Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported Tuesday that the US imported a total of 2,440,000 net tons (nt) of steel in September, including 1,886,000 nt of finished steel (down 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively, from August final data). Year-to-date finished steel imports, however, are up 18 percent versus the same period in 2011. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2012 would be 34 and 26.3 million nt, up 19 percent and 21 percent, each, respectively compared to 2011. Finished steel import market share in September was an estimated 22 percent and is estimated at 24 percent year-to-date.
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in September 2012 compared to August are standard rails (up 256 percent); sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 63 percent); standard pipe (up 16 percent); and wire rods (up 12 percent). Major products with significant year-to-date import increases compared to the same period last year include rebar (up 48 percent); line pipe (up 40 percent); HDG sheet and strip (up 33 percent); plates - cut lengths (up 32 percent); and oil country goods (up 31 percent).
In September, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were all from Asia and Europe. They were: South Korea (295,000 nt and up 18 percent); Japan (161,000 nt and up 3 percent); Germany (101,000 nt and up 8 percent); China (92,000 nt and down 44 percent); and Taiwan (81,000 nt and up 100 percent).
For the first nine months of 2012, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea, Japan, China, Turkey and Germany.