N American aluminum shipments up in Jan. from Dec.

NEW YORK, April 3 (Reuters) - Demand for North American aluminum mill products in January rose 4.0 percent from December but tumbled 26.4 percent from January 2007, the most recent aluminum industry data show.

In its latest Aluminum Situation report, the Aluminum Association said January shipments slid to an estimated 1,443.4 million lbs from 1,961.7 million lbs in January 2007, but increased from the 1,388.2 million lbs shipped in December.

Demand for North American aluminum is measured as shipments from U.S. and Canadian producers plus imports.

Demand for semi-fabricated, or mill, products fell 25.0 percent in January to 1,024.2 million lbs from 1,366.5 million lbs in January 2007, but gained 5.7 percent from 969.1 million lbs in December, the report said.

In its breakdown of U.S. and Canadian mill products, the association said demand for aluminum sheet and plate lost 21.2 percent to 642.5 million lbs in January from 815.8 million lbs in January 2007, but went up 1.6 percent from 632.3 million lbs in December.

Shipments of extruded products declined 36.5 percent to 207.3 million lbs in January from 326.6 million lbs a year earlier. They jumped 18.1 percent from 175.6 million lbs in December.

January shipments of aluminum ingot for castings and other uses dropped 29.6 percent to 419.2 million lbs from 595.2 million lbs in January 2007, and was even with the 419.2 million lbs shipped in December, the report said.

The industry group also said, U.S. and Canadian producer inventories slid 13.1 percent in January to 2,675.9 million lbs from 3,080.2 million lbs in January 2007, and was down 0.1 percent from 2,679.4 million lbs in December.

The association said aluminum exports from the United States and Canada, excluding cross-border trade, tumbled 34.2 percent to 363.6 million lbs in January from 552.2 million lbs in January 2007. Exports were down 4.6 percent from December's 381.0 million lbs.