SURPLUS ALUMINIUM

Evening Star, Issue 25301, 9 October 1944, Page 2

SURPLUS ALUMINIUM

POST-WAR PROBLEM TO BE FACED Past-war planners will be faced with many problems'. One wliicli will interest motorists is how the world is best to utilise the vast output of aluminium that has been brought into annal production to meet the war needs of. the United Nations. The largest producer of this metal is the United States. In 1939, that country produced approximately 327,000,0001 b, and at December of that year, had 215,000,0001 b in hand. Such was the war demand for aluminium that £54,000,000 was spent on plant expansion in that country, reeulting in such acceleration that by Julv, 1941, the monthly output had reached's3,ooo,ooolb. Since then, the United States of America output lias rapidly increased until the last three months of 1943 saw the (production figure reach to a rate of approximately 1.280.000 tons a year, which more than met the huge war and industrial demands for this metal. The pre-war price of this commodity has been cut by 25 per cent. In view of the tremendous production, it is not surprising to learn that, in America, there is now such an accumulation of aluminium alloys that the supply exceeds the demand, and that production has been reduced. It is reported that before the cutback in output recently ordered by the United States War Production Board, production was running at 40.000.0001 ba. month ahead of consumption—a surplus which more than exceeded the total monthly production of aluminium in that country in 1939. ...... , In this connection, it is significant, says the ' Dunlop Bulletin,' that the United States War Production, Board is now encouraging designers of American post-war automobiles to carry out research to ascertain to what extent aluminium alloys can be used to advantage in post-war cars—and to aid experimentation, quantities of this onco very high-priority strategic metal are now being niade available to American automobile manufacturers for that purpose. „.,',. c At present the aircraft industries of the United Nations consume about 90 per cent, of the aluminium alloys produced. After the war, it is estimated that the major distribution wil probablv be somewhat on tho following ■ i; ne ' s ._a4 per cent, for transportation (land. air. and sea)—in 1939 the figuro was about 29 per cent.; cooking utensils, 10 per cent, (now only about 1 per" cent) ; machinery and electrical, appliances 12 per cent. (6 per cent, in 1940) . building construction 9 per cent.: foundry and mot a I working 9 per cent., and chemicals 5 per cent.