According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in August 2020 decreased 51.6 percent from July to total 1,182,952 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 35.4 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in August totaled $1.09 billion, compared to $1.71 billion in July and $1.83 billion in August 2019.
Top sources for US steel imports in August include: Canada, with 387,368 mt; Mexico, with 237,139 mt; Korea, with 101,994 mt; Japan, with 49,685 mt; and Germany, with 45,607 mt.
Major steel products imported in August include hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip, at 157,346 mt; blooms, billets and slab at a combined 98,118 mt; HRC, at 97,155 mt; rebar, at 89,352 mt; CRC, at 83,195 mt; and tin plate, at 57,355 mt.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in August 2020 was estimated at 17 percent, compared to 20 percent in July, and 19 percent year-to-date.