Reuters have reported that Italy’s nonferrous metal output, coupled with their nonferrous semi-finished products output, is expected to rise this year thanks to an increase in consumer demand. However the rise will be at a slower pace than projected in 2010.

Claudio De Cani, who is the director of Assomet, claims the output of copper and alloy semi-finished products is to rise somewhere between 1.150 million tonne and 1.200 million tonnes this year compared to 1.111 million tonnes in 2010.

He also pointed to a rise in a number of other areas in the industry as proof that the demand is rising. However he was also quick to point out that the construction industry has not recovered very well, which has led to the slower than predicted rise. This is partly due to access to credit for construction companies being very difficult.

However demand for nonferrous metal products from the automotive industry has been on the rise, due to export demand from Germany, France and Britain.