Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reports that the U.S. imported a total of 2,899,000 net tons (NT) of steel in March, including 2,163,000 NT of finished steel (up 7 percent and 4 percent, respectively, from February final data).

Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2011 would be 33.7 and 25.8 million NT, respectively, each up 18 percent vs. 2011. Finished steel import market share in March and Year-To-Date were both 23 percent, up from 22 percent in 2011. Key finished steel products with significant import increases in March 2012 compared to February are line pipe (up 51 percent), cut length plates (up 43 percent), standard pipe (up 25 percent), wire drawn (up 24 percent) and oil country goods (up 20 percent).

Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include reinforcing bar (up 88 percent), cut length plates (up 66 percent), line pipe (up 62 percent), plates in coils (up 53 percent) and sheet and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 49 percent).

For a PDF of the press release from American Iron and Steel Institute, including graphs, click here.