Aluminum sales eased in '80

The aluminum industry shipped 14.2 billion pounds of aluminum in 1980. Though this is a decrease of 4.5 percent from total pounds shipped in 1979, it still represents the third- highest amount in the industry's history.

Shipments to the containers and packaging market rose 3.4 percent in 1980, making that area the industry's largest market for the second year in a row.

Shipments to the industry's second-largest market, building and construction, fell 14.6 percent from 1979's 3.1 billion pounds.