SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported today that the U.S. imported a total of 3,726,000 net tons (NT) of steel in April, including 2,738,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (up 15.2% and up 12.2%, respectively, vs. March final data). Year-to-date (YTD) total and finished steel imports are 13,451,000 and 9,894,000 net tons (NT), respectively, up 29% and 20% respectively, vs. 2013. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2014 would be 40.4 and 29.7 million NT, up 26% and 20%respectively vs. 2013.Finished steel import market share was an estimated 27% in April and is estimated at 26% YTD
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in April compared to March are wire rods (up 71%), heavy structural shapes (up 43%), line pipe (up 34%), cold rolled sheets (up 27%), standard pipe ( up 24%), hot rolled bars (up 21%) and plates in coils (up 14%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include wire rods (up 113%), plates in coils (up 68%), cold rolled sheets (up 52%), reinforcing bar (up 47%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 41%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 35%), hot rolled sheets (up 35%), mechanical tubing (up 31%), oil country goods (up 15%) and cut lengths plates (up 13%).
In April, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from China(416,000NT,up 108%), South Korea(401,000 NT, up 16%), Japan(210, 000 NT, up 23%),Turkey(138,000 NT, down 19%) and Russia (106,000NT, up 6%). For four months of 2014, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (1,567,000 NT, up 27%), China(983,000 NT,up 76%), Japan(707,000 NT, up 8%), Turkey (607,000 NT, up 30%) and Russia(393,000 NT, up 295%).
