Service centers’ shipments of steel and aluminum declined in total volume from January to February, though the daily shipping rates were generally even with January and the volumes were slightly better than the February 2013 totals. The data is contained in the Metal Service Center Institute’s February Metals Activity Report. MSCI is a trade association for service centers and metal processors across North America. It prepares the monthly summary of steel and aluminum shipments from data reported by member companies in the U.S. and Canada, and tracks inventory levels at those locations.
Generally, the February results were stronger for steel than for aluminum, and the U.S. results were more positive than the Canadian results.
However, the report reveals some inventory building by service centers’ in both countries.