Steel Import Market Share Is 24% in January
WASHINGTON -- Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the United States imported a total of 2,579,000 net tons of steel in January. This includes 2,106,000 net tons of finished steel.
The total and finished steel figures are up 5% and 18%, respectively, from December 2012, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.
Year-to-date total and finished steel imports are 2,579,000 and 2,106,000 net tons, respectively, down 8% and 4%, compared with the same period in 2012. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2013 would be 31 million and 25.3 million net, respectively, down 8% and 2% versus 2012.
Finished steel import market share was an estimated 24% in January.
Key finished steel products with increases in January compared to December include reinforcing bar (up 97%), heavy structural shapes (up 79%), oil country goods (up 55%), hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip (up 47%), wire rods (up 26%), line pipe (up 23%) and hot rolled bars (up 16%).
In January, the largest volumes of finished steel imports were from South Korea (349,000 net tons, up 120%), China (164,000, down 3%), Japan (139,000, up 61%), Turkey (132,000, up 170%) and Germany (74,000, down 42%).
The American Iron and Steel Institute is composed of 25 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 124 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI's member companies represent more than three-quarters of both U.S. and North American steel capacity.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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