with 2000, but higher than 1999's 300,000mt." With the increase in aluminum capacity, China is expected to see an alumina shortage of 2-3mt mt/year by 2005, alumina producer Shanxi Aluminium said. "As aluminum plants expand capacity, and if we don't develop our alumina industry, we can expect to be short of alumina by 2-3-mil mt/year five years down the road," he said. Current capacity from the country's five alumina plants is 4.2-4.3-mil mt/year, with demand at about 5-mil mt/year. In a move to raise alumina capacity, the five producers have merged in a bid to list overseas and raise foreign funds for expansion.