Steel Mills

U.S. Distributors Shipping Rates Drop

December 17, 2013

According to data just released by the Metal Service Center Institute (MSCI) total steel inventories dropped slightly during the month of November while steel shipments were off 11,500 tons per day compared to the daily rate reported for the month of October. When compared to last November shipments improved by 6,200 tons per day and inventories are 190,700 tons lower this year vs. last year.

There were 20 shipping days during November 2013 and 21 days during November 2012.

The daily shipping rate (all products) for the month of November was 153,400 tons per day with total shipments equaling 3,068,800 tons which was 0.70 percent lower than one year ago. Inventories stood at 7,980,800 tons at the end of November.

The number of months on hand equaled 2.6 months on a non-seasonally adjusted basis (2.1 months last month) and 2.3 months on a seasonally adjusted basis (same as last month).

Flat Rolled Carbon Sheet

Carbon flat rolled shipments totaled 2,018,700 tons. The daily shipment rate dropped in November from 107,000 tons per day (October 2013) to 100,900 tons per day. Total tonnage shipped during the Holiday shortened month was 2.4 percent higher than the same month last year.

Inventories stood at 4,644,100 tons which is down slightly from the 4,742,100 tons reported at the end of October. On a year-over-year basis flat rolled inventories at the U.S. service centers were lower by 3.8 percent.

Inventories rose on both a seasonally adjusted basis (from 2.0 to 2.1 months) as well as a non-seasonally adjusted basis (from 1.9 to 2.3 months).

Flat rolled steel receipts totaled 1,920,700 tons during November vs. 2,480,400 tons during the month of October. November 2012 receipts totaled 1,803,700 tons. On a daily basis receipts were 96,002 tons per day.

Carbon Plate

Plate shipments out of U.S. service centers totaled 291,900 tons during the month of November. The daily shipment rate dropped from 16,900 tons per day in October to 14,600 tons per day during November. However, the November rate was slightly better than the 14,500 tons shipped per day during last November.

Inventories stood at 998,800 tons at the end of November just slightly above the 990,900 tons reported the previous month. Months on hand rose to 3.4 months (2.6 during October) on a non-seasonally adjusted basis and 2.9 months (2.7 October) on an seasonally adjusted basis. Inventories were 1.6 percent lower than at the end of November 2012.

Carbon Pipe & Tube

Distributors shipped 206,200 tons of pipe and tube products during the month of November. The daily shipment rate was 10,300 tons down from the 10,900 tons shipped during October and the lowest rate for the calendar year. Last year distributors shipped 10,200 tons of pipe & tube on a daily basis.

Inventories stood at 709,400 tons as of the end of the month. This is 1.2 percent higher than last year but below the 713,400 tons reported at the end of October. The number of months on hand rose to 3.4 months on a not seasonally adjusted basis (2.9 October) and 3.1 months on a seasonally adjusted basis (3.1 October).