2004 steel shipments up 7.7 percent over 2003

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that for the month of May 2004, U.S. steel mills shipped 9,914,000 net tons, a 7.3 percent increase from the 8,567,000 net tons shipped in May 2003, and a 0.6 percent increase from the 9,142,000 net tons shipped in April 2004. For the first five months of 2004, steel shipments were 46,717,000 net tons, representing a 7.7 percent increase from the 43,374,000 net tons shipped during the same period in 2003.

A year-to-year comparison of shipments shows the following changes within major market classifications: service centers and distributors, up 4.0 percent; automotive, up 4.8 percent; construction and contractors' products, up 8.8 percent; oil and gas, up 8.5 percent; machinery, industrial equipment, and tools, up 14.5 percent; appliances, utensils, and cutlery, up 4.8 percent; containers, packaging, and shipping materials, up 2.8 percent; and electrical equipment, down 6.7 percent.