Steel Imports Up More Than 3% Year-to-Date Through March

Finished Import Market Share YTD at 18%

Washington, D.C. – Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported today that the U.S. imported a total of 2,292,000 net tons (NT) of steel in March 2021, including 1,774,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (up 20.7% and 23.6%, respectively, vs. February final data). Through the first three months of 2021, total and finished steel imports are 6,613,000 and 4,447,000 net tons (NT), up 3.1% and down 1.4%, respectively, vs. the same period in 2020. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2021 would be 26.5 and 17.8 million NT, up 20.1% and 10.2%, respectively, vs. 2020. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 19% in March and is estimated at 18% over the first three months of 2021.

Key finished steel products with a significant increase in imports in March compared to February are sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 171%), reinforcing bars (up 66%), hot rolled bars (up 58%), oil country goods (up 45%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 43%), cut lengths plates (up 33%), mechanical tubing (up 27%), wire drawn (up 27%), standard pipe (up 25%), tin plate (up 19%) and  wire rods (up 19%). Products with a significant year-to-date (YTD) increase vs. the same period in 2020 were tin plate (up 26%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 22%), reinforcing bars (up 19%), cut lengths plates (up 19%), hot rolled sheets (up 17%) and wire drawn (up 10%).

In March, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (239,000 NT, up 4% from February final), Taiwan (88,000 NT, up 162%), Japan (85,000 NT, down 3%), Germany (82,000 NT, up 27%) and Turkey (43,000 NT, down 45%). For the first three months of 2021, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (601,000 NT, up 10% vs. the same period in 2020), Japan (219,000 NT, up 8%), Turkey (201,000 NT, up 29%), Germany (170,000 NT, up 1%) and Taiwan (149,000 NT, up 9%). Below are charts on estimated steel import market share in recent months and on finished steel imports from offshore by country.

Click here for the full statistical report.

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AISI serves as the voice of the 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’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric arc furnace steelmakers, and 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).