IMPORTS AND EXPORTS HEADLINESImports and Exports
January Steel Imports Leap 33% over December Totals
Feb. 27, 2008 The U.S. imported a total of 2,658,000 net tons of steel in January 2008—a 33% increase over final data for December 2007—according to the latest report from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
The report, which is based on preliminary Census Bureau data, shows that the January total included 2,197,000 net tons of finished steel, a 37% increase over December final data. Projecting the data on an annualized basis, total steel imports would be down 4%, and finished steel imports would be down 1% as compared to 2007. On an annualized basis, total imports of steel in 2008 would be 31.9 million net tons.
Products showing large increases in January 2008 vs. the month before included
- Heavy Structural Shapes, +152%
- Reinforcing Bar, +132%
- Oil Country Goods, +109%
- Hot Dipped Sheets & Strip, +57%
- Cold Rolled Sheets, +31%
- Hot-rolled Bars, +27%
- Hot Rolled Sheets, +24%
For January the largest volume of finished steel imports from offshore was 272,000 net tons from China, representing a 50% increase from December. Other notable offshore suppliers included South Korea (232,000 net tons, up 260%)), Japan (121,000 net tons, up 38%), India (102,000 net tons, up 88%), and Germany (86,000 net tons, down 5%).
AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI comprises 31 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 130 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry.