AISI: U.S. Preliminary Steel Imports Decline 7% in August

American Iron and Steel Institute: Preliminary Steel Imports Decline 7% in August.
Import Market Share at 20%

Washington, D.C. – Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2,440,000 net tons (NT) of steel in August, including 1,813,000 NT of finished steel (down 7% and 13%, respectively, from July final data). Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2011 would be 29.6 and 22.5 million NT, respectively, up 24% and 19% vs. 2010. Finished steel import market share in August was an estimated 20% and is 22% year-to date (YTD). Key finished steel products with significant import increases in August 2011 compared to July include reinforcing bar (up 88%), line pipe (up 22%) and cut length plates (up 16%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include cut length plates (up 49%), plates in coils (up 36%), reinforcing bar (up 31%), hot rolled bar (up 29%), cold rolled sheets (up 28%), oil country goods (up 26%) and hot rolled sheets (up 19%).

In August, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (200,000 NT, down 34%), China (119,000 NT, down 23%), Japan (91,000 NT, down 35%), India (84,000 NT, up 58%) and Germany (81,000 NT, down 7%). For the first 8 months of 2011, the largest offshore suppliers have been South Korea (2,013,000 NT, up 57%), Japan (988,000 NT, up 11%) and China (837,000 NT, up 48%).

To read the full report and see the charts, click here.