Group 1 - The rising copper prices in Japan have led to a trend of substituting aluminum for copper in cable production, as aluminum costs significantly less, priced at approximately $2,850 to $2,890 per ton, which is about one-fourth of copper's price [2][5] - JX Metals reported a record copper benchmark price of 1.8 million yen per ton (approximately 81,700 RMB), marking a 25% increase compared to the end of last year, and more than double the average price from five years ago [2][4] - The increase in copper prices is influenced by the London Metal Exchange (LME) prices and the depreciation of the yen, which has raised Japan's copper import costs [2] Group 2 - The price of brass round bars, a representative copper product, has also increased, with wholesale prices around 1,417 yen per kilogram, up 20% from last year, although demand remains sluggish due to labor shortages in the housing sector [4] - Despite low demand in construction, copper prices continue to rise, prompting discussions about replacing brass with stainless steel in various applications, as the price gap between the two is narrowing [5] - Companies like J-Power HST are shifting their strategy to proactively expand sales of aluminum cables, focusing on existing customers, while still acknowledging that copper remains irreplaceable in many applications due to its superior conductivity [7]
铜价持续攀升，替代潮到来？
3 6 Ke·2025-12-02 04:14