U.S. Steel Shipments Surged 5%

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The U.S. steel mills shipped 8.115 million net tons during the month of July this year. The shipments surged higher by over 5% when matched with the prior month. The steel shipments had totaled 7.718 million net tons in June 2019.

According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) data, the shipments increased by 2.6% over the same month a year before. The mills had shipped 7.911 million net tons of steel in July 2018. The shipments totaled 56.338 million net tons, marginally higher by 2% from the shipments of 55.215 million net tons during Jan-July '18.

The shipments of cold rolled sheets and hot rolled sheets recorded notable jump from the prior month. The above steel products witnessed 9% and 6% surge respectively in shipment volumes. Meantime, the shipments of hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip witnessed no change over the prior month, AISI data said.

Meantime, weekly crude steel production by the country declined marginally by 1.7% from the corresponding week a year before. The production for the week ending September 7, 2019 totaled 1.835 million net tons, as compared with 1.866 million net tons a year before. The capability utilization rate too reported decline from 79.6% to 78.8% year-on-year.

The primary producer was the Great Lakes region, which recorded an output of 686,000 net tons, closely followed by the Southern region with an output of 672,000 net tons. The production (in thousand net tons) by the other regions is as follows: North East (214), Midwest (190) and Western (73).

The year-to-date steel production until September 7, 2019 totaled 67.148 million net tons. The U.S. steel mills operated at a capability utilization rate of 80.8% during this period.