According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), US steel mills shipped 6,967,481 net tons (nt) during February 2011, a 7.5 percent decrease from the 7,528,655 nt shipped in January 2011, and a 10.4 percent increase from the 6,311,076 nt shipped in February 2010. Year-to-date shipments are at 14,496,136 nt, a 12.5 percent increase compared to the 12,890,884 nt shipped in the first two months of 2011. Through February 2011, shipments would annualize at 87 million nt.
Comparing shipments month-to-month, hot dipped galvanized sheet and strip shipments dipped by 5 percent; cold rolled sheet shipments were down 5 percent; and hot rolled sheet shipments decreased by 7 percent.