IMPORTS AND EXPORTS HEADLINESImports and Exports
Preliminary April Steel Imports Pass January 2009 Benchmark
May 26, 2010 The U.S. imported a total of 2,072,000 net tons of steel in April, up 1% vs. March final data according to the latest report from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). This was the highest monthly total since January 2009.
The report, which is based on preliminary Census Bureau data, showed that the April total included 1,672,000 net tons of finished steel, also up 1% vs. March final data.
On an annualized basis, total steel imports in 2010 would be 22.1 net tons up 36% vs. 2009, while finished steel imports would be 17.5 million net tons, up 23% vs. 2009. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 21% in April (vs. a low of 15% in August 2009), the highest import market share in the last 11 months.
Key finished steel products with significant import increases in April 2010 compared to March include
- All other metallic sheet and strip, +128%
- Reinforcing bars, +101%
- Heavy structural shapes, +80%
- Oil country goods, +32%
- Line pipe, +20%
- Plates in coils, +20%
In April, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (196,000 net tons, up 79%), Japan (91,000 net tons, down 34%), Turkey (86,000 net tons, up 76%), Germany (86,000 net tons, down 39%) and Taiwan (68,000 net tons, up 91%).
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. The Institute comprises 24 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 138 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry.