AISI Releases July SIMA Imports Data, Import Market Share at 28% in July
08/08/2014 - 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 July total 3,781,000 net tons.
This was a 1% increase from the 3,732,000 permit tons recorded in June and a 5% increase from the June Preliminary imports total of 3,586,000 tons. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in July was 2,952,000, up 9% from the preliminary imports total of 2,706,000 in June. For the first 7 months of 2014 (including July SIMA and June Preliminary), total and finished steel imports were 24,863,000 tons and 18,504,000 tons, respectively, up 36% and 29% from the same period in 2013. The estimated finished steel import market share in July was 28% and is 27% year-to-date (YTD).
Finished steel imports with large increases in July permits vs. the June Preliminary included plates in coils (up 102%), standard rails (up 69%), sheet and strip all other metallic coatings (up 47%), heavy structural shapes (up 35%), line pipe (up 33%), hot rolled sheets (up 21%) and hot rolled bars (up 15%) . Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2013 include plates in coils (up 85%), wire rods (up 79%), cold rolled sheets (up 74%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 59%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 53%), cut lengths plates (up 47%), hot rolled sheets (up 40%), mechanical tubing (up 38%), heavy structural shapes (up 37%), oil country goods (up 31%) and reinforcing bar (up 14%).
In July, the largest finished steel import permit applications for offshore countries were for South Korea (537,000 tons, up 18% from June Preliminary), China (257,000 tons up 12%), Russia (210,000 tons, up 119%), Japan (180,000 tons, up 30%) and Taiwan (98,000 tons, up 15%). Through the first seven months of 2014, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (3,147,000 tons, up 53% from the same period in 2013), China (1,775,000 tons, up 65%) and Japan (1,170,000, up 6%).
* Monthly permit numbers provided to date may be understated, as entry documentation with the required import license number may be submitted up to ten days after imports have entered U.S. commerce.
Finished steel imports with large increases in July permits vs. the June Preliminary included plates in coils (up 102%), standard rails (up 69%), sheet and strip all other metallic coatings (up 47%), heavy structural shapes (up 35%), line pipe (up 33%), hot rolled sheets (up 21%) and hot rolled bars (up 15%) . Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2013 include plates in coils (up 85%), wire rods (up 79%), cold rolled sheets (up 74%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 59%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 53%), cut lengths plates (up 47%), hot rolled sheets (up 40%), mechanical tubing (up 38%), heavy structural shapes (up 37%), oil country goods (up 31%) and reinforcing bar (up 14%).
In July, the largest finished steel import permit applications for offshore countries were for South Korea (537,000 tons, up 18% from June Preliminary), China (257,000 tons up 12%), Russia (210,000 tons, up 119%), Japan (180,000 tons, up 30%) and Taiwan (98,000 tons, up 15%). Through the first seven months of 2014, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (3,147,000 tons, up 53% from the same period in 2013), China (1,775,000 tons, up 65%) and Japan (1,170,000, up 6%).
* Monthly permit numbers provided to date may be understated, as entry documentation with the required import license number may be submitted up to ten days after imports have entered U.S. commerce.
