Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported Wednesday that the US imported a total of 2,579,000 net tons (nt) of steel in January, including 2,106,000 nt of finished steel (up 5 percent and 18 percent, respectively, versus December final data). Year-to-date total and finished steel imports are 2,579,000 nt and 2,106,000 nt, respectively, down 8 percent and 4 percent, compared to the 2,815,000 nt and 2,204,000 nt, respectively, for the same period in 2012. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2013 would be 31 and 25.3 million nt, respectively, down 8 percent and 2 percent over 2012. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 24 percent in January.
Key finished steel products with increases in January compared to December include reinforcing bar (up 97 percent); heavy structural shapes (up 79 percent); oil country goods (up 55 percent); hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip (up 47 percent); wire rods (up 26 percent); line pipe (up 23 percent) and hot rolled bars (up 16 percent).
In January, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (349,000 nt and up 120 percent); China (164,000 nt and down 3 percent); Japan (139,000 nt and up 61 percent); Turkey (132,000 nt and up 170 percent) and Germany (74,000 nt and down 42 percent).