AISI: U.S. Steel Imports Fall 4% in Last Month of the Year
01/31/2014 - Based on preliminary U.S. Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2,502,000 tons of steel in December 2013.
This included 1,884,000 tons of finished steel (down 3.5% and 1.5%, respectively, vs. November final data). 2013 full year total and finished steel imports are 32,146,000 and 24,825,000 tons, respectively, each down 4% vs. full year 2012. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 22% in December and is estimated at 23% for full year 2013.
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in December 2013 compared to November are hot rolled sheets (up 25%), hot rolled bars (up 22%), standard pipe (up 19%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 18%) and line pipe (up 13%). Major products with significant full year 2013 import increases vs. full year 2012 include reinforcing bars (up 23%) and hot rolled bars (up 15%).
In December, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were all from Asia and Europe. They were from South Korea (300,000 tons, up 21% vs. November final), Japan (146,000 tons, up 4%), China (143,000 tons, down 12%), Germany (94,000 tons, down 9%) and India (65,000 tons, up 135%). For full year 2013, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (3,718,000 tons, up 2% vs. 2012), China (1,898,000 tons, up 15%), Japan (1,894,000 tons, down 2%), Turkey (1,204,000 tons, down 11%) and Germany (1,112,000 tons, down 13%).
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in December 2013 compared to November are hot rolled sheets (up 25%), hot rolled bars (up 22%), standard pipe (up 19%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 18%) and line pipe (up 13%). Major products with significant full year 2013 import increases vs. full year 2012 include reinforcing bars (up 23%) and hot rolled bars (up 15%).
In December, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were all from Asia and Europe. They were from South Korea (300,000 tons, up 21% vs. November final), Japan (146,000 tons, up 4%), China (143,000 tons, down 12%), Germany (94,000 tons, down 9%) and India (65,000 tons, up 135%). For full year 2013, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (3,718,000 tons, up 2% vs. 2012), China (1,898,000 tons, up 15%), Japan (1,894,000 tons, down 2%), Turkey (1,204,000 tons, down 11%) and Germany (1,112,000 tons, down 13%).
