Posted on 24 Aug 2017
According to the AISI report based on preliminary U.S. Census Bureau data, through the first seven months of 2017 total and finished steel imports are 23,168,000 and 17,938,000 net tons, up 22.1% and 17.3%, respectively, versus the same period in 2016.
Several products posted significant year-to-date increases in import volumes. Oil country goods (up 254%), standard pipe (up 47%), line pipe (up 39%), cold rolled sheets (up 37%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 35%), mechanical tubing (up 32%), hot rolled bars (up 26%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 25%), wire rods (up 13%) and tin plate (up 11%) were among the leaders in this category.
In terms of steel import market share, the U.S. hit 30% in June, but dipped down to approximately 29% for July. The year-to-date market share stands at 28%, according to the data.
By country, South Korea led the way as the biggest exporter of steel to the U.S. in July, sending 332,000 NT (which was actually down 13% from the final June total). Turkey (252,000 NT, down 23%), Germany (148,000 NT, up 27%), Japan (137,000 NT, down 2%) and Taiwan (120,000 NT, down 29%) followed South Korea as the top exporters to the U.S.
On a year-to-date basis, Taiwan boasts the largest percentage increase in exports to the U.S. In descending order of volume, South Korea (2,265,000 NT, down 5%), Turkey (1,723,000 NT, up 14%), Japan (937,000 NT, down 12%), Taiwan (784,000 NT, up 54%) and Germany (750,000 NT, up 7%) led the way.
