Based on reported import licenses, US long products imports rose 6% from 343,000 short tons in November to 362,000 tons in December. Long products imports in December 2015 were 458,000 tons and in December 2014 they were 353,000 tons. Longs imports for the the full 2016 year were basically unchanged from 2015, since the 5% rise in rebar imports compared to 2015 was offset by declines in imports of all other structural shapes, merchant bar, and parallel flange sections.
SIMA US long products import licenses and actuals
2012 to 2016
short tons
Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports fell 12% from 944,000 short tons in November to 832,000 tons in December. Flat products imports in December 2015 were 882,000 tons and in December 2014 they were 1,333,000 tons. Imports of flat products for the full year of 2016 were 18% lower than in 2015 with hot roll imports down 27%, cut plate down 21%, hot dip galvanized down 8% and cold roll down 6%.
The 12% drop between November and December 2016 was mainly due to lower cold roll and hot roll imports, and despite and increase in hot dip galvanized imports. Cold roll imports fell significantly from Vietnam and Turkey, hot roll imports were down from many countries including Mexico and Korea, and hot dip galvanized imports rose from South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and India.
SIMA US flat products import licenses and actuals
January 2013 to December 2016
short tons
China Monthly Crude Steel Production,
January 2005 to November 2016, thousand metric tonnes
Worldsteel reported Chineese crude steel production at 66.3 million metric tonnes in November, 5.0% higher than in November 2015. Chinese crude steel output in the first 11 months of 2016 was 1.3% higher than in the same period last year.
China’s net finished steel exports (exports minus imports) in November were 7.0 million tonnes, 19.3% lower than in November 2015. The first 11 months of 2016 recorded net exports 1.3% lower than in the first 11 months of 2015.
Worldsteel published November’s world crude steel production today. World crude steel output was 132.4 million metric tonnes, 5.0% higher than in November 2015. World crude steel production in the first 11 months of 2016 was 0.5% higher than in the same period last year.
China accounted for 50% of world output in November with production of 66.3M tonnes, up 5.0% compared to November 2015. Elsewhere in Asia, important changes from last November include a 10.7% increase in India and a 16.5% rise in Taiwan. European Union production rose 2.6% on last November due mainly to increases in Italy (+11.2%), Poland (+24.9%) and France (+11.8%), but despite a decline in Germany (-4.2%). In the Americas, Mexican output was up 19.9% on last November and US production rose 6.8%. Other significant changes include a 10.4% rise in Turkey, a 5.0% increase in Russia, and a 26.3% gain in Iran.
All the data for November 2016 and for a number of prior years can be found in the Nerds downloadable spreadsheet below.
Based on reported import licenses, US long products imports fell 12% from 415,000 short tons in October to 366,000 tons in November. Long products imports in November 2015 were 335,000 tons and in November 2014 they were 373,000 tons. Longs imports in the first eleven months of 2016 were 2% higher than in the same period last year with the largest volume increase coming from rebar and wire rod.
The decline in imports between October and November was mainly due to lower wire rod, parallel flange sections, and all other structural shapes imports, though a rise in rebar imports reduced the total decline.
SIMA US long products import licenses and actuals
2012 to 2016
short tons
Based on reported import licenses, US flat product imports fell 2% from 949,000 short tons in October to 934,000 tons in November. Flat products imports in November 2015 were 843,000 tons and in November 2014 they were 1,329,000 tons. Imports of flat products for the first 11 months of 2016 were 19% lower than in the same period last year.
There was little change between October and November because cut plate, hot roll and hot dip galvanized imports together fell by about the same volume as cold rolled imports rose, with the increase in cold rolled imports coming mainly from Vietnam, Mexico and Thailand.
SIMA US flat products import licenses and actuals
January 2013 to November 2016
short tons
