Based on the Commerce Department’s most recent Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that steel import permit applications for the month of July totaled 2,627,000 net tons (NT). This was an 8% decrease from the 2,855,000 permit tons recorded in June, but a 1% increase from the June preliminary imports total of 2,593,000 NT. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in July was 2,067,000 NT, down 2% from the preliminary imports total of 2,098,000 NT in June. July 2012 total and finished steel import permit tons would annualize at 34,339,000 NT and 26,683,000 NT, up 20% and 22%, respectively, vs. the 28,515,000 NT and 21,835,000 NT imported in 2011. The estimated finished steel import market share in July was 23%, and it is 24% through 7 months of 2012.
Finished steel imports with large increases in July permits vs. the June preliminary include line pipe (up 50%), standard rails (up 43%), hot rolled sheets (up 16%) and cold finished bars (up 14%). Major products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2011 include reinforcing bars (up 54%), line pipe (up 45%), cut lengths plates (up 40%), oil country goods (up 36%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 31%) and sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 27%).