Steel Import Permits Dip 11% in November
12/02/2010 - Steel import permit applications reached a total of 1,672,000 net tons for the month of November, an 11% decrease from the 1,870,000 permit tons recorded in October according to the latest report from AISI.
Steel import permit applications reached a total of 1,672,000 net tons for the month of November, according to the latest report from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). The November total represents an 11% decrease from the 1,870,000 permit tons recorded in October and a 7% decrease from the October preliminary imports total of 1,791,000 net tons.
The report, which is based on the Commerce Department’s most recent Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) data, shows that the November total included finished steel import permit tonnage of 1,442,000 net tons, down 3% from the preliminary imports total of 1,489,000 net tons in October.
November total steel import permit tons would annualize at 23,832,000 net tons, up 47% from the 16,215,000 net tons imported in 2009. November finished steel import permit tons would annualize at 18,763,000 net tons, up 32% from the 14,179,000 net tons imported in 2009.
In November, the largest finished steel import permit applications for offshore countries were for Korea (182,000 net tons, down 1% from October), The Netherlands (88,000 net tons, up 122%), Japan (87,000 net tons, down 16%), China (67,000 net tons, up 29%) and Germany (66,000 net tons, down 16%). Finished steel import market shares in November and year-to-date are 19% and 21%, respectively.
Finished steel import permits for major products that registered significant increases in November vs. the October preliminary include hot rolled sheets (up 23%), plates in coils (up 16%) and tin plate (up 15%).
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. The Institute comprises 24 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 140 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry.
