WASHINGTON: The American Iron and Steel Institute reported that America received 2.9 million tons of imports in August, including 2.3 million net tons of finished steel that would not require further processing at finishing lines in Northwest Indiana or elsewhere. Finished steel imports were down 6.6 percent compared to the previous month.
Imports of standard pipe rose 33 percent month-over-month in August, while wire rod imports shot up 23 percent over the same period. Imports of structural pipe and tubing, hot rolled bars and tin plate also had double-digit increases.
About 334,000 tons of imports came from South Korea and 180,000 tons from Turkey in August. Japan, Taiwan, Germany and Vietnam also exported a significant amount of steel to the United States in August.
So far this year, the United States has imported 21.9 million tons of steel, a 22 percent decrease compared to 2015, when the United States faced the worst steel import crisis in more than a decade.
Imports have grabbed about 25 percent of the market share this year, both in total and finished steel products.
