Steel shipments down 3 percent

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that for the month of July 2011, United States steel mills shipped 7,409,450 net tons, a 3.0 percent decrease from the 7,639,108 net tons shipped in the previous month, June 2011, and a 14.3 percent increase from the 6,481,886 net tons shipped in July 2010. Shipments year-to-date in 2011 are 52,189,307 a 7.0 percent increase vs. 2010 shipments of 48,790,026 for seven months. 2011 shipments through July would annualize at 89 million tons.

A month-to-month comparison of shipments shows the following changes: hot rolled sheet, up 3 percent, cold rolled sheet, down 4 percent and hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip, down 8 percent.