The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported on March 19 that for the month of January 2012, U.S. steel mills shipped 8,497,932 net tons, a 5.1-percent increase from the 8,085,761 net tons shipped in the previous month, December 2011, and a 12.9-percent increase from the 7,528,655 net tons shipped in January 2011. 2012 shipments for January would annualize at 102 million tons.

A month-to-month comparison of shipments shows the following changes: cold rolled sheet, up 24 percent, hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip, up 19 percent and hot rolled sheet, down 9 percent.