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Metals Service Center Growth Levels Off in March

04/18/2012 - March service center shipments of aluminum and steel were only slightly changed in both the United States and Canada, with inventory positions also remaining nearly constant in both countries, according the latest report from the Metals Service Center Institute.

March service center shipments of aluminum and steel were only slightly changed in both the United States and Canada, with inventory positions also remaining nearly constant in both countries, according the latest report from the Metals Service Center Institute.
 
According to the report, U.S. Service Centers shipped 3,803.8 thousand tons of steel products in March 2012, representing a decrease of 0.5% from March 2011. Year-to-date steel shipments were 11,182.3 thousand tons, an increase of 7.2% from the same period in 2011. Steel product inventories were 8,869.3 thousand tons at the end of March 2012, an increase of 10.6% over March a year ago and a decrease of 0.6% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 2.3 months’ supply in inventory, an increase of 11.1% from a year ago.
 
March shipments of aluminum products by U.S. Service Centers totaled 135.5 thousand tons, a decrease of 4.1% from the same month in 2011. Year-to-date aluminum shipments were 399.1 thousand tons, an increase of 6.2% from the same period in 2011. Inventories of aluminum products were 374.1 thousand tons at the end of March 2012, an increase of 5.1% over March a year ago and a decrease of 0.2% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 2.8 months’ supply in inventory, an increase of 9.6% from a year ago.
 
Canadian Service Centers shipped 575.6 thousand tons of steel products in March 2012, representing a decrease of 6.4% from March 2011. Year-to-date steel shipments were 1,677.9 thousand tons, an increase of 1.0% from the same period in 2011. Steel product inventories were 1,711.8 thousand tons at the end of March 2012, an increase of 11.6% from March a year ago and a decrease of 1.0% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 3.0 months’ supply in inventory, an increase of 19.3% from a year ago.
 
March shipments of aluminum products by Canadian Service Centers totaled 14.3 thousand tons, an increase of 4.3% from the same month in 2011. Year-to-date aluminum shipments were 41.8 thousand tons, an increase of 14.1% from the same period in 2011. Inventories of aluminum products were 35.3 thousand tons at the end of March 2012, an increase of 20.0% from a year ago and an increase of 1.5% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 2.5 months’ supply in inventory, an increase of 15.1% from a year ago.
 
Founded in 1909, the Metals Service Center Institute, based in Rolling Meadows, Ill., has nearly 400 members operating from more than 1,500 locations in the U.S, Canada, Mexico and throughout 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 almost all ferrous and non-ferrous industrial metals producers in North America.