New construction starts slipped in May adding to a crimp on aluminum shipments

The aluminum industry shipped a total of 14.2 billion pounds in 1980, down 4. 5 percent from 1979's record volume of 14.9 billion pounds, the Aluminum Association reports. The second-highest year was 1973, with shipments of 14.7 billion pounds.

Aluminum shipments to the container and packaging market, the industry's largest customer, rose 3.4 percent last year, the only major domestic market to show an increase. Shipments to the building and construction market were down 14.6 percent.