US preliminary Steel imports increase 11.6 % in June

UNITED KINGDOM July 27 2017 1:38 PM
NEW YORK (Scrap Register): Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron  and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of  3,868,000 net tons (NT) of steel in June  2017, including 2,941,000 net tons ( NT )  of finished steel ( up  11.6% a nd  12.8 %, respectively, vs . May final data).   

Yea -to -date (YTD) through six months of 201 7, total and finished steel imports are 19, 641, 000 and 1 5,024, 000 net tons (NT), up 25.0% and 17.2 %, respectively, vs. the same period in 201 6.  

Annualized total and finished  steel imports in 2017 would be 39.3  and  30.0  million NT, up  19.0% and  14.1% , respectively , vs. 201 6.   Finished steel import market share was an estimated 30% in June and is estimated at 2 7% YTD.

Key finished steel products with significant import increase s in June compared to May include reinforcing bars (up 84%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 61%), heavy structural shapes (up 40%), cold rolled sheets (up 32%), hot rolled sheets (up 29%), mechanical tubing (up 25%), oil country goods (up 19%), hot rolled bars (up 12%) and plates in coils (up 11%).  

Major products with significant year -to -date (YTD)  increases vs. the same period in 2016 include oil country goods (up  248%), cold rolled sheets (up 41%), sheets  and strip all other metallic coatings (up 36%),  standard pipe (up  35%),   line pipe (up 32%), mechanical tubing  (up 2 9%), hot rolled bars (up 2 8%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 26%),  tin plate (up 17%) and  wire rods (up 10%).

In June , the largest volumes  of finished  steel  imports from offshore w ere  from  South Korea ( 388,000 NT, up  18%  from  May  final), Turkey  (328,000 NT, up 113%),  Taiwan  (163,000 NT, up  126%) , Japan  (125 ,000 NT, down  9%)  and  Germany  (116,000 NT, down 21 %).   

For  the first  six  months of 201 7, the largest offshore suppliers were South  Korea ( 1,928,000 NT, down  1% vs. the same period in 201 6),  Turkey ( 1,470,000 NT, up  23%),  Japan  (785 ,000 NT,  down  10% ),  Taiwan  (660,000 NT, up  68%)  and  Germany  (602,000 NT, down  2%) .