March shipments of aluminum and steel were only slightly changed in both the United States and Canada. Inventory positions also remained nearly constant in both countries.
U.S. Service Center Activity
U.S. Service Centers shipped 3,803.8 thousand tons of steel products in the month of March 2012. This represents a decrease of 0.5% from March, 2011. For 2012, 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.
135.5 thousand tons of aluminum products were shipped by U.S. Service Centers in March, a decrease of 4.1% from the same month in 2011. For 2012 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 Center Activity
Canadian Service Centers shipped 575.6 thousand tons of steel products in the month of March 2012. This represents a decrease of 6.4% from March 2011. For 2012, 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.
14.3 thousand tons of aluminum products were shipped by Canadian Service Centers in March, an increase of 4.3% from the same month in 2011. For 2012, 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 March 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.
About MSCI
Founded in 1909, the Metals Service Center Institute, based in Rolling Meadows, IL, 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. Service centers inventory, process and distribute metals to manufacturing intermediaries and original equipment manufacturers. MSCI conducts seven national conferences for members annually along with networking events that are held across the 30+ chapters and offer access to educational programs for all levels of employees from entry-level to executive. To date nearly $2 million in scholarships have been awarded through its chapters. For more information, visit www.msci.org. “Like” us on Facebook at Metals Service Center Institute, follow us on twitter @MSCITweets, and connect with us on Linked In at Metals Service
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