Based on reported imports licenses, US long products imports rose 83% from 187,000 short tons in June 2020 to 342,000 tons last month. Licenses indicate that the increase was mainly due to higher Wire Rod imports from India, Brazil, and Egypt. Rebar imports also rose significantly from Italy, Portugal and Mexico.
US long products imports in the first six months of 2021 were 18% higher than in the same period last year with the largest volumes rising for Wire Rod, Rebar, and All Other Structural Shapes.
Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports rose 69% from 480,000 short tons in June 2020 to 810,000 tons last month. The increase was mostly due to higher hot roll imports from Canada, Japan, Turkey, and South Korea. Cold roll imports also rose significantly from Canada, Australia, Germany and Vietnam.
Flat products imports in the first six months of 2021 were 28% higher than in the same period last year. Imports of cut plate rose 39%, imports of hot roll increased 50%, imports of cold roll rose 6% and imports of hot dip galvanized rose 12%.
US flat products import licenses
January 2014 to June 2021
Short tons
Steel slab being cut in the casting process at ThyssenKrupp Bruckhausen from Worldsteel Image Library by worldsteel / Gregor Schläger
Worldsteel reported crude steel production in China at 99.5 million metric tonnes in May, 6.6% higher than in May 2020. Chinese crude steel production in the first five months of 2021 was 11% higher than in the same period last year.
Data from China’s General Administration of Customs show net finished steel exports (exports minus imports) in May at 4.1 million tonnes, 30% higher than in May 2020. Net finished steel exports in the first five months of 2021 were 27% higher than in the first five months of 2020.
China monthly crude steel production, 2006 to 2021
China produced 99.5 million tonnes in May, accounting for 57% of world output and rising 6.6% on May, 2020. In other parts of Asia, Indian production rose 46.9%, Japanese production increased 42.2%, and South Korean production rose 10.5%.
European Union (27) crude steel output rose 32.7% on last May following a 35.5% increase in Germany. North American production rose 47.7% with US output up 47.6%. Other significant changes compared to May, 2020 include a 42.4% increase in Turkey and a 40.1% increase in Brazil.
Based on reported import licenses, US long products imports fell 7% from 286,000 short tons in May 2020 to 265,000 tons last month. Licenses indicate the decline was mainly due to lower Rebar imports from Turkey, though Parallel Flange Sections imports also dropped from the United Arab Emirates and South Korea.
US long products imports in the first five months of 2021 were 7% higher than in the same period last year with the largest volumes rising for Light Shapes and All Other Structural Shapes imports. Parallel Flange Sections imports, however, declined.
US long products import licenses
January 2015 to May 2021
Short tons
“Setting a light pole beam for the future Mid-day storage yard.”, New York, 2019, from MTA Capital Construction Mega Projects, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports increased 54% from 490,000 short tons in May 2020 to 755,000 tons last month. The highest volume increase came from hot roll where volumes rose from Canada, Turkey and South Korea. Hot dip galvanized imports also rose significantly from a number of countries including Canada, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey.
Flat products imports in the first five months of 2021 were 20% higher than in the same period last year. Imports of cut plate rose 36%, imports of hot roll increased 39%, and imports of hot dip galvanized rose 13%. In contrast, cold roll imports fell 9%.
US flat products imports licenses from Steel Import Monitor
January 2014 to May 2021
Short tons
Hot rolled coils in storage at POSCO Pohang Steelworks from Worldsteel Image Library by worldsteel / Seong Joon Cho
