American Recycler: NewsVoice of Salvage, Waste and Recycling

August 2005

Steel imports for May 2005 decreased by 15 percent from April

Newly released preliminary government figures covering steel imports for the month of May 2005 show that steel imports decreased 15 percent from April 2005 levels.

Total Steel Mill Products
The preliminary data released show that overall steel imports in May 2005 decreased 15 percent compared to April 2005. The change in May’s total amount of steel imports was due primarily to decreases in blooms, billets, and slabs; hot rolled sheets; and cold rolled sheets. May 2005 imports of finished steel products decreased 11 percent compared to April 2005, while imports of semi-finished steel decreased 30 percent.

May 2005 imports of steel mill products were down 12 percent compared to May 2004. May 2005 imports of finished steel were down 4 percent compared to May 2004, while semi-finished steel products decreased 37 percent compared to May 2004.

Hot-Rolled Steel
May 2005 imports of hot-rolled steel decreased 38 percent from their April 2005 levels and were down 35 percent compared to May 2004 levels.

Cold-Rolled Steel
May 2005 imports of cold-rolled steel decreased 37 percent compared to April 2005 levels and were down 43 percent compared to May 2004 levels.

Cut-to-Length Plate
May 2005 imports of cut-to-length plate increased 11 percent compared to April 2005. May 2005 imports were up 101 percent compared to May 2004.

Corrosion-Resistant Steel
May 2005 imports of corrosion-resistant steel decreased 19 percent compared to April 2005. May 2005 imports of these products were up 7 percent compared to May 2004.

Wire Rod
May 2005 imports of wire rod increased 30 percent compared to April 2005 levels and were up 1 percent compared to May 2004 levels.

Heavy Structurals
May 2005 imports of heavy structurals decreased 8 percent from their April 2005 level and were down 22 percent compared to May 2004 levels.

Rebar
May 2005 imports of rebar increased 44 percent compared to April 2005. May 2005 imports of these products were down 22 percent compared to May 2004.

Hot-Rolled Bar
May 2005 imports of hot-rolled bar decreased 15 percent compared to April 2005 and were up 20 percent compared to May 2004 levels.

Standard Pipe
May 2005 imports of standard pipe decreased 17 percent compared to April 2005. May 2005 imports of these products were down 3 percent compared to May 2004.

Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG)
May 2005 imports of OCTG decreased 10 percent compared to April 2005. May 2005 imports of these products were up 77 percent compared to May 2004.

Semi-Finished Steel
May 2005 imports of semi-finished steel decreased 30 percent compared to April 2005 and were down 37 percent compared to May 2004 levels. Imports of these products are used by U.S. steel companies to produce finished products.

Expanded breakout by grade
Since May 2001 the U.S. Census Bureau (Census) expanded its early release of steel import data to include separate breakouts for carbon, alloy and stainless steel in each of the product categories. The following lists some of the highlights from these new breakouts:

Carbon Steel
Overall imports of carbon steel products in May 2005 decreased 18 percent from their April 2005 levels and decreased 20 percent compared to May 2004 levels.

Carbon Hot-Rolled Steel— Imports of carbon hot-rolled steel in May 2005 decreased 39 percent compared to April 2005 and were down 37 percent compared to May 2004 levels.

Carbon Cold-Rolled Steel— Imports of carbon cold-rolled steel in May 2005 decreased 48 percent compared to April 2005. May 2005 imports were down 54 percent compared to May 2004.

Alloy Steel
Overall imports of alloy steel products in May 2005 decreased 6 percent compared to April 2005 and were up 48 percent compared to May 2004 levels.

Tool Steel— Imports of tool steel in May 2005 decreased 3 percent compared to April 2005. May 2005 imports were up 28 percent compared to May 2004.

Stainless Steel
Overall imports of stainless steel products in May 2005 decreased 6 percent from their April 2005 level and were down 14 percent compared to May 2004 levels.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Steel— Imports of stainless hot-rolled steel in May 2005 decreased 21 percent compared to April 2005. May 2005 imports were down 63 percent compared to May 2004.

Stainless Cold-Rolled Steel—Imports of stainless cold-rolled steel in May 2005 increased 7 percent compared to April 2005. May 2005 imports were down 17 percent compared to May 2004.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Bars— Imports of stainless hot-rolled bars in May 2005 decreased 13 percent compared to April 2005 and were down 12 percent compared to May 2004 levels.

Stainless Cold-Finished Bars— Imports of stainless cold-finished bars in May 2005 increased 4 percent compared to April 2005. May 2005 imports were up 65 percent compared to May 2004.