AISI: September Steel Shipments Down 13.7% from August
11/16/2012 - The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported today that for the month of September 2012, U.S. steel mills shipped 7,233,375 tons, a 13.7% decrease from the 8,377,162 tons shipped in the previous month.
The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported today that for the month of September 2012, U.S. steel mills shipped 7,233,375 tons, a 13.7% decrease from the 8,377,162 tons shipped in the previous month, August 2012, and a 9.0% decrease from the 7,947,262 tons shipped in September 2011. Shipments year-to-date (YTD) in 2012 are 73,628,127, a 7.6% increase vs. 2011 shipments of 68,441,207 for nine months. 2012 shipments through September would annualize at 98 million tons.
Shipments in September were down 13% vs. the 2012 monthly average through August and were the lowest monthly shipment total since February 2011. Raw Steel Capacity Utilization in September was 70.4%, the lowest monthly total in 2012. Raw Steel Production continues to be weak and recorded its lowest 2012 utilization figure during the week ended October 27 at 67.9%. The current Weekly Production utilization is 70.7% for the week ending November 10, 2012.
A comparison of September shipments to the previous month of August shows the following changes: cold rolled sheet, down 6%, hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip, down 11% and hot rolled sheet, down 22%.
AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 25 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 124 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI's member companies represent over three quarters of both U.S. and North American steel capacity.
