Shipment of Steel by U.S. Mills Declined 7.5%

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported notable month-on-month decline in steel shipments by the U.S. mills during September. The shipment by U.S. steel mills totaled 7.812 million net tons, significantly lower by 7.5% when matched with the prior month. The shipments had totaled 8.442 million net tons in August this year. However, the shipments were up marginally by 3.3% when matched with the previous year. The U.S. mills had shipped only 7.560 million net tons of steel during September last year.

Over the prior month, several steel products witnessed considerable decline in shipment volumes. The shipments of cold rolled sheets declined sharply by 10%. Hot rolled sheets too recorded 9% decline in shipment volumes over August 2018. A 7% month-on-month decline was reported in shipments of hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip in September 2018, said AISI data.

The combined steel shipments by the U.S. mills during initial nine-month period of 2018 totaled 71.469 million net tons, 4.4% higher when compared with the shipments of 68.428 million net tons during Jan-Sep ’17.

Meantime, steel import permit applications witnessed considerable surge during October this year. The permits surged higher by 5.3% over the prior month from 2.828 million net tons in Sep ’18 to 2.979 million net tons in October. The permit application for cold finished bars surged the most by 59%.