Based on reported import licenses, US long products imports rose 70% from 296,000 short tons in May, 2021 to 502,000 tons last month. Both rebar and wire rod imports rose significantly with rebar imports rising mainly from Turkey and wire rod imports rising from India, Malaysia, Mexico and Algeria.
Long products imports in the first five months of 2022 were 49% higher than in the same period last year with the highest volume increases coming from wire rod (+90%), rebar (+26%) and parallel flange sections (+52%).
Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports rose 4% from 764,000 short tons in May, 2021 to 795,000 tons in May, 2022. The increase was mainly due to higher cold rolled imports from a number for countries including Mexico and Turkey. Hot rolled imports also rose from Mexico and Japan. However, the rise in cold rolled and hot rolled imports was offset by a decline in hot dip galvanized imports from Brazil, Taiwan, and South Korea.
Based on January to April imports and May imports licenses, US flat products imports in the first five months of 2022 were 31% higher than in the same period last year with cold rolled +53%, hot dip galvanized +37%, hot rolled +21% and cut plate +12%.
Steel Import Monitor US Flat Products Import Licenses
Worldsteel reported crude steel production in China at 92.8 million metric tonnes, 5.2% lower than in April, 2021. Chinese production in the first four months of 2022 was 8.1% lower than in the same period last year.
Data from the General Administration of Customs show China’s net finished steel exports (exports minus imports) in April at 4.0 million tonnes, 41% lower than in April, 2021. Net finished steel exports over the first four months of 2022 were 33% lower than in the first four months of 2021.
Worldsteel published April, 2022 world crude steel production yesterday. World crude steel output was 162.7 million metric tonnes, 5.1% lower than in April, 2021.
China produced 92.8 million tonnes in April, accounting for 57% of world output and falling 5.2% on April, 2021. In other parts of Asia, Indian crude steel production rose 6.2%, but Japanese production fell 4.4% and South Korean output fell 4.1%.
European Union 27 countries production fell 5.4% on last April following a 1.1% decline in Germany. North American production fell 5.1% with US output down 3.9%. Other significant changes compared to last April include declines in Iran (-20.7%) and Brazil (-4.0%).
Based on reported import licenses, US long products imports rose 23% from 289,000 short tons in April, 2021 to 356,000 tons last month. Wire rod imports again drove the increase with volumes rising from Algeria, India and Egypt.
Long products imports in the first four months of 2022 were 41% higher than in the same period last year with the highest volume increases coming from wire rod (+92%), rebar (+9%) and parallel flange sections (+42%).
US long products import licenses
January 2015 to April 2022
Short tons
Reinforcement cage for bore hole at construction site Munich Garmischer Strasse for the southwest tunnel project, 2010 by Usien, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports rose 10% from 703,000 short tons in April, 2021 to 773,000 tons in April, 2022. The increase was mainly due to higher hot dip galvanized imports from Vietnam, Turkey, and South Africa. Cold rolled imports also rose significantly April-on-April due to higher volumes from Australia and Mexico.
Based on January to March imports and April import licenses, US flat products imports in the first four months of 2022 were 37% higher than in the same period last year with hot dip galvanized +47%, cold rolled +59%, hot rolled +26%, and cut plate +8%.
Steel Import Monitor US Flat Products Import Licenses
