Consumption of domestically produced zinc die castings declined 6.9% by weight in 1985, mirroring the downturn in other material consumption areas during that year, says the New York-based Zinc Institute.
The association of zinc producers and fabricators attributed the loss to the general slowdown in the economy and the increasing efficiency of die casters to make more components from every ton of zinc they use.
An institute survey of 385 U.S. zinc die casters indicate that the parts makers utilized 268,173 tons of zinc in 1985 compared to 287,894 tons the previous year, a 19,721-ton decrease that comes hard on the heels of an 8,969-ton drop in 1984.
The institute also noted that an increasing number of zinc die castings used in the U.S. are produced in other countries and therefore are not reflected in the survey’s tonnage total.
A market-by-market analysis of the results shows that automotive components led all other end-use categories, as has been the case for decades, with 35% of market share. Building components accounted for 25% while electrical components accounted for 15%.
Be the first to comment on "U.S. die casters reduce use of zinc for second year"