Finished steel imports decline four percent

Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the United States imported a total of 2,584,000 net tons (NT) of steel in July, including 2,060,000 NT of finished steel (down 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively, from June final data).

Finished steel import market share in July was an estimated 23 percent and is also 23 percent year-to date (YTD).

Key finished steel products with significant import increases in July 2011 compared to June include hot rolled sheets (up 43 percent) and hot dipped galvanized sheet and strip (up 11 percent). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include reinforcing bar (up 40 percent), hot rolled bars (up 35 percent) and oil country goods (up 32 percent).

In July, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (299,000 NT, down 7 percent), China (155,000 NT, down 4 percent), Japan (138,000 NT, up 11 percent), Australia (104,000 NT, up 167 percent) and Germany (86,000 NT, up 39 percent).

For the first 7 months of 2011, the largest offshore suppliers have been South Korea (1,809,000 NT, up 67 percent), Japan (895,000 NT, up 20 percent) and China (716,000 NT, up 53 percent).