Shipments of flat steel products from EU27 + UK service centers increased 18% year on year in the first eight months of 2021, service center and distributor association EUROMETAL reported Oct. 13
The Luxembourg-based regional steel distributors’ association said that in August of 2021 compared with August 2020 strip mill products shipments nudged up 0.5% year on year, compared with a 3.4% increase for the month of July.
When expressed in days of shipments, stocks at EU steel service centers (SSCs) reached 89 days in August 2021, compared with 108 days in August 2020, EUROMETAL said.
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 noted a drop for August 2021 and were at index 79, compared with index 88 in August 2020 (average 2018 = index 100).
Multi-products
The association said that in the first eight months of 2021, EU27 + UK multi-product and proximity steel stockholding distribution only rebars registered lower shipments, while other longs, strip mill products, tubular products and stainless steel registered higher shipments.
In the first eight months of 2021, total steel product shipments increased 11.1% year on year, EUROMETAL said.
“August of 2021 compared to August 2020, “Total Steel Products” shipments increased, year-on-year by 2.4%. All products had a positive trend, except profiles, rebars and galv. & other coated flats,” the association said in a statement.
The stock volumes index of EU27 + UK multi-product and proximity steel stockholding distribution was at 86 in August 2021, compared with the lower index of 82 a year before (average 2015 =Index 100), it said.
When expressed in days of shipments, stock volumes levelled in August 2021 at 78 days of shipments, compared to 82 days in August 2020, the association said.
— Filip Warwick
