Steel Products
Service Center Inventories Remain Close to 2 Months Supply
Written by John Packard
August 26, 2013
Flat rolled steel service centers held 2.17 months of inventory on their floors, according to the results from our latest steel market survey completed on Thursday of last week. This is essentially unchanged from the 2.15 months measured at the beginning of the month and in line with the MSCI data reported at the end of July.
Both service centers and end user inventories remain relatively balanced. The percentage of service centers reporting their company was “maintaining” inventories levels was 70 percent at the beginning of August and 64 percent this past week. Manufacturers reported 71 percent at the beginning of August and 75 percent last week. Those distributors reporting their company as reducing inventory levels jumped from 17 percent the first week of August to 29 percent this past week. SMU believes this is due to the opinion at the service center level that mill prices have peaked. Manufacturers remained fairly stable with 19 percent reporting their company was reducing inventories at the beginning of August and last week 17 percent reported the same way. Those building inventories were in the single digits for both distributors (7 percent) and end users (8 percent).
John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Steel Products
SMU Community Chat replay now available
The latest SMU Community Chat webinar reply is now available on our website to all members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the community tab and look under the “previous webinars” section of the dropdown menu. All past Community Chat webinars are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the webinar replay, or if your company […]
SSAB announces $74M expansion in Alabama
The project will expand heat treat capacity at its Axis, Alabama plant
Service centers: Mill orders retreat in March
SMU’s Mill Order Index declined in March after repeated gains at the start of the year, according to our latest service center inventories data.
Nucor maintains plate prices
Nucor aims to keep plate prices flat with the opening of its June order book.
US rig count up, Canada declines
Oil and gas drilling activity was mixed this week, according to Baker Hughes. US rig counts expanded for a second straight week, while Canadian activity continued its seasonal slowdown of eight consecutive weeks.