London (Platts)--21Nov2012/826 am EST/1326 GMT

Germany posted a 1.5% decline in total raw aluminum production to 790,854 mt in January-September 2012, according to a report Tuesday by GDA, the federation of the aluminium producing and processing industry in Germany.

Almost all areas of the aluminum industry were affected, the GDA said, and the association blamed the downturn on the "weak general economic situation and the high level of production in the previous year."

While it is "cautiously optimistic" about the prospects for the German aluminium industry, the GDA saw no "fundamental improvement" in sight for the final quarter of 2012 but stressed that "the economic situation in Germany remains positive."

Nine-month figures showed that production at German secondary aluminum smelters [aluminum made from scrap metal] had actually increased by 1.6% to 484,862 mt, however output at primary aluminum smelters dropped to 305,992 mt, down by 5.6% on year, the GDA said.

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In contrast, Germany's raw aluminium production in Q3 was almost at the same level as in the previous quarter: "The situation thus stabilised in the autumn," said GDA executive director Christian Wellner.

NINE-MONTHS SEMI PRODUCTS OUTPUT DIPS 1.7%

The production of semi-finished aluminum products declined to 1.861 million mt in the first nine months of 2012, down by 1.7% from year ago figures, the GDA said. In the month of September, semi-finished products production, which includes rolled, extrusion, wire and forgings was up by 1.5%.

A total of 263,153 mt of aluminum was further processed in the first nine months of 2012, down by 5.7% against the previous year, the GDA said.

The production of aluminum in January-September 2012 processed into foil and thin strip fell 6.5%, output of tube, cans and impact extrusions declined 4.3% and the production of metal powder was 4.5% lower.

--Suzie Windsor, newsdesk@platts.com
--Edited by James Leech, james_leech@platts.com

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