Based on the Commerce Department’s most recent Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis data, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported that steel import permit applications for the month of December 2011 totaled 2,208,000 net tons. This was a 9 percent increase from the 2,027,000 permit tons recorded in November 2011 and a 5 percent increase from the November preliminary imports total of 2,107,000 NT. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in December was 1,618,000 NT, down 2 percent from the preliminary imports total of 1,646,000 NT in November. Full-year 2011 total and finished steel import permit tons were 28,646,000 NT and 21,871,000 NT, up 20 percent and 16 percent, respectively, vs. the 23,929,000 NT and 18,857,000 NT imported in 2010. The estimated finished steel import market share in 2011 was 22 percent, and was 19 percent in December.
Finished steel import permits for products that registered large increases in December vs. the November preliminary include reinforcing bar up 101 percent, sheet and strip all other metallic coated up 45 percent, wire rods up 38 percent and mechanical tubing, up 16 percent For full-year 2011, products that saw significant increases vs. 2010 include cut length plate up 55 percent, mechanical tubing up 44 percent, plates in coils up 34 percent, line pipe up 33 percent, sheet and strip, all other metallic coated up 32 percent, reinforcing bar up 27 percent, hot rolled bars up 26 percent and oil country goods up 23 percent.