EU service centers see steel flats shipments drop 16% in January-September

Shipments of flat steel products from EU service centers dropped 16% in the first nine months of 2020 on the year, service center and distributor association EUROMETAL reported Nov. 9.

During the same period, EU multi-product and proximity steel stockholding distribution registered lower shipments for almost all products in its portfolio, with total volumes down 12% year on year.

In September, strip mill products shipments were up by 3.7% on the year, compared with a drop of 1.5% in August.

When expressed in terms of days of shipments, stocks at EU steel service centers (SSCs) reached 59 days in September 2020, compared with 73 days in September 2019.

While EUROMETAL does not specify volumes, the association releases an index for stock levels with the average of 2015 equivalent to 100. On this basis, stocks for September 2020 were at 94, compared with 114 in September 2019 (average 2015 = index 100).

Multi-products

Total steel product shipments decreased 2.1% year on year.

Only merchant bars, hot rolled flats and cold rolled flats had a positive trend.

The stock volumes index of EU multi-product and proximity steel stockholding distribution was at 83 in September 2020, compared with a significantly higher index of 92 a year before (average 2015 =Index 100).

When expressed in terms of days of shipments, stock volumes leveled in September 2020 at 68 days of shipments, compared with 74 days in September 2019, the association said.

— Annalisa Villa