More and more appliances come with copper as the preferred material according to a new U.S. study.
That could mean 1.9 million tonnes of copper being used annually by 2022 and predictions the demand from appliances manufacturers will grow in coming years.
The study—by The Martec Group on behalf of the International Copper Association (ICA)—says there are multiple reasons for the ongoing demand.
“When it comes to heat transferability, ease of welding, corrosion resistance and much more, copper outperforms potential alternatives,” said study author Keith Miller, Director, The Martec Group.
“Copper is tried and tested; embedded in the design of a number of components such as the wire harness and power cords. Moreover, manufacturers are extremely cautious in making the significant investment needed to explore alternatives.”
The study highlighted ovens as an example of where alternative materials are finding it difficult to compete. The global average copper use for an oven is 0.8 kg. The figure consists of a number of components, such as fan motor windings, induction coils, contacts for controls and wiring. All outperform similar components potentially made from alternative materials. With over 39 million large cooking appliance units sold in China alone in 2017, the impact on overall copper demand is significant.
Colin Bennett, Market Analysis and Outreach, ICA, said, “Technological developments aside, base demand for both large and small appliances is increasing globally, particularly in developing economies. This points to increased material demand in future.”