According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in April 2022 decreased 11.7 percent from March to total 2,477,347 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 3.4 percent increase. In terms of value, US steel imports in April totaled $3.68 billion, compared to $3.93 billion in March and $2.40 billion in April 2021.
Top sources for US steel imports in April include: Canada, with 556,390 mt; Mexico, with 358,663 mt; South Korea, with 226,960 mt; Brazil, with 218,663 mt; and Vietnam, with 109,609 mt.
By product group, semi-finished imports totaled 406,199 mt in April, down from 522,643 mt in March and 866,947 mt in April 2021. Flat product imports totaled 1,002,316 mt in April, down from 1,131,025 mt in March but up from 784,283 mt in April 2021. Long product imports totaled 508,377 mt in April, down from 572,467 mt in March but up from 373,719 mt in April 2021. Pipe and tube imports totaled 442,354 mt in April, down from 469,537 mt in March but up from 291,952 mt in April 2021.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in April 2022 was estimated at 27 percent, compared to 26 percent in March and 25 percent year-to-date.