The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported Thursday that for the month of March 2013, US steel mills shipped 7.9 million net tons, a 6.5 percent increase from the 7.4 million net tons shipped in the previous month, February 2013, and a 6.9 percent decrease from the 8.5 million net tons shipped in March 2012. Shipments year-to-date in 2013 are 23.6 million net tons, a 7.3 percent decrease versus 2012 shipments of 25.4 million net tons for the first three months of the year.
A comparison of March shipments to the previous month of February shows that hot rolled sheet shipments were up 7 percent, hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip shipments rose 2 percent and cold rolled sheet shipments were unchanged.