AISI Releases November SIMA Imports Data

Washington, D.C. – Based on the Commerce Department’s most recent Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported today that steel import permit applications for the month of November totaled 1,864,000 net tons (NT)*. This was a 28.1% decrease from the 2,594,000 permit tons recorded in October and a 14.4% decrease from the October preliminary imports total of 2,177,000. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in November was 1,201,000, down 18.8% from the preliminary imports total of 1,479,000 in October. For the first eleven months of 2019 (including November SIMA permits and October preliminary imports), total and finished steel imports were 26,634,000 NT and 19,545,000 NT, down 16.3% and 18.6%, respectively, from the same period in 2018. The estimated finished steel import market share in November was 14% and is 19% year-to-date (YTD).

Finished steel imports with large increases in November permits vs. October preliminary imports included black plate (up 353%), cut lengths plates (up 39%), line pipe (up 28%), reinforcing bars (up 18%) and hot rolled bars (up 16%). Products with significant year-to date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2018 include black plate (up 90%), steel piling (up 34%) and tin free steel (up 20%).

In November, the largest finished steel import permit applications for offshore countries were for South Korea (175,000 NT, up 3% from October preliminary), Japan (75,000 NT, up 1%), The Netherlands (71,000 NT, up 133%), Germany (56,000 NT, down 29%) and Taiwan (35,000 NT, down 9%). Through the first eleven months of 2019, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,394,000 NT, down 10% from the same period last year), Japan (1,165,000 NT, down 9%) and Germany (966,000 NT, down 21%).

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Contact: Lisa Harrison
202.452.7115 / lharrison@www.steel.org

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. AISI is comprised of 18 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 120 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook or Twitter (@AISISteel).