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Aluminum Shortage?

3t3d

Diamond
Joined
Nov 1, 2004
Location
WI
I noticed that my favorite soda was no longer available.
Not in aluminum cans, and there were less flavors on the shelves.

The company rep stocking the shelves told me it was due to an aluminum shortage.
The beverage companies were only focusing on their bigger volume products.

Hadn't heard of this aluminum shortage...

Next stop was a farm supply store.
Shelves stripped bare of ammunition. No comment.
No traps. Plenty pf garden hose.
They told me they also had a kayak shortage, the two truck drivers for that company were sick, and they could not hire new truck drivers.

Any insight on this aluminum shortage?
 
There are plenty of shortages of various consumer goods, due to various factories shutting down for a time this spring, or for issues getting parts in from overseas, but I know nothing of an aluminum shortage - my pricing on an order last week didn't seem to suggest such a thing.
 
Thanks chipslitter. That makes perfect sense. (as if anything makes sense in these times)

Just got quoted some aluminum tubing, and the price seemed pretty reasonable.
So a shortage of aluminum Cans, not aluminum itself.
 
I've been told that alcohol consumption was at an all-time high during March and April.

It's sad in a way because a lot of those people were drinking "to forget".

Not to drag in religion, but it illustrates what happens when people don't have a hope for the here-after.
 
I think your alluding to heaven, suppose that’s right, myself I’m fine so long as I escape the other place, hot pokers and prongs don’t appeal to me much
Mark
 
Maybe they should force Boeing to stop using aluminum to make planes so it can be diverted to can factories. Oh wait, they already quit making 737 max planes almost a year ago.
Bill d.
 
If you look around you will see bare shelves. I was at Dunhams a couple weeks ago and there were no kayaks or canoes. If you go to Walmart they don't hardly have any bicycles either. I figured factories in China that make those closed down and never opened up. I have also had people tell me that they have had trouble getting tractor and farm implement tires probably the same thing is going on.

Thank you globull economy.
 
pretty sure its not an aluminum shortage- its a shortage of cans, even though the can factories are running 3 shifts. I would imagine a new can factory costs a half a billion and takes a year or two to get setup, all said and done.
 
WOW, Reading about that merry go round made my head spin.
That business with Goldman and the aluminum warehousing seemed just unbelieveably bizarre when I heard about it a few years back. I don't recall if they got a slap from the SEC or some other body, but the chutzpah they had to set up that system is astounding. Just another of the weird details of commodities markets, and seemingly a way to keep the materials price higher than it should be.
 
If there was a shortage of aluminum for cans you would think scrap cans would be worth more. I called around last week, .18 to .30 / lb. A year ago .65 / lb.

It's just economics. There is an oversupply of scrap cans due to much higher rate of production of scrap cans, therefore price is lower. With so many workers having been furloughed and laid off, the demand for aluminum can feedstock is way down as well. Makes perfect sense <snort>.
 
supply and demand. getting extra $600./week plus unemployment plus $2400. from feds people buying more beer and steak, stores got plenty of hot dogs not many want cheap stuff
.
like coin shortage. i got $2400. debit card which I went to ATM and got cash (not easy to deposit in bank since walk in bank service closed
), so spend cash and now get coin change shortages. banks not open to take rolls of coins so normal supply channel blocked. many vending machines at work were not being used on shut downed factories so coins not coming in normal way.
.
I'm back to work and making about $300. less a week NOT on unemployment. I prefer working and not taking money for not working. I didnt have a choice before cause governor closed things down. from what I saw many "unemployed" were doing home improvement projects at home. many propane grills being sold and many having steak and beer. so I can see shortages of beer cans and steak from high demand
 
I figured factories in China that make those closed down and never opened up. I have also had people tell me that they have had trouble getting tractor and farm implement tires probably the same thing is going on.
You figured wrong, all factories and transport running as usual. Have been since March. Don't know what's happening on your end though, maybe no one is buying because the stores are closed ?

Also, there's a time lag, maybe no one ordered, in anticipation of a dropping economy ?

Anyway, no problem at the supply end. All lines are open, operators are waiting.
 
higher demand than usual create shortages. HF stores selling so much stuff shelves are empty of a lot of stuff and stuff not coming in fast enough
.
people buying more beer and pop same as toilet paper with all the extra government money. there wasnt a toilet paper shortage just people buying more than normal
 
Not sure about a shortage but alum processors here who go from ore to metal al are in the news on occasion about the electricity prices, apparently they use plenty of it to process the product, so no a shortage but may lead to a increase in price due to electricity prices rising.
 








 
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