AISI American Iron and Steel Institute : Releases December SIMA Imports Data; Import Market Share 26 percent in December

For Immediate Release
January 4, 2017

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 December totaled 2,648,000 net tons (NT)*. This was a 9.6% decrease from the 2,930,000 permit tons recorded in November and a 5.6% decrease from the November preliminary imports total of 2,804,000 NT. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in December was 2,069,000, down 3.0% from the preliminary imports total of 2,132,000 in November. For the full year of 2016 (including December SIMA permits and November preliminary data), total and finished steel imports were 32,969,000 NT and 26,248,000 NT, down 15.0% and 16.7%, respectively, from the same period in 2015. The estimated finished steel import market share in December was 26% and is 26% year-to-date (YTD).

Finished steel imports with large increases in December permits vs. the November preliminary included steel piling (up 410%), standard rails (up 164%), oil country goods (up 36%), tin plate (up 27%), line pipe (up 23%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 14%) and sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 10%). Tin plate (up 15%) had a significant increase in 2016 vs. the prior year.

In December, the largest finished steel import permit applications for offshore countries were for South Korea (238,000 NT, down 12% from November preliminary), Turkey (175,000 NT, down 4%), Japan (133,000 NT, up 34%), Taiwan (125,000 NT, up 46%) and Germany (85,000 NT, down 2%). For full year 2016, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (3,780,000 NT, down 22% from the same period in 2015), Turkey (2,435,000 NT, down 14%) and Japan (1,817,000 NT, down 20%).

* Monthly permit numbers provided to date may be understated, as entry documentation with the required import license number may be submitted up to ten days after imports have entered U.S. commerce.

Contact: Lisa Harrison
202.452.7115 / [e-mail]

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 is comprised of 19 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 125 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 or Twitter (@AISISteel).