The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported Friday that for the month of September 2012, US steel mills shipped 7.2 million net tons, a 13.7 percent decrease from the 8.4 million net tons shipped in the previous month, August 2012, and a 9 percent decrease from the 7.9 million net tons shipped in September 2011. Shipments year-to-date in 2012 are 73.6 million, a 7.6 percent increase compared to 2011 shipments of 68.4 million for nine months. Shipments year-to-date through September would annualize at 98 million tons.
Shipments in September were down 13 percent versus the 2012 monthly average through August and were the lowest monthly shipment total since February 2011. Raw steel capacity utilization in September was 70.4 percent, the lowest monthly total in 2012. Raw steel production continues to be weak and recorded its lowest 2012 utilization figure during the week ended October 27 at 67.9 percent.
A comparison of September shipments to the previous month of August shows the following changes: cold rolled sheet shipments were down 6 percent; hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip fell 11 percent and hot rolled sheet shipments dropped by 22 percent.