U.S. Steel Imports Drop 3.7% in April 2015
06/02/2015 - Based on preliminary U.S. Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 3,483,000 net tons (NT) of steel in April 2015, including 2,938,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (down 3.7% and 7.8%, respectively, vs. March final data).
Year-to-date (YTD) total and finished steel imports are 15,204,000 and 12,606,000 net tons (NT), respectively, up 13% and 27% respectively, vs. the same period in 2014. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2015 would be 45.6 and 37.8 million NT, up 3% and 12% respectively vs. 2014. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 33% in April and is estimated at 33% YTD.
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in April compared to March are standard pipe (up 30%), heavy structural shapes (up 26%), cold rolled sheets (up 21%) and sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 14%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include line pipe (up 93%), heavy structural shapes (up 81%), cut lengths plates (up 49%), standard pipe (up 49%), plates in coils (up 33%), cold rolled sheets (up 31%), reinforcing bars (up 30%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 29%), tin plate (up 29%), oil country goods (up 23%), hot rolled sheets (up 17%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 16%) and wire drawn (up 12%).
In April, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (511,000 NT, down 9% vs. March final), Turkey (214,000 NT, down 48%), China (293,000 NT, up 8%), Japan (226,000 NT, up 25%) and Taiwan (123,000 NT, down 27%). For the first four months of 2015, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,389,000 NT, up 52%), Turkey (1,210,000 NT, up 98%), China (1,028,000 NT, up 5%), Japan (862,000 NT, up 22%) and Germany (543,000 NT, up 44%).
For more information on April imports data, please visit http://www.steel.org/~/media/Files/AISI/Press%20Releases/2015/IMP1504.pdf.
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.
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in April compared to March are standard pipe (up 30%), heavy structural shapes (up 26%), cold rolled sheets (up 21%) and sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 14%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include line pipe (up 93%), heavy structural shapes (up 81%), cut lengths plates (up 49%), standard pipe (up 49%), plates in coils (up 33%), cold rolled sheets (up 31%), reinforcing bars (up 30%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 29%), tin plate (up 29%), oil country goods (up 23%), hot rolled sheets (up 17%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 16%) and wire drawn (up 12%).
In April, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (511,000 NT, down 9% vs. March final), Turkey (214,000 NT, down 48%), China (293,000 NT, up 8%), Japan (226,000 NT, up 25%) and Taiwan (123,000 NT, down 27%). For the first four months of 2015, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,389,000 NT, up 52%), Turkey (1,210,000 NT, up 98%), China (1,028,000 NT, up 5%), Japan (862,000 NT, up 22%) and Germany (543,000 NT, up 44%).
For more information on April imports data, please visit http://www.steel.org/~/media/Files/AISI/Press%20Releases/2015/IMP1504.pdf.
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.
