Steel (July 2009)
Posted
07/1/2009
Steel import permit applications for May totaled 1,015,000 tons (913,500 metric tons). This was a 15 percent decrease from the 1,187,000 permit tons (1,068,300 metric tons) recorded in April. Import permit tonnage for fi nished steel in May was 999,000 tons (899,100 metric tons), a decrease of 10 percent from the preliminary imports total of 1,107,000 tons (996,300 metric tons) in April and the lowest such monthly import figure since February 1993. May total and finished steel import permit tons would annualize at 18,543,000 tons (16,688,700 metric tons) and 17,310,000 tons (15,579,000 metric tons), down 42 percent and 33 percent, respectively, from the 31,927,000 tons (28,734,300 metric tons) and 25,956,000 tons (23,360,400 metric tons) imported in 2008. (Source: American Iron and Steel Institute)
The following data is presented by specialty
steel product line, total stainless steel and total specialty steel:
Stainless-steel sheet/strip: Imports in YTD February were 34,103 tons (30,693 metric tons), a 59.3 percent decrease compared to YTD February 2008; U.S. consumption was 143,148 tons (128,833 metric tons), a 40.6 percent decrease; two-month import penetration was 23.8 percent, an 11 percentage point decrease from 2008.
Stainless-steel plate: Imports in YTD February were 7,866 tons (7,079 metric tons), a 50.4 percent decrease compared to YTD February 2008; U.S. consumption was 28,148 tons (25,333 metric tons), a 36.5 percent decrease; two-month import penetration was 27.9 percent, a 7.9 percentage point decrease from 2008.
Stainless-steel bar: Imports in YTD February were 14,380 tons (12,942 metric tons), a 25.8 percent decrease compared to YTD February 2008; U.S. consumption was 28,693 tons (25,824 metric tons), a 31.8 percent decrease; two-month import penetration was 50.1 percent, a 4.1 percentage point increase from 2008.
Stainless-steel rod: Imports in YTD February were 2,019 tons (1,817 metric tons), a 54.9 percent decrease compared to YTD February 2008; U.S. consumption was 4,820 tons (4,338 metric tons), a 52.7 percent decrease; two-month import penetration was 41.9 percent, a 2.1 percentage point decrease from 2008.
Imports of total stainless steel (comprising the foregoing product lines) in YTD February were 63,391 tons (57,052 metric tons), a 51.3 percent decrease compared to YTD February 2008; U.S. consumption was 211,496 tons (190,346 metric tons), a 39.5 percent decrease; two-month import penetration was 30 percent, a 7.2 percentage point decrease from 2008. (Source: Specialty Steel Industry of North America)