Imports' Share of U.S. Sheet and Plate Markets Slips in December

Imports of less-expensive sheet and plate products continued to arrive on U.S. shores at the end of 2021, but at a slower pace. December marked the first decrease in overall flat product imports in eight months, according to Commerce Department data.

Driven by the need for buyers to find relief from inflated steel prices in the U.S., imports’ shares of the U.S. sheet and plate products markets in November reached their highest levels in the past 4-5 years. As the market slowed at the year end, so did imports.

David Schollaert

David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.