Based on the US Department of Commerce's most recent Steel Import Monitoring and Analaysis (SIMA) data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that steel import permit applications for the month of July totaled 951,000 nt (862,733 mt), which represents a 12 percent increase from June's preliminary import total and is the first such monthly increase this year.
The largest finished steel import sources in July were: Japan, South Korea, Turkey, and China. Finished steel import market share in July is estimated by AISI at 16 percent and at 25 percent year-to-date.
Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of AISI, commented on the July data, “With the domestic steel industry operating at only 53 percent capacity utilization and with imports year-to-date taking a quarter of the US market, it is especially critical to be vigilant against any unfair trade in the US market.”
