AISI Releases July SIMA Imports Data

Finished Import Market Share Estimated at 21 Percent in July

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 July totaled 2,266,000 net tons (NT)*. This was a 20.0% decrease from the 2,832,000 permit tons recorded in June and an 18.9% decrease from the June final imports total of 2,794,000. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in July was 1,771,000, down 11.2% from the final imports total of 1,994,000 in June. For the first seven months of 2023 (including July SIMA permits and June final imports), total and finished steel imports were 17,274,000 NT and 13,227,000 NT, down 11.3% and 15.9%, respectively, from the same period in 2022. The estimated finished steel import market share in July was 21% and is 22% year-to-date (YTD).

Steel imports with large increases in July permits vs. June final imports include steel piling (up 39%), cold finished bars (up 26%), stainless pipe and tubing (up 24%), wire rods (up 23%) and heavy structural shapes (up 22%). Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2022 include standard rails (up 33%), electrical sheet and strip (up 29%), oil country goods (up 23%), cut lengths plates (up 18%) and line pipe (up 17%).

In July, the largest steel import permit applications were for Canada (521,000 NT, down 17% from June final), Brazil (379,000 NT, down 10%), Mexico (292,000 NT, down 30%), South Korea (162,000 NT, down 57%) and Japan (118,000 NT, up 45%). Through the first seven months of 2023, the largest suppliers were Canada (4,162,000 NT, up 1%), Mexico (2,617,000 NT, down 23%) and Brazil (2,456,000 NT, up 36%).

*Note that import permits data are counts of tonnages requested in applications for licenses to import steel products and are not actual import volumes. For a number of reasons, permit tonnages may understate or overstate actual import volumes for the month, preliminary estimates of which will be available later this month.

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Contact: Lisa Harrison

202.452.7115 / lharrison@steel.org

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’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, LinkedIn, Twitter (@AISISteel) or Instagram.