Distributors are an important metals source

By Staff -- Purchasing, 5/7/1998

Metals service centers again supplied a huge amount to manufacturing last year; the 31.5 million tons of steel and nonferrous metals shipped in 1997 beat the previous record of 29.7 million tons shipped in 1995 by 6.1%. In fact, almost 37% of all the metal chewed up by metalworking industries last year came from metals service centers. On top of that, market mavens think distributors will have a 40%-45% share of supply. U.S. metals buyers sourced 29,834,000 tons of steel from members of the Steel Service Center Institute (ssci) and the Association of Steel Distributors (ASD); 1,118,000 tons from members of the National Association of Aluminum Distributors (naad); and 591,500 tons from members of the Copper and Brass Servicenter Association (cbsa).

Upshot: Purchasing 's Metals Distribution Index, which measures ferrous and nonferrous metals sourced annually through service centers and stocking distributors, rose to a record 144.3 last year. Looking at 1998, forecasters say that manufacturing growth may be somewhat sluggish later this year, but agree that overall metals demand in the U.S. will stay strong. Upshot: A projected new high for the distribution index of 144.9 this year.

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