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AISI Releases May SIMA Imports Data; Import Market Share 29 percent in May
06/08/2015 - 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 May total 3,432,000 net tons (NT)*.
This was a 3% increase from the 3,344,000 permit tons recorded in April and a 1% decrease from the April preliminary imports total of 3,483,000 NT. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in May was 2,759,000, down 6% from the preliminary imports total of 2,938,000 in April. For the first five months of 2015 (including May SIMA and April preliminary), total and finished steel imports were 18,636,000 NT and 15,365,000 NT, respectively, up 7% and 20% from the same period in 2014. The estimated finished steel import market share in May was 29% and is 32% year-to-date (YTD).
Finished steel imports with large increases in May permits vs. the April preliminary included standard rail (up 142%), tin plate (up 98%), hot rolled sheets (up 23%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 11%), cut lengths plates (up 11%) and hot rolled bars (up 10%). Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2014 include line pipe (up 70%), standard pipe (up 42%), heavy structural shapes (up 41%), cut lengths plates (up 35%), reinforcing bars (up 31%), tin plate (up 31%), cold rolled sheets (up 27%), plates in coils (up 26%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 24%), hot rolled sheets (up 15%) and sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 13%).
In May, the largest finished steel import permit applications for offshore countries were for South Korea (371,000 NT, down 27% from April preliminary, China (306,000 NT up 5%), Japan (203,000 NT, down 10%), Turkey (200,000, down 7%) and Germany (135,000 NT, up 12%). Through the first five months of 2015, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,760,000 NT, up 28% from the same period in 2014), Turkey (1,410,000 NT, up 85%) and China (1,334,000, up 4%).
* 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 May permits vs. the April preliminary included standard rail (up 142%), tin plate (up 98%), hot rolled sheets (up 23%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 11%), cut lengths plates (up 11%) and hot rolled bars (up 10%). Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2014 include line pipe (up 70%), standard pipe (up 42%), heavy structural shapes (up 41%), cut lengths plates (up 35%), reinforcing bars (up 31%), tin plate (up 31%), cold rolled sheets (up 27%), plates in coils (up 26%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 24%), hot rolled sheets (up 15%) and sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 13%).
In May, the largest finished steel import permit applications for offshore countries were for South Korea (371,000 NT, down 27% from April preliminary, China (306,000 NT up 5%), Japan (203,000 NT, down 10%), Turkey (200,000, down 7%) and Germany (135,000 NT, up 12%). Through the first five months of 2015, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,760,000 NT, up 28% from the same period in 2014), Turkey (1,410,000 NT, up 85%) and China (1,334,000, up 4%).
* 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.
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.
