Key discussions at the 2024 ReMA Roundtable

Ahead of next week’s ReMA Roundtable in Chicago, we spoke to the market and compiled a list of the hot topics on everyone’s mind. It is traditionally the time of year deals are struck, but we are hearing that it’s just not going to happen this year. For the most part, attendees that we spoke with seemed to be more tentative, hesitant to jump in the deep end. It will be more about learning what the market is like at this point before jumping into any deals for 2025.

Among the key discussions likely to shape debate:

Anticipated slowdown in annual deals due to current scrap demand in the U.S.
Concerns around mills and extruders being delayed in taking metal in from existing deals and the effect on 2025 contract negotiations.
Capacity challenges in the aluminum industry, particularly in sortation and handling volume for recycled metal processors.
Upstream smelting and refining capacity constraints and their broader implications.
Omni’s chopper system overhaul and its impact on the market.
ADI’s market entry and its expected impact on UBC supply and competition.
Scrap supply concerns for 2025 and potential challenges in meeting demand.
Availability of UBC in the U.S. and whether current supply can fulfill both existing and new market demands.
Interest rate trends and their influence on investment in recycled metals and operational costs within the industry.
China’s demand for recycled metals and its impact on global supply chains, influencing pricing and market stability.