Of this, 77140 tonnes were used in castings, 18700 as sheet, 14125 tonnes as extrusions making a total of 109,965 tonnes. This is likely to increase to 131,055 tonnes of castings, 23460 tonnes of sheet, 19090 tonnes of extrusions making a total of 173,605 tonnes in 2002-03.

Vijay K Mushran of Hindalco Industries, speaking at the fourth Metal Bulletin Metals Conference in Mumbai, said India in 1997-98 produced 3.07 million two wheelers and 230,000 three wheelers making a total of 3.3 million. The consumption of aluminium in scooters was 17 kgs per unit, in mobiles 16 kgs, mopeds 6 kgs and three wheelers 16 kgs.

Aluminium consumption therefore was about 47,520 tonnes in this sector in 1997-98, which is expected to go up to 78,620 tonnes in 2002-03 when the production of twoand three wheelers, is likely to go upto 5.34 million numbers.

Production of heavy commercial and light commercial vehicles has been limping of late but there was future scope for a big increase. A medium or heavy commercial vehicle used about 38 kgs of aluminium per vehicle and a LCV 32 kgs.

In 1997-98 a total of 5690 tonnes of aluminium was used in this sector, which is likely to go up to 7300 tonnes in 2002-03 when total commercial vehicles production is likely to go up from 160,000 of 1997-98 to 207,000 in 2002-03.

In foreign countries cars are big users of aluminium metal but Maruti uses between 23 to 42 kgs for different models. And Maruti produces between 85 per cent of the cars in India.

Aluminium consumption in this sector was estimated at 15,125 tonnes in 1997-98 and was expected to go up to 21,435 tonnes in 2002-03.In Europe use of aluminium in cars was 60 kgs per vehicle in 1988 which rose to 85 kgs in 1998 and will rise to 130 kgs in 2005. Indian consumption norms are also likely toincrease in tune with European norms during the coming years.

India today is the largest producer of tractors in the world and consumption of aluminium in this segment was 3600 tonnes in 1997-98 which is expected to go up to 5200 tonnes in 2002-03.

Aluminium is coming to be used in a big way in production of aluminium wheels. Synergy in collaboration with Dooray Corporation of Korea have recently commissioned an alloy wheel plant at Vizag.

The plant has started with a production capacity of 50,000 wheels per year which is to be increased to 600,000 wheels per annum of which 75 per cent is for export.

Hindalco is setting up an 300,000 aluminium wheels per year plant at Silvassa with technical collaboration from Germany. The plant is being built and will become operational by early 2000. Synergy and Hindalco together will produce 900,000 wheels and will require 6300 tonnes of aluminium metal,when the reach the rated capacity.

Mushran said that aluminium is also finding increasing use in bus bodybuilding and in 1997-98 the consumption in this segment was 28,000 tonnes and now the Indian railways are also showing increasing preference for the metal.

However the threat of pilferage is restraining railways from increasing the use of the aluminium metal in its coaches.

Owing to the anticipated rising demand, downstream processing capacity is increasing in India, Mr Mushran said.

Thus the installed capacity in aluminium rolling which was 152,700 tonnes in 1991-92 rose to 218,000 tonnes in 1993-94 and 272,900 tonnes in 1997-98.Further capacity additions are being planned by BALCO with a new mill of 40,000 tonnes. Another 600,000 tonnes of new capacity is being planned which will come up by 2000-01.

In extrusions the installed capacity was 179,700 tonnes in 1997-98 but production was only 100,000 tonnes. Therefore the aluminium demand has to rise faster than now to fully utilise the installed capacities in rolling and extrusions.