AISI American Iron and Steel Institute : Imports Captured a Record 29% of the U.S. Market in 2015; Preliminary Steel Imports Decrease 5% in December

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Lisa Harrison

January 27, 2016 202.452.7115/[e-mail]

IMPORTS CAPTURED A RECORD 29% OF THE U.S. MARKET IN 2015

Preliminary Steel Imports Decrease 5% in December

Washington, D.C. - Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported today that the U.S. imported a total of 2,323,000 net tons (NT) of steel in December 2015, including 2,017,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (down 5.3% and up 3.2%, respectively, vs. November final data). Full Year 2015 total and finished steel imports were 38,718,000 and 31,425,000 net tons (NT), respectively, down 13% and 7% respectively, vs. 2014. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 26% in December and is estimated at 29% for the full year.

Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in December compared to November are wire rods (up 77%), tin plate (up 71%), cut lengths plates (up 65%), heavy structural shapes (up 46%), hot rolled bars (up 20%) and cold rolled sheets (19%). Major products with significant import increases in 2015 vs. the prior year include reinforcing bar (up 38%) and standard pipe (up 13%).

Steel Mill Product	Dec. (prelim.)	Nov. final	% var Dec. vs. Nov.	2015 Full Year	2014 Full Year	% var 2015 vs. 2014	2015 Full Year	2014 Full Year	% var 2015 vs 2014
Ingots and Billets and Slabs	303,355	496,562	-38.9%	7,262,224	10,536,570	-31.1%	7,262,224	10,536,570	-31.1%
Sheets Hot Rolled	236,268	240,714	-1.8%	3,876,800	4,340,132	-10.7%	3,876,800	4,340,132	-10.7%
Sheets & Strip Galv Hot Dipped	207,230	215,567	-3.9%	3,359,687	3,313,269	1.4%	3,359,687	3,313,269	1.4%
Sheets Cold Rolled	191,058	161,208	18.5%	2,684,010	2,953,658	-9.1%	2,684,010	2,953,658	-9.1%
Line Pipe	88,627	118,088	-24.9%	2,545,702	2,356,506	8.0%	2,545,702	2,356,506	8.0%
Oil Country Goods	47,254	87,375	-45.9%	2,245,430	4,014,588	-44.1%	2,245,430	4,014,588	-44.1%
Plates in Coils	128,157	137,550	-6.8%	2,005,396	2,229,722	-10.1%	2,005,396	2,229,722	-10.1%
Bars - Reinforcing	111,620	124,059	-10.0%	1,992,567	1,447,948	37.6%	1,992,567	1,447,948	37.6%
Wire Rods	170,742	96,286	77.3%	1,589,901	1,624,760	-2.1%	1,589,901	1,624,760	-2.1%
Plates Cut Lengths	139,080	84,261	65.1%	1,549,248	1,863,232	-16.9%	1,549,248	1,863,232	-16.9%
Bars - Hot Rolled	125,403	104,225	20.3%	1,488,733	1,643,807	-9.4%	1,488,733	1,643,807	-9.4%
Sheets & Strip All Other Metalci	60,004	64,019	-6.3%	1,055,495	1,020,914	3.4%	1,055,495	1,020,914	3.4%
Standard Pipe	52,432	69,534	-24.6%	1,024,875	907,217	13.0%	1,024,875	907,217	13.0%
Structural Shapes Heavy	88,797	60,813	46.0%	908,898	913,488	-0.5%	908,898	913,488	-0.5%
Wire Drawn	63,396	71,179	-10.9%	889,118	811,510	9.6%	889,118	811,510	9.6%
Tin Plate	80,350	47,069	70.7%	770,527	698,162	10.4%	770,527	698,162	10.4%
Mechanical Tubing	34,605	37,889	-8.7%	578,193	747,539	-22.7%	578,193	747,539	-22.7%
All Other TOTAL	194,416 237,200 2,322,793 2,453,597		-18.0% -5.3%	2,891,562 38,718,366	2,914,947 44,337,970	-0.8% -12.7%	2,891,562 38,718,366	2,914,947 44,337,970	-0.8% -12.7%
SUBTOTAL Finished Imports	2,017,175 1,954,209		3.2%	31,425,234	33,750,625	-6.9%	31,425,234	33,750,625	-6.9%

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In December, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (235,000 NT, down 25% vs. November final), Turkey (167,000 NT, up 8%), Japan (144,000 NT, down 13%), China (135,000 NT, up 111%) and Germany (122,000 NT, up 42%). For full year 2015, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (4,854,000 NT, down 11%), Turkey (2,808,000 NT, up 28%), China (2,374,000 NT, down 25%), Japan (2,259,000 NT,

up 7%) and Germany (1,515,000 NT, up 19%). Below are charts on estimated steel import market share in recent months and on finished steel imports from offshore by country.

U.S. IMPORTS OF FINISHED STEEL MILL PRODUCTS BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

(thousands of net tons)

COUNTRY	Dec	Nov	% incr.	2015	2014	% incr.	2015	2014	% incr.
	2015	2015	Dec.			'15 YTD			2015
	(Prelim.)	final	vs. Nov.	Full Year	Full Year	vs. '14	Full Year	Full Year	vs. '14
South Korea	235	315	-25.4%	4,854	5,449	-10.9%	4,854	5,449	-10.9%
Turkey	167	156	7.6%	2,808	2,199	27.7%	2,808	2,199	27.7%
China	136	64	111.0%	2,374	3,189	-25.5%	2,374	3,189	-25.5%
Japan	144	165	-13.1%	2,259	2,105	7.3%	2,259	2,105	7.3%
Germany	122	86	41.5%	1,515	1,278	18.5%	1,515	1,278	18.5%
Brazil	69	126	-45.4%	1,437	810	77.4%	1,437	810	77.4%
Taiwan	48	60	-20.2%	1,205	1,188	1.4%	1,205	1,188	1.4%
All Other	1,097	983	11.7%	14,973	17,532	-14.6%	14,973	17,532	-14.6%
Total	2,017	1,954	3.2%	31,425	33,751	-6.9%	31,425	33,751	-6.9%

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U.S. IMPORTS OF FINISHED STEEL MILL PRODUCTS
3 MONTHS ROLLING AVERAGE
(thousands of net tons)
Product	Preliminary	Actual	Current 3 Months
	3 Mos. Rolling Avg.	3 Mos. Prior	vs 3 Months Prior
	Dec. '15 - Oct. '15	Sep. '15 - Jul. '15	% Change
Sheets Hot Rolled	276	321	-13.9%
Sheets & Strip Galv Hot Dipped	222	283	-21.6%
Sheets Cold Rolled	180	229	-21.4%
Bars - Reinforcing	155	163	-4.6%
Wire Rods	148	130	13.8%
Plates in Coils	128	148	-13.4%
Line Pipe	113	175	-35.4%
Bars - Hot Rolled	112	114	-2.4%
Plates Cut Lengths	94	118	-19.9%
Sheets & Strip All Other Met CTD.	80	87	-8.7%
All Other	574	672	-14.5%
Total	2,082	2,439	-14.6%

U.S. IMPORTS OF FINISHED STEEL MILL PRODUCTS
3 MONTHS ROLLING AVERAGE
(thousands of net tons)
Country	Preliminary	Actual	Current 3 Months
	3 Mos. Rolling Avg.	3 Mos. Prior	vs 3 Months Prior
	Dec. '15 - Oct. '15	Sep. '15 - Jul. '15	% Change
South Korea	316	308	2.5%
Turkey	201	197	2.0%
Japan	163	192	-15.3%
Brazil	126	126	0.3%
Germany	114	126	-9.9%
China	92	210	-56.1%
Taiwan	86	100	-13.6%
Netherlands	64	73	-11.7%
United Kingdom	48	49	-1.6%
France	36	35	1.6%
All Other	835	1,022	-18.2%
Total	2,082	2,439	-14.6%

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Monthly Imports 2015 vs. 2014

Finished Semi-finished

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

Millions of Net Tons

1.0

0.5

0.0

'14 '15 '14 '15 '14 '15 '14 '15 '14 '15 '14 '15 '14 '15 '14 '15 '14 '15 '14 '15 '14 '15 '14 '15

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Semi-finished	0.8	0.8	1.0	0.8	0.8	0.4	1.0	0.5	1.1	0.6	0.9	0.6	0.8	0.7	0.9	0.6	0.9	0.6	1.0	0.8	0.8	0.5	0.7	0.3
Finished	2.4	3.6	2.3	2.9	2.4	3.2	2.7	3.0	2.9	2.8	2.7	2.5	3.1	2.6	2.8	2.5	3.0	2.2	3.4	2.3	2.9	2.0	3.0	2.0

% change finished imports December 2015 vs December 2014 = -31.8%