January steel shipments up 7.3 percent

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that for the month of January 2008, United States steel mills shipped 9,246,000 net tons, a 7.3 percent increase from the 8,614,000 net tons shipped in January 2007 and an 8.8 percent increase from the 8,495,000 net tons shipped in the previous month, December 2007.

A year-to-year comparison of year-to-date shipments shows the following changes within major market classifications: service centers and distributors, up 9.3 percent; automotive, up 1.3 percent; construction and contractors’ products, up 8.5 percent; and oil and gas, up 3.2 percent.