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North American Service Center Shipments Flat in June
07/23/2012 - June steel shipments declined by roughly 2% in the U.S. and about 1% in Canada from June 2011 levels. Inventory to sales ratios were virtually unchanged for both metals in both countries.
June steel shipments declined by roughly 2% in the U.S. and about 1% in Canada from June 2011 levels. Aluminum shipments declined by 4% in the U.S. but grew by 1% in Canada. Inventory to sales ratios were virtually unchanged for both metals in both countries.
U.S. Service Center Activity
U.S. service centers shipped 3.5 million tons of steel products in the month of June 2012. This represents a decrease of 1.9% from June, 2011. For 2012 year-to-date steel shipments were 22.1 million tons, an increase of 5.9% from the same period in 2011.
Steel product inventories were 9.0 million tons at the end of June, 2012, an increase of 13.6% over June a year ago and a decrease of 0.7% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 2.6 months of supply in inventory, an increase of 15.9% from a year ago.
128,900 tons of aluminum products were shipped by U.S. service centers in June, a decrease of 4.0% from the same month in 2011. For 2012 year-to-date aluminum shipments were 793,100 tons, an increase of 3.9% from the same period in 2011.
Inventories of aluminum products were 376,900 tons at the end of June, 2012, an increase of 7.3% over June a year ago and a decrease of 2.3% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 2.9 months of supply in inventory, an increase of 11.9% from a year ago.
Canadian Service Center Activity
Canadian service centers shipped 531,000 tons of steel products in the month of June 2012. This represents a decrease of 0.8% from June, 2011. For 2012 year-to-date steel shipments were 3.3 million tons, an increase of 2.0% from the same period in 2011.
Steel product inventories were 1.6 million tons at the end of June, 2012 an increase of 2.8% from June a year ago and a decrease of 2.6% from last month. At the current shipping rate this represents 3.0 months of supply in inventory, an increase of 3.6% from a year ago.
13,500 tons of aluminum products were shipped by Canadian service centers in June, an increase of 1.1% from the same month in 2011. For 2012 year-to-date, aluminum shipments were 83,400 tons, an increase of 11.9% from the same period in 2011.
Inventories of aluminum products were 36,700 tons at the end of June 2012, an increase of 14.6% from June a year ago and an increase of 1.6% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 2.7 months of supply in inventory, an increase of 13.4% 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 1500 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. Service centers inventory, process and distribute metals to manufacturing intermediaries and original equipment manufacturers.
