AISI Releases July SIMA Imports Data

Finished Import Market Share Estimated at 18 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 2,294,000 net tons (NT)*. This was a 10.1% increase from the 2,084,000 permit tons recorded in June and a 9.1% increase from the June final imports total of 2,103,000. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in July was 1,594,000, up 8.6% from the final imports total of 1,468,000 in June. For the first seven months of 2026 (including July SIMA permits and June final imports), total and finished steel imports were 13,585,000 NT and 9,766,000 NT, down 19.4% and 21.8%, respectively, from the same period in 2025. The estimated finished steel import market share in July was 18% and is 16% year-to-date (YTD).

Steel imports with large increases in July permits vs. June final imports include oil country goods (up 62%), wire rods (up 58%), standard pipe (up 51%), hot rolled bars (up 43%) and tin free steel (up 32%). Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2025 include heavy structural shapes (up 63%), standard rails (up 36%), structural pipe and tubing (up 18%) and reinforcing bars (up 15%).

In July, the largest steel import permit applications were for South Korea (514,000 NT, up 22% from June final imports), Mexico (327,000 NT, up 71%), Canada (279,000 NT, down 5%), Brazil (180,000 NT, down 26%) and Vietnam (156,000 NT, up 4%). Through the first seven months of 2026, the largest suppliers were South Korea (2,508,000 NT, up 41%), Canada (1,850,000 NT, down 41%) and Brazil (1,686,000 NT, down 42%).

*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: Kim Stewart

202.452.7126 / kstewart@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, X (@AISISteel) or Instagram.