had a in loss pricing morning. QX primarily operating The quarter significant year-over-year a of surcharges initiated good XXXX. with strategy 'XX, an million and and price million and Brett, strong improvement January Thanks, transportation operating first base We in $X.X $X.X of implementing income reflects for results energy of increases. of our in versus
post-pandemic initiatives increased energy headwinds energy, the transportation unprecedented particularly XXXX, chain and inflationary crisis. for costs, ensuing XXXX, Europe raw and In faced restrictions, pricing the supply In QX world the lagged by fueled our demand conflict Russian-Ukraine of materials, supplies. issues, sales
the first inventory approximately to was tailwind June By and X% of of with instability sold as the of associated benefited XX-year high moderating. XXXX, recovery cost XXXX deflation the a through. positive before quarter XXXX, Counter higher of surcharge had inflation from
engineered in In decrease the resulted the referred Lower an to year-end for and the of approximately area, the overall FEP, as and product a FEP in gas, products particularly have market, in at increased the our U.S., forged demand imports customers XX% year-over-year. levels oil high energy softening demand. backlog for inventory lowered
by In the the bar steel of last gas for excluding seeing World Steel The the XXXX. and second in oil distribution estimates quoting half in and demand, both improved that increase anticipate Association activity are we will month, X.X% global and China, an shipments XXXX. increase in
rolling furnaces, by furnaces, additional new blast as base the evidenced restart of the in in states blast similar investments Our modernization seven United and of mills aluminum customer States. two the sentiments
from of positive driven roll is steel a year-over-year outlook American reflective a industry robust, demand forged North increased backlog Our automotive industry. showing by increase, the XX%
and of was total the eight sequential last highest third million the quarters. Our QX, $XXX backlog end at the growth of of quarter the
the the XXXX, robust X.X% Steel another with X.X%. increase by to U.S., Europe growing estimates World in Association a by demand For the
our role are for XXXX complete, for of many larger negotiations Pricing customers.
to for locally protect purchase has ability are as to security. We made pricing continuing and a rules increase our in Europe. supply market and strong their recovers for desire cast The steady rules demand robust see to our customers remained the forged our demand to
machining we capital our part of five improvement In expansion first have as program centers [Indiscernible] and the facility, U.S. our installed in new of the
We expectations. phase our the in and the line of testing with currently are the preliminary in are equipment results
impact about on excited achieve and scheduled by our of tool. are the commissioned furnaces positive commissioning first the results as to the machine centers be machine the new year-end. We four we are The remaining operating forthcoming