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October 18, 2010

Little Change in Steel, Aluminum Shipment and Inventory Trend

October 18, 2010

Little Change in Steel, Aluminum Shipment and Inventory Trend

ROLLING MEADOWS, Illinois, October 18, 2010 – Very little change occurred in North American metals service center shipment and inventory trends in September, the Metals Activity Report from the Metals Service Center Institute shows. Sequential steel inventories rose slightly in both the United States and Canada.

Steel Product Activity

September steel shipments from U.S.-based metals service centers totaled 3.17 million tons, up 23.9% from the same month last year. For the first nine months of the year, total U.S. steel shipments of 26.8 million tons are 19.8% above those for the 2009 period. Steel product inventories at the end of September of 7.53 million tons are 30% above last year’s stockpiles and, at current shipping rates, represented a 2.4-month supply.

In Canada, metals service centers shipped 505,600 tons of steel in September, up 11.1% from the same month last year. Shipments for the first nine months of the year of 4.29 million tons were 15.0% above those for the 2009 period. Month-end Canadian steel inventories of 1.32 million tons were 37.4% above stocks at the end of September 2009 and, at current shipping rates, equal to a 2.6 month supply.

Aluminum Product Activity

September shipments of aluminum products from U.S.-based metals service centers totaled 118,400 tons, or 36.9% more than shipments of a year ago. Aluminum shipments for the first nine months of the year of 978,800 tons are 24.4% higher than those of the 2009 period. Stocks of aluminum products at the end of September of 327,800 tons were 28.7% above last year’s inventories and equal to a 2.8-month supply at current shipping rates.

Canadian metals service centers shipped 12,200 tons of aluminum products during September, or 9.5% more than a year ago. For the first nine months of the year, Canadian aluminum shipments rose 6.0% to 102,000. Aluminum inventories totaled 31,400 tons at the end of September, 9.2% more than a year ago and equal to a 2.6-month supply at current shipping rates.

The Metals Activity Report (MAR), based on data from metals service centers in the United States and Canada, is produced by the Metals Service Center Institute and a third-party econometrics and strategy firm, McCoy, Scott & Co.

Founded in 1909, the Metals Service Center Institute has more than 360 members operating from about 1,200 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 almost all ferrous and non-ferrous industrial metals producers in North America. Metals service centers inventory and distribute metals and provide first-stage fabrication services.

Contacts:

Chris Marti, vice president, research (847) 485-3009

cmarti@msci.org

Steve Weiner (503) 646-9108

sweiner@msci.org

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