AISI: Preliminary Steel Imports Increase 4% in April
05/24/2013 - Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2,680,000 tons of steel in April, including 2,087,000 tons of finished steel (up 4% and 1%, respectively, vs. March final data).
Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2,680,000 tons of steel in April, including 2,087,000 tons of finished steel (up 4% and 1%, respectively, vs. March final data). Year-to-date total and finished steel imports are 10,375,000 and 8,178,000 tons, respectively, down 12% and 9% vs. 2012. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2013 would be 31.1 and 24.5 million tons, down 7% and 5% respectively vs. 2012. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 24% in April and is estimated at 23% YTD.
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in April 2013 compared to March are plates-in-coils (up 61%), standard pipe (up 43%), cut length plates (up 43%), and wire rods (up 39%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year are hot dipped galvanized sheet and strips (up 11%).
In April, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were all from Asia and Europe. They were from South Korea (248,000 tons, down 22%), Japan (208,000 tons, up 14%), Germany (115,000 tons, up 57%), China (106,000 tons, down 22%) and Taiwan (81,000 tons, up 20%). For four months of 2013, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (1,210,000 tons, down 2%), Japan (657,000 tons, down 1%), China (553,000 tons, up 26%), Turkey (468,000 tons, down 31% and Germany (362,000 tons, down 8%).
