April steel imports increase 9 percent

Newly released preliminary government figures covering steel imports for the month of April 2005 show that steel imports increased 9 percent from March levels.

Total Steel Mill Products
The preliminary data show that overall steel imports in April increased 9 percent compared to March. The change was due primarily to increases in wire rods, blooms, billets, and slabs, and oil country goods. April imports of finished steel products increased 5 percent compared to March, while imports of semi-finished steel increased 26 percent.

April 2005 imports of steel mill products were up 21 percent compared to April 2004. April 2005 imports of finished steel were up 14 percent compared to 2004, while semi-finished steel products increased 58 percent compared to April 2004.

Hot-Rolled Steel
April 2005 imports of hot-rolled steel decreased 12 percent from their March 2005 levels and were up 27 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Cold-Rolled Steel
April 2005 imports of cold-rolled steel decreased 4 percent compared to March 2005 levels and were up 85 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Cut-to-Length Plate
April 2005 imports of cut-to-length plate decreased 22 percent compared to March 2005. April 2005 imports were up 54 percent compared to April 2004.

Corrosion-Resistant Steel
April 2005 imports of corrosion-resistant steel increased 17 percent. April 2005 imports of these products were up 39 percent compared to April 2004.

Wire Rod
April 2005 imports of wire rod increased 15 percent compared to March 2005 levels and were down 31 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Heavy Structurals
April 2005 imports of heavy structurals decreased 2 percent from March.

Rebar
April 2005 imports of rebar decreased 17 percent compared to March. April 2005 imports of these products were down 48 percent compared to Apri 2004.

Hot-Rolled Bar
April 2005 imports of hot-rolled bar increased 15 percent compared to March and were up less than 1 percent compared to April 2004 levels.

Standard Pipe
April 2005 imports of standard pipe increased 24 percent compared to March. April 2005 imports of these products were up 2 percent compared to April 2004.

Oil Country Tubular Goods
April 2005 imports of OCTG increased 78 percent compared to March. April 2005 imports were up 60 percent compared to 2004.

Semi-Finished Steel
April 2005 imports of semi-finished steel increased 26 percent compared to March 2005 and were up 58 percent compared to April 2004 levels. Imports of these products are used by U.S. steel companies to produce finished products.