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AISI: Preliminary Steel Imports Decrease 5% in August
09/26/2014 - Based on preliminary U.S. Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 3,667,000 tons of steel in August, including 2,768,000 tons of finished steel (down 5.0% and 10.2%, respectively, vs. July final data).
Year-to-date (YTD) total and finished steel imports are 28,634,000 and 21,430,000 net tons (tons), respectively, up 36% and 29% respectively, vs. 2013. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2014 would be 43.0 and 32.1 million tons, up 34% and 30% respectively vs. 2013. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 27% in August and is estimated at 27% YTD.
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in August compared to July are reinforcing bars (up 191%) and wire rods (up 22%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include plates in coils (up 85%), wire rods (up 78%), cold rolled sheets (up 73%), cut lengths plates (up 58%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 56%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 52%), heavy structural shapes (up 44%), hot rolled sheets (up 37%), mechanical tubing (up 36%), oil country goods (up 26%), Tin Plate (up 21%) and reinforcing bar (up 14%).
In August, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (450,000 tons, down 21% vs. July final), China (226,000 tons, down 16%), Turkey (210,000 tons, up 59%), Japan (165,000 tons, down 18%) and Taiwan (130,000 tons, up 23%). For eight months of 2014, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (3,626,000 tons, up 49%), China (2,014,000 tons, up 70%), Japan (1,356,000 tons, up 5%), Turkey (1,306,000 tons, up 47%) and Russia (903,000 tons, up 511%).
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in August compared to July are reinforcing bars (up 191%) and wire rods (up 22%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include plates in coils (up 85%), wire rods (up 78%), cold rolled sheets (up 73%), cut lengths plates (up 58%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 56%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 52%), heavy structural shapes (up 44%), hot rolled sheets (up 37%), mechanical tubing (up 36%), oil country goods (up 26%), Tin Plate (up 21%) and reinforcing bar (up 14%).
In August, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (450,000 tons, down 21% vs. July final), China (226,000 tons, down 16%), Turkey (210,000 tons, up 59%), Japan (165,000 tons, down 18%) and Taiwan (130,000 tons, up 23%). For eight months of 2014, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (3,626,000 tons, up 49%), China (2,014,000 tons, up 70%), Japan (1,356,000 tons, up 5%), Turkey (1,306,000 tons, up 47%) and Russia (903,000 tons, up 511%).
