AISI: Preliminary Steel Imports Decrease 4% in May
06/29/2015 - Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 3,374,000 net tons (NT) of steel in May 2015, including 2,744,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (down 3.6% and 7.2%, respectively, vs. April final data).
Year-to-date (YTD) total and finished steel imports are 18,597,000 and 15,368,000 net tons (NT), respectively, up 6% and 20% respectively, vs. the same period in 2014. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2015 would be 44.6 and 36.8 million NT, up 1% and 9% respectively vs. 2014. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 29% in May and is estimated at 32% YTD.
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in May compared to April are tin plate (up 101%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 17%), hot rolled bars (up 15%), cut lengths plates (up 13%), hot rolled sheets (up 12%) and standard pipe (up 11%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include line pipe (up 67%), standard pipe (up 44%), reinforcing bars (up 38%), heavy structural shapes (up 36%), cut lengths plates (up 36%), tin plate (up 32%), plates in coils (up 28%), cold rolled sheets (up 27%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 26%) and hot rolled sheets (up 13%)
In May, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were all from Asia and Europe. They were from South Korea (355,000 NT, down 30% vs. April final), China (302,000 NT, up 3%), Turkey (222,000 NT, down 3%), Japan (184,000 NT, down 19%) and Germany (131,000 NT, up 8%). For five months of 2015, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,745,000 NT, up 28%), Turkey (1,446,000 NT, up 90%), China (1,330,000 NT, up 3%), Japan (1,047,000 NT, up 23%) and Germany (675,000 NT, up 40%).
For charts on estimated steel import market share and finished steel imports, continue to the full press release at steel.org.
AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 24 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 125 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI’s member companies represent over three quarters of both U.S. and North American steel capacity. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org.
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in May compared to April are tin plate (up 101%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 17%), hot rolled bars (up 15%), cut lengths plates (up 13%), hot rolled sheets (up 12%) and standard pipe (up 11%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include line pipe (up 67%), standard pipe (up 44%), reinforcing bars (up 38%), heavy structural shapes (up 36%), cut lengths plates (up 36%), tin plate (up 32%), plates in coils (up 28%), cold rolled sheets (up 27%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 26%) and hot rolled sheets (up 13%)
In May, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were all from Asia and Europe. They were from South Korea (355,000 NT, down 30% vs. April final), China (302,000 NT, up 3%), Turkey (222,000 NT, down 3%), Japan (184,000 NT, down 19%) and Germany (131,000 NT, up 8%). For five months of 2015, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,745,000 NT, up 28%), Turkey (1,446,000 NT, up 90%), China (1,330,000 NT, up 3%), Japan (1,047,000 NT, up 23%) and Germany (675,000 NT, up 40%).
For charts on estimated steel import market share and finished steel imports, continue to the full press release at steel.org.
AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 24 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 125 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI’s member companies represent over three quarters of both U.S. and North American steel capacity. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org.
