AISI Releases April SIMA Imports Data; Import Market Share 31 Percent in April
05/15/2015 - Based on the Commerce Department’s most recent Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that steel import permit applications for the month of April total 3,294,000 net tons (NT)*.
This was a 12% decrease from the 3,761,000 permit tons recorded in March and a 9% decrease from the March final imports total of 3,616,000 NT. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in April was 2,761,000, down 13% from the final imports total of 3,186,000 in March. For the first four months of 2015 (including April SIMA and March final), total and finished steel imports were 15,015,000 NT and 12,428,000 NT, respectively, up 12% and 26% from the same period in 2014. The estimated finished steel import market share in April was 31% and is 33% year-to-date (YTD).
Finished steel imports with large increases in April permits vs. the March final included tool steel (up 72%), standard pipe (up 44%), cold rolled sheets (up 13%) and heavy structural shapes (up 11%). Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2014 include line pipe (up 89%), heavy structural shapes (up 74%), standard pipe (up 53%), cut lengths plates (up 47%), plates in coils (up 31%), cold rolled sheets (up 29%), tin plate (up 28%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 26%), oil country goods (up 24%), reinforcing bars (up 22%) and hot rolled sheets (up 15%).
In April, the largest finished steel import permit applications for offshore countries were for South Korea (459,000 NT, down 18% from March final), China (262,000 NT down 4%), Japan (194,000 NT, up 7%), Turkey (183,000, down 55%) and Germany (123,000 NT, down 5%). Through the first four months of 2015, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,338,000 NT, up 49% from the same period in 2014), Turkey (1,178,000 NT, up 93%) and China (983,000, up 1%).
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 19 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 125 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI's website at www.steel.org.
Finished steel imports with large increases in April permits vs. the March final included tool steel (up 72%), standard pipe (up 44%), cold rolled sheets (up 13%) and heavy structural shapes (up 11%). Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2014 include line pipe (up 89%), heavy structural shapes (up 74%), standard pipe (up 53%), cut lengths plates (up 47%), plates in coils (up 31%), cold rolled sheets (up 29%), tin plate (up 28%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 26%), oil country goods (up 24%), reinforcing bars (up 22%) and hot rolled sheets (up 15%).
In April, the largest finished steel import permit applications for offshore countries were for South Korea (459,000 NT, down 18% from March final), China (262,000 NT down 4%), Japan (194,000 NT, up 7%), Turkey (183,000, down 55%) and Germany (123,000 NT, down 5%). Through the first four months of 2015, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,338,000 NT, up 49% from the same period in 2014), Turkey (1,178,000 NT, up 93%) and China (983,000, up 1%).
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 19 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 125 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI's website at www.steel.org.
