The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported on Friday, November 21, that during the month of September 2008 US steel mills shipped 7,920,000 net tons (nt), which represents a 6.8 percent decrease from the 8,492,000 nt shipped in September 2007 and a 10.7 decrease from the 8,860,000 nt shipped in the previous month, August 2008.
Year to date, shipments to end-use markets showed the following changes from the same period of last year: service centers and distributors, up 5.6 percent; automotive, down 4.4 percent; construction and contractors' products, down 2.9 percent; and oil and gas, up 4.9 percent.
AISI is comprised of 27 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 138 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI's member companies represent approximately 75 percent of both US and North American steel capacity.