The American Iron and Steel Institute reported today that for the month of October 2012, US steel mills shipped 7,430,267 net tons, a 2.7% increase from the 7,233,375 net tons shipped in the previous month, September 2012, and a 6.3% decrease from the 7,933,653 net tons shipped in October 2011.
Shipments YTD in 2012 are 81,068,394, a 6.1% increase vs. 2011 shipments of 76,374,860 for ten months. 2012 shipments through October would annualize at 97 million tons.
Shipments in October were the 2nd lowest monthly amount in 2012 and raw steel capacity utilization in October was 68.0 percent, the lowest monthly total in 2012. Raw steel production remains weak but has improved modestly with the most recent weekly utilization rate being 73.9% for the week of December 15, 2012.
A comparison of October shipments to the previous month of September shows the following changes: hot rolled sheet, up 6 percent, hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip, up 3 percent and cold rolled sheet, no change.
Source - AISI
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