Service Center Shipments and Inventories Report for April

We had to change the way we calculate the adjusted data, which will also change how we derive our analysis. Previously, we adjusted the data to mirror the exact mix of service centers that responded to the previous month’s survey. We saw a decrease in participation in the March survey, which we can understand given the business uncertainty created by Covid-19. In March, we started normalizing the data for 100 percent participation in the survey. We rely on the consistent participation of our survey partners to help us create robust data to track industry trends. Going forward, we will compare adjusted figures to the previous month’s adjusted figures, and we encourage readers to pay more attention to the calculations, such as shipping days of supply. More consistency in our data collection and this calculation change also will allow us to begin tracking a new indicator – intake. Thanks to our data providers for making this possible.

Flat Rolled = 80.1 Shipping Days of Supply