US steel imports down in January

(Posted on 01/03/21)

Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) has reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2,422,000 net tons (NT) of steel in January 2021, including 1,239,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (down 23.1% and 24.8%, respectively, vs. January 2020). Total and finished steel imports are up 62.2% and down 7.5%, respectively, vs. the prior month, December 2020. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 15% in January 2021.

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. 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.

Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in January compared to December are reinforcing bars (up 121%), heavy structural shapes (up 115%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 20%), structural pipe and tubing (up 29%) and mechanical tubing (up 12%).

In January, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (131,000 NT, down 41% from December final), Turkey (82,000 NT, up 498%), Japan (46,000 NT, down 17%), Brazil (42,000 NT, up 8%) and United Arab Emirates (31,000 NT, up 152%). Below are charts on estimated steel import market share in recent months and on finished steel imports from offshore by country.