Steel, Aluminum Shipments Continue U.S., Canadian Decline
October 20, 2008
Steel, Aluminum Shipments Continue U.S., Canadian Decline
ROLLING MEADOWS, Illinois, October 20, 2008 – Shipments of steel and aluminum products from metals service centers in the United States and Canada continued to decline in year-over-year comparisons during September, but U.S. inventories of the two metals actually rose slightly from year-ago levels, the Metals Activity Report (MAR) from the Metals Service Center Institute shows.
On a month-to-month basis, with unprecedented economic volatility spreading uncertainty throughout the business community, demand for service center products in the United States and Canada declined in September. Service centers responded to the deteriorating market conditions by reducing total inventories from August levels to bring supply in line with weaker demand.
September is the first month to use data based on a new methodology to compute metals service center total shipment levels in the two countries. Similarly, the method used to derive industry-wide figures for month-end inventories has been adjusted to account for the actual experience of participating members better. Historic shipment and inventory data has been restated for both metals and countries to reflect the new methodologies.
Steel Product Activity
September shipments of steel products from U.S. metals service centers totaled nearly 3.73 million tons, a decline of 7.6% from September 2007. U.S. shipments for the first nine months of the year totaled about 38.08 million tons, down 5.4% from a year ago. Month-end inventories of steel products totaled 10.66 million tons, 0.9% more than a year ago. At the current sales rate, that represents a 2.9-month supply.
Canadian service center steel shipments in September totaled 534,100 tons, a decline of 10.6% from September 2007. Shipments for the first nine months of the year totaled about 5.36 million tons, down 6.4% from the 2007 period. Canadian steel inventories at the end of the month totaled about 1.45 million tons, down 14.9% from a year ago and, at current shipping rates, sufficient for 2.7 months.
Aluminum Product Activity
Shipments of aluminum products from U.S. metals service centers totaled 137,200 tons in September, a decline of 3.7% from the same month a year ago. Nine-month aluminum shipments total about 1.35 million tons, a decline of 5.7% from the 2007 period. Aluminum inventories at the end of September totaled 450,400 tons, or 1.4% more than this time a year ago and, at current shipping rates, a 3.3-month supply.
In Canada, metals service centers shipped 14,700 tons of aluminum products in September, down 2.8% from a year ago. Shipments for the first nine months of the year of 128,800 tons are down 1.7% from that period in 2007. Aluminum inventories of 37,000 tons are down 9.6% from a year ago and, at current shipping rates, represent a 2.5-month supply of the light metal.
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 420 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 60 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
Steve Weiner (503) 646-9108