Service Center Steel Shipments Dip in March > Metal Center News

Service Center Steel Shipments Dip in March

April 18, 2012

March shipments of steel had modest declines in both the United States and Canada, while aluminum product shipments declined in the U.S. and rose in Canada. Inventory positions in both countries were little changed from the previous month, but were up considerably vs. the previous year, according to the March Metals Activity Report from the Metals Service Center Institute, Rolling Meadows, Ill.

U.S. service centers shipped 3.8 million tons of steel products in March, a decrease of 0.5 percent from March 2011. Year-to-date steel shipments totaled 11.2 million tons, an increase of 7.2 percent from the same period in 2011. Steel product inventories were 8.9 million tons at the end of the month, an increase of 10.6 percent over March a year ago and a decrease of 0.6 percent from February. At March shipping rates, this represented 2.3 months supply in inventory, an increase of 11.1 percent vs. a year ago.

U.S. service centers shipped 135,500 tons of aluminum products during the month, a decline of 4.1 percent from March 2011. For the year to date, aluminum shipments totaled 399,100 tons, up 6.2 percent from last year. Inventories of aluminum products totaled 374,100 tons at month’s end, up 5.1 percent from a year ago but down 0.2 percent from February. At March shipping rates, inventories represented 2.8 months of supply, up 9.6 percent from the previous year.

Canadian service centers shipped 575,600 tons of steel products in March, a decrease of 6.4 percent from March 2011. Year-to-date steel shipments totaled 1.7 million tons, an increase of 1.0 percent from the same period in 2011. Steel product inventories were 1.7 million tons at the end of March, an increase of 11.6 percent from a year ago and a decrease of 1.0 percent from the previous month. At March shipping rates, inventories represented 3.0 months supply, up 19.3 percent from a year ago.

Canadian distributors shipped 14,300 tons of aluminum products during the month, an increase of 4.3 percent from 2011. For the year to date, shipments of 41,800 tons were up 14.1 percent from the same period in 2011. Inventories of aluminum products totaled 35,300 tons at month’s end, an increase of 20.0 percent from a year ago and an increase of 1.5 percent from February. At March shipping rates, Canadian stocks represented 2.5 months supply in inventory, an increase of 15.1 percent from a year ago.