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AISI: Preliminary Count Shows U.S. Imports Dropped 11% in June
07/30/2014 - Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 3,586,000 tons of steel in June 2014, including 2,706,000 tons of finished steel (down 11.1% and 8.0%, respectively, vs. May final data).
Year-to-date (YTD) total and finished steel imports are 21,082,000 and 15,552,000 tons, respectively, up 34% and 26% respectively, vs. 2013. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2014 would be 42.2 and 31.1 million tons, up 31% and 25% respectively vs. 2013. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 27% in June and is estimated at 27% YTD.
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in June compared to May are cold rolled sheets (up 26%), cut lengths plates (up 26%) and tin plate (up 14%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include wire rods (up 100%), plates in coils (up 69%), cold rolled sheets (up 67%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 51%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 48%), hot rolled sheets (42%), cut lengths plates (up 37%), mechanical tubing (34%), oil country goods (up 28%), heavy structural shapes (up 25%), reinforcing bars (up 15%) and tin plate (up 15%).
In June, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were all from Asia and Europe. They were from South Korea (457,000 tons, down 22% vs. May final), China (230,000 tons, down 25%), Turkey (189,000 tons, up 25%), Japan (138,000 tons, down 5%) and Germany (102,000 tons, down 3%). For six months of 2014, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,609,000 tons, up 49%), China (1,518,000 tons, up 69%), Japan (990,000 tons, up 3%), Turkey (951,000 tons, up 29%) and Russia (596,000 tons, up 344%).
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in June compared to May are cold rolled sheets (up 26%), cut lengths plates (up 26%) and tin plate (up 14%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include wire rods (up 100%), plates in coils (up 69%), cold rolled sheets (up 67%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 51%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 48%), hot rolled sheets (42%), cut lengths plates (up 37%), mechanical tubing (34%), oil country goods (up 28%), heavy structural shapes (up 25%), reinforcing bars (up 15%) and tin plate (up 15%).
In June, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were all from Asia and Europe. They were from South Korea (457,000 tons, down 22% vs. May final), China (230,000 tons, down 25%), Turkey (189,000 tons, up 25%), Japan (138,000 tons, down 5%) and Germany (102,000 tons, down 3%). For six months of 2014, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,609,000 tons, up 49%), China (1,518,000 tons, up 69%), Japan (990,000 tons, up 3%), Turkey (951,000 tons, up 29%) and Russia (596,000 tons, up 344%).
