AISI Releases September SIMA Imports Data

Finished Import Market Share Estimated at 19 Percent in September

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 September totaled 2,492,000 net tons (NT)*. This was a 0.2% decrease from the 2,499,000 permit tons recorded in August and a 0.9% decrease from the August final imports total of 2,515,000 NT. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in September was 1,671,000, up 2.1% from the final imports total of 1,636,000 in August. For the first nine months of 2026 (including September SIMA permits and August final imports), total and finished steel imports were 18,567,000 NT and 13,042,000 NT, down 8.5% and 13.5%, respectively, from the same period in 2025. The estimated finished steel import market share in September was 19% and is 16% year-to-date (YTD).

Steel imports with large increases in September permits vs. August final imports include standard rails (up 244%), railroad accessories (up 114%), tool steel (up 103%), galvanized and electrolytic sheets and strip (up 79%), ingots and steel for castings (up 76%), and pressure tubing (up 75%). Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2025 include pipe for piling (up 143%), ingots and steel for castings (up 112%), standard rails (up 83%), and heavy structural shapes (up 63%).

In September, the largest steel import permit applications were for South Korea (461,000 NT, up 7.5% from August final imports), Mexico (311,000 NT, up 23%), Brazil (279,000 NT, down 20.5%), Canada (255,000 NT, down 14%), and Vietnam (195,000 NT, up 23%). Through the first nine months of 2026, the largest suppliers were South Korea (3,400,000 NT, up 54% from the same period in 2025), Canada (2,405,000 NT, down 35%) and Brazil (2,389,000 NT, down 28%).

 *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.