Germany’s exports of aluminium scrap and stainless steel scrap dropped by 5pc and 4.3pc, respectively, while exports of copper scrap rose by 4.5pc in 2019, from the previous year, according to Davis Index analysis.
Aluminium
In 2019, Germany exported 1.01mn mt of aluminium scrap, down by 52,911mt from the previous year as exports to Austria and Poland dropped. Germany exported 149,301mt of aluminium scrap to Austria, down by 21,986mt or 12.8pc from 2018, and exported 107,900mt to Poland, down by 24,464mt or 18.5pc from the previous year. Germany’s exports to Italy, the top importer of aluminium scrap from Germany, increased marginally to 194,234mt, up by 320mt from the previous year.
In December, Germany exported 63,908mt of aluminium scrap, down by 5,676mt or 8pc from December 2018. Italy remained the top consumer of aluminium scrap from Germany in December with imports of14,468mt, up by 1,111mt or 8.3pc from a year ago. Exports to Austria, Poland and the Netherlands, however, dropped by 20.7pc, 24.4pc and 24pc, respectively.
Germany is the second largest exporter of aluminium scrap in the world, after the US.
Stainless steel
Germany exported 1.1mn mt of stainless steel scrap in 2019, down by 50,084mt or 4.3pc from the previous year as exports to Belgium, the top consumer, dropped by 78,168mt or 15.3pc to 433,034mt. Exports to the Netherlands dropped by 80,094mt or 36pc to 142,029mt. Exports to Italy, however, increased by 56,189mt or 45.2pc to 180,366mt from the prior year.
In December, Germany’s exports of stainless steel scrap increased by 4,530mt or 6.5pc to 74,580mt as exports to Belgium increased by 4,497mt or 13.5pc to 37,748mt and exports to Finland increased by 5,503mt or 114.6pc to 10,304mt from the prior year.
Germany is the top exporter of stainless steel scrap in the world.
Copper
Germany’s exports of copper scrap rose by 18,066mt or 4.5pc in 2019, to 425,549mt from the prior year. Copper scrap exports rose despite a 35,541mt or 36pc drop in consumption from China after strict scrap import quotas were issued in the second half of 2019.
India’s imports of copper scrap from Germany rose by 16,210mt or 95.6pc to 33,159mt after the Sterlite’s copper smelter in Tuticorin shut in mid-2019, turning India into a net importer of copper.
In December, Germany’s copper scrap exports marginally increased by 444mt or 1.6pc to 28,199mt from December 2018. Poland was the top consumer of copper scrap from Germany, and imported 3,896mt, up by 400mt or 11.4mt from the prior year period. Imports from the Netherlands and Belgium increased by 795mt or 26.6pc, and 270mt or 9pc, respectively. Imports from India also rose by 1,394mt or 111.7pc, offsetting the drop of imports from China, which imported 3,036mt of copper scrap in December, down by 1,592mt or 34.4pc from the prior year.
Germany is the second largest exporter of copper scrap in the world, after the US.