US Imported a Total of 2,659,000 Net Tons of Steel in November

Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported Thursday that the US imported a total of 2,659,000 net tons of steel in November, including 1,988,000 net tons of finished steel (up by 2% and down 6% respectively, from October final data).

Year to date finished steel imports are up 18 percent the same period in 2011. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2012 would be 33.8 and 26.2 million net tons up 18% and 20% each, respectively compared to 2011. Finished steel import market share in November was an estimated 24 percent and is estimated at 24% year to date.

Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in November 2012 compared to October are rebar (up 60%); sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 43%); cold rolled sheets (up 28%) and plates in coils (up 20%t).

Major products with significant year to date import increases versus the same period last year include rebar (up 57%); line pipe (up 40%); sheets & strip galvanized hot dipped (up 38%); oil country goods (up 27%); sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 24%)` and cut lengths plates (up 22%).

In November, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were all from Asia and Europe. They were 
South Korea (286,000 net tons and down 25%)
China (145,000 net tons and up 10%)
Japan (143,000 net tons and down 21%)
Turkey (108,000 net tons and up 54%)
Germany (101,000 net tons and down 17%)

For the first 11 months of 2012, the largest offshore suppliers were 
South Korea (3,478,000 net tons and up 32%)
Japan (1,844,000 net tons and up 37%)
China (1,469,000 net tons and up 28%)
Turkey (1,294,000 net tons and up 99%)
Germany (1,153,000 net tons and up 33%)