Influx of coated products fuels recent import surge

Steel imports fell back in May from April’s recent high but remained elevated compared to the levels seen over the past year. A deeper dive into the data confirms what SMU has been hearing from sources: Coated sheet is driving the recent rise in overall import levels.

Licenses to import steel totaled 2,618,700 short tons (st) in May, according to US government data. While down 4.9% from April’s final count of 2,804,330 st, remember that imports were at a 22-month high in April (Figure 1). Compared to the same month last year, May licenses are up 12.7%.

Laura Miller

Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held various editorial positions with steel industry publications, associations, and mills since 2007. She joined the SMU team in 2022. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.