The Metals Activity Report from the Metals Service Center Institute shows that August 2011 service center shipments increased from the same period in 2010 at about the same rate as July for both steel and aluminum in Canada and at a higher rate in the US inventory levels increased for both metals in the US and Canada.

US Service Centers shipped 3.690 tons of steel products in the month of August 2011. This represents an increase of 15.4% YoY from August 2010. For YTD 2011, steel shipments were 27.672 million tons, an increase of 17.0% YoY from the same period in 2010. Steel product inventories were 8.459 million tons at the end of August 2011, an increase of 13.7% YoY over August a year ago and an increase of 0.5% from last month. At the current shipping rate this represents 2.3 months of supply.

Canadian Service Centers shipped 541,000 tonnes of steel products in the month of August 2011. This represents an increase of 10.5% YoY from August 2010. In YTD 2011, steel shipments were 4.248 million tonnes, up by 12.2% YoY. Steel product inventories were 1.626 million tons at the end of August 2011, an increase of 27.2% YoY from August a year ago and an increase of 0.4% from last month. At the current shipping rate, this represents 3.0 months of supply.