Steel service center shipments OK, not great

By Staff -- Purchasing, 5/6/1999

Steel service center execs "are feeling a cautious optimism" about 1999 shipments based on a first-quarter rebound to third-quarter 1998 shipping levels, according to Thomas P. Conley, president of the Steel Service Center Institute (ssci) in Cleveland. "So far in 1999, the pattern has remained the same as usual: strong shipping patterns and over-optimism about the coming month," he says.

The problem, says Conley, is that metals demand is expected to decline in 1999 and first-quarter steel service center business was below its year-ago volume. Also, despite some first-quarter elimination of excess inventory, stockpiles remain too high. "We expect inventory levels to continue declining," Conley says, "since 60% of ssci members believe their inventories remain too high and 33% expect to reduce stocks further through third quarter."

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