Metal Shipments Show Double Digit Year-Over-Year Growth
01/19/2012 - Service center shipments grew at slightly higher levels in December for both steel and aluminum in Canada, according to the latest Metals Activity Report from the Metals Service Center Institute. In the U.S., steel shipments grew at about half the rate as last month and aluminum-shipment growth remained about the same.
Service center shipments grew at slightly higher levels in December for both steel and aluminum in Canada, according to the latest Metals Activity Report from the Metals Service Center Institute. In the U.S., steel shipments grew at about half the rate as last month and aluminum-shipment growth remained about the same.
The report shows that steel shipments from U.S. service centers totaled 2,957.7 thousand tons in December 2011, an increase of 5.0% from December 2010. Year-to-date steel shipments were 40,711.4 thousand tons, an increase of 14.2% over 2010.
By the end of December, steel product inventories were 8,348.4 thousand tons, an increase of 8.3% over December a year ago and an increase of 3.1% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 2.8 months supply in inventory, an increase of 3.1% from a year ago.
December shipments of aluminum products by U.S. service centers totaled 109.3 thousand tons, an increase of 5.2% from the same month in 2010. Year-to-date aluminum shipments were 1,501.3 thousand tons, an increase of 15.0% from 2010.
Inventories of aluminum products were 356.9 thousand tons at the end of December 2011, an increase of 2.6% over December a year ago and a decrease of 0.7% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 3.3 months supply in inventory, a decrease of 5.9% from a year ago.
Canadian service centers shipped 419.5 thousand tons of steel products in December 2011, representing an increase of 10.2% from the prior December. Year-to-date steel shipments were 6,289.1 thousand tons, an increase of 11.0% from 2010.
Steel product inventories were 1,507.0 thousand tons at the end of December 2011, an increase of 8.1% from December a year ago and an increase of 11.9% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 3.6 months supply in inventory, a decrease of 1.8% from a year ago.
December shipments of aluminum products by Canadian service centers totaled 9.7 thousand tons, an increase of 8.0% from the same month in 2010. For the year, aluminum shipments were 146.5 thousand tons, an increase of 8.3% from 2010.
Inventories of aluminum products were 34.2 thousand tons at the end of December 2011, an increase of 9.3% from December a year ago and a decrease of 3.1% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 3.5 months supply in inventory, an increase of 1.2% from a year ago.
Founded in 1909, the Metals Service Center Institute has more than 370 members operating from about 1200 locations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and elsewhere in the world. Together, MSCI members constitute the largest single group of metals purchasers in North America, amounting each year to more than 55 million tons of steel, aluminum, and other metals, with about 300,000 manufacturers and fabricators as customers. MSCI’s membership also includes most ferrous and nonferrous industrial metals producers in North America.
