Steel shipments down 0.5 percent

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported on Jan. 23 that for the month of November 2012, U.S. steel mills shipped 7,397,149 net tons, a 0.5 percent decrease from the 7,430,267 net tons shipped in the previous month, October 2012, and a 0.2 percent decrease from the 7,409,450 net tons shipped in November 2011.

Shipments year-to-date (YTD) in 2012 are 88,465,543 net tons, a 5.6 percent increase vs. 2011 shipments of 83,779,688 net tons for 11 months.  2012 shipments through November would annualize at 97 million net tons.

A comparison of November shipments to the previous month of October shows the following changes: hot rolled sheet, up 4 percent, cold rolled sheet, down 3 percent and hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip, down 6 percent.

Source: American Iron and Steel Institute