AISI Releases March SIMA Imports Data

Finished Import Market Share Estimated at 16 Percent in March

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 March totaled 1,773,000 net tons (NT)*. This was a 6.6% increase from the 1,663,000 permit tons recorded in February and a 5.5% increase from the February final imports total of 1,679,000. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in March was 1,313,000, up 10.8% from the final imports total of 1,185,000 in February. For the first three months of 2026 (including March SIMA permits and February final imports), total and finished steel imports were 5,102,000 NT and 3,747,000 NT, down 34.7% and 34.9%, respectively, from the same period in 2025. The estimated finished steel import market share in March was 16% and is 15% year-to-date (YTD).

Steel imports with large increases in March permits vs. February final imports include plates in coils (up 167%), cut lengths plates (up 141%), hot rolled sheets (up 72%), wire drawn (up 44%) and heavy structural shapes 23%). Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2025 include tin free steel (up 21%).

In March, the largest steel import permit applications were for South Korea (298,000 NT, down 3% from February final imports), Brazil (293,000 NT, up 19%), Canada (285,000 NT, up 27%), Vietnam (173,000 NT, up 153%) and Mexico (140,000 NT, down 20%). Through the first three months of 2026, the largest suppliers were South Korea (888,000 NT, up 15%), Canada (728,000 NT, down 55%) and Brazil (717,000 NT, down 51%).

*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 (EAF) steelmakers, steel pipe and tube manufacturers and steel processors and fabricators, reflecting the production and distribution of both carbon and stainless steels. These steels are critical to America’s national and economic security, including roads and bridges, buildings, the electrical grid, cars and trucks and all clean energy technologies. AISI also represents 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.