Quarter one stainless bar and rod imports cause alarm
According to the Specialty Steel Industry of
North America (SSINA), US producers of
stainless steel bar and rod should be alarmed at quarter one 2005 imports data.
Year-to-date imports of
stainless steel bar through March skyrocketed 82% to 29'898 tons for the some 2004 period. Import penetration increased by 14% to a total of 49%.
Meanwhile imports for
stainless steel rod increased 42% to 12'421 tons which accounted for 61% of the US market.
Similarly, imports of
stainless steel
wire increased to 56% year-on-year.
Taiwan,
India,
Germany,
China,
Spain,
Sweden,
Switzerland, and
Korea combined for the most imports.