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 3,327,000 net tons (NT) of steel in March 2018, including 2,480,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (up 34.2% and 23.0%, respectively, vs. February final data). Year-to-date (YTD) through three months of 2018, total and finished steel imports are 8,690,000 and 6,831,000 net tons (NT), down 3.0% and 1.7%, respectively, vs. the same period in 2017. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2018 would be 34.8 and 27.3 million NT, down 8.8% and 7.6%, respectively, vs. 2017. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 26% in March and is estimated at 25% YTD.

Key finished steel products with significant import increases in March compared to February include reinforcing bars (up 215%), plates in coils (up 60%), cold rolled sheets (up 42%), hot rolled sheets (up 42%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 30%), standard pipe (up 27%), oil country goods (up 27%), mechanical tubing (up 27%), and sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 12%). Major products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2017 include oil country goods (up 41%), hot rolled sheets (up 39%), plates in coils (up 33%), mechanical tubing (up 26%), hot rolled bars (up 17%) and line pipe (up 10%).