Steel imports increase in May
Import market share at 21 percent

Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the United States imported a total of 2,692,000 net tons (NT) of steel in May, including 1,838,000 NT of finished steel (up 6 percent and down 5 percent, respectively, from April final data). Finished steel import market share in May was an estimated 21 percent and is also 21 percent year to date.

Key finished steel products with significant import increases in May 2011 compared to April include wire rod (up 35 percent), plates in coils (up 23 percent), oil country goods (up 15 percent) and heavy structural shapes (up 14 percent). Major products with significant year to date import increases vs. the same period last year include reinforcing bar (up 55 percent), oil country goods (up 41 percent) and hot rolled bars (up 25 percent).

In May, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (213,000 NT, down 31 percent), Japan (131,000 NT, up 16 percent), China (119,000 NT, up 23 percent), Germany (78,000 NT up 8 percent), and Turkey (69,000 NT, down 42 percent).

For the first 5 months of 2011, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (1,164,000 NT, up 58 percent), Japan (615,000 NT, up 12 percent) and Germany (415,000 NT, up 6 percent).