Current Industrial Reports United States Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration Bureau of the Census Inventories of Steel Producing Mills - SUMMARY 1997 M33J(97)-13 Issued March 25, 1998 Information about the scope of the survey, methodology, explanation of terms and historical notes for this survey may be found in the 1995 Manufacturing Profiles issued June 1997. These data are also available through the U.S. Department of Commerce and STAT-USA Electronic Bulletin Board by subscription. To access, dial 202-482-3870 and follow the prompts to register; or call 202-482-1986, for further information. Also, you may call 202-482-1986-STAT-USA, for further information. The Internet address is: stat-usa.gov. For mail or fax copies of the publication, contact the Manufacturing and Construction Division Information Center, 301-457-4673. Address inquiries concerning these data to U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Manufacturing and Construction Division, Washington, DC, 20233 or call Mendel D. Gayle, 301-457-4767, or Ann V. Truffa, 301-457-4846. Table 1. End-of-Month Inventories and Related Statistics on Steel Mill Shapes and Forms: 1997 and 1996 [Thousand short tons] Producing mills Steel inventories Month and Service Year Centers Steel in Finished Inventories(1) Total process steel 1997 December ...... 7,271 13,200 7,400 5,800 November ...... 7,192 13,100 7,300 5,800 October ....... 7,206 12,800 7,200 5,600 September ..... 7,226 12,800 7,200 5,600 August ........ 7,196 12,900 7,300 5,600 July .......... 7,201 12,900 7,400 5,500 June .......... 7,224 12,900 7,400 5,500 May .......... 7,172 13,100 7,500 5,600 April ......... 7,172 12,900 7,300 5,600 March.......... 7,068 12,800 7,300 5,500 February....... 7,034 12,800 7,300 5,500 January........ 6,929 12,800 7,300 5,500 1996 December....... 6,962 12,900 7,300 5,600 November....... 6,816 12,900 7,300 5,600 October........ 6,827 12,800 7,200 5,600 September...... 6,761 12,800 7,300 5,500 August......... 6,772 12,800 7,200 5,600 July........... 6,685 12,800 7,300 5,500 June........... 6,614 12,600 7,200 5,400 May............ 6,502 12,400 7,200 5,200 April.......... 6,499 12,700 7,300 5,400 March.......... 6,168 12,900 7,200 5,700 February....... 6,337 12,700 7,200 5,500 January........ 6,321 13,100 7,400 5,700 1/ Source: Steel Service Center Institute. Table 2. Net Shipments and Imports of Steel Mill Shapes: 1997 and 1996 [Thousand short tons] Manufacturers' Imports for Month and Year net shipments(1) consumption(2) 1997 Total. . . . . . . . 104,957 27,284 December . . . . . . 8,648 1,854 November . . . . . . 8,467 2,052 October . . . . . . 9,424 2,311 September . . . . . 9,072 2,273 August . . . . . . . 8,668 2,142 July . . . . . . . . 8,785 2,433 June . . . . . . . . 8,968 2,316 May. . . . . . . . . 8,768 2,520 April. . . . . . . . 8,907 2,338 March. . . . . . . . 8,529 2,162 February. . . . . . 8,091 2,127 January. . . . . . . 8,630 2,756 1996 Total. . . . . . . . 100,130 25,566 December . . . . . . 8,043 2,255 November. . . . . . 7,906 2,778 October. . . . . . . 8,812 2,495 September . . . . . 8,307 2,332 August. . . . . . . 8,407 2,599 July. . . . . . . . 8,097 2,288 June. . . . . . . . 8,335 1,985 May . . . . . . . . 8,817 2,021 April. . . . . . . . 8,538 1,880 March . . . . . . . 8,428 1,614 February . . . . . . 8,260 1,632 January . . . . . . 8,180 1,687 1/ Source: Amercian Iron and Steel Institute. 2/ Source: Bureau of the Census report Im 145, U.S. Imports for Consumption. Import tonnage is derived from the following HTSUSA import numbers: 7206.10.0000- 7306.90.5000. Table 3. Comparison of Manufacturers' Net Shipments with Apparent Consumption of Steel Mill Shapes from 1992 to 1996 1/ [Thousands of short tons] Product description 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 Manufacturers' net shipments. 87,473 85,118 99,144 91,372 82,895 Exports 1/................... 3,123 6,355 3,527 3,653 3,863 Imports 2/................... 14,449 21,163 26,675 17,898 16,045 Apparent Consumption 3/...... 98,799 99,926 122,292 105,617 95,077 1/ Source: Current Industrial Report MA33B, Steel Mill Products. Net shipments figures are somewhat understated because of the method used to calculate these data. These figures are derived by subtracting total domestic receipts of all mill shapes at producing mills from the total quantity of shipments, plus steel consumed in producing plants. Prior to 1980, import receipts were also used in the net shipments calculation. Beginning in 1980, import receipts of steel mill products for further processing were collected separately and were no longer used in the net shipments calculation. 2/ Source: Bureau of the Census report IM 145, U.S. Imports for Consumption. Import tonnage is derived from the following 1995 HTSUSA numbers: 7206.10.0000-7306.90.5000. 3/ Apparent consumption is derived by subtracting exports from the total of net shipments plus imports.  Steel inventories Month and Service