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The U.S. aluminum scrap market remains tight and is expected to stay that way well into the upcoming year, industry sources report. Rick Dobkin, Chief Commercial Officer at Shapiro Metals in St. Louis, notes a significant shift from surplus to scarcity in aluminum scrap availability. He attributes this to the emergence of new facilities consuming aluminum scrap, which he predicts will maintain the tight market conditions. Dobkin emphasizes the need for improved recycling rates for used beverage cans (UBCs) and enhanced sorting technologies to manage metal supply effectively.

Andy McKee, President of Schupan Materials Trading at Schupan & Sons in Kalamazoo, Michigan, expresses cautious optimism amidst recent challenges. While the London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminum price exceeded US$2,700 per metric ton in late May and material flows have improved, weaker manufacturing activity has impacted scrap generation.

Despite recent price fluctuations across base metals, including aluminum, market analysts suggest that a full correction may still be underway following a turbulent period in early June.