Steel Mills

Service Center Shipments/Inventories

August 19, 2014

According to data just released by the Metal Service Center Institute (MSCI) total steel shipments were 168,300 tons per day during the month of July 2014. This represents a 6.9 percent improvement over the July 2013 shipment rate.

The total number of tons shipped during the month of July by U.S. steel distributors was 3,702,100 net tons.

By the end of the month service centers had 8,739,500 tons of inventories (all products) on their floors which on a non-seasonally adjusted basis equates to 2.4 months worth of inventory. This is up from the 2.3 months reported at the end of June.

Carbon Flat Rolled

U.S. based distributors shipped an average of 108,800 tons per day of flat rolled products during the month of July. This represents a 7.0 percent improvement over the 2013 shipment rate. For our Premium members Steel Market Update forecasts shipment rates and inventory levels of flat rolled steel. We projected July shipments would be 6 percent above 2013 levels (missed by 1 percent).

Total flat rolled shipments were 2,993,600 tons which is 157,300 tons greater than 2013 July shipment levels.

Carbon flat rolled inventories stood at 5,214,300 tons as of the end of July which is 2.2 months, up 0.1 month on a non-seasonally adjusted basis from the previous month.

Carbon Plate

Daily shipments of plate products equaled 17,100 tons which is up 12 percent above July 2013 levels. Total plate shipments equaled 375,600 tons.

Inventories stood at 1,063,700 tons or 2.9 months supply. This is up from the 2.8 months supply reported by the MSCI at the end of June.

Carbon Pipe & Tube

Service centers in the United States shipped a total of 241,600 tons or 11,000 tons per day of pipe and tube products. This was an improvement of 3.9 percent above July 2013 shipment levels.

Total inventories were 654,900 tons at the end of the month. The total month’s supply stood at 2.7 months which is up 0.1 month compared to the prior month.