Based on the Commerce Department’s most recent Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that steel import permit applications for the month of September total 2.89 million net tons. That was an 8% decrease from the 3.13 million permit tons recorded in August and a 6% decrease from the August final imports total of 3.06 nt.

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Import permit tonnage for finished steel in September was 2.22 million nt down 10% from the final imports total of 2.47 nt in August. For the first 9 months of 2015 (including September SIMA and August Final), total and finished steel imports were 30.95 million nt and 25.18 million nt, respectively, down 5% and up 3% from the same period in 2014. The estimated finished steel import market share in September was 25% and is 30% year-to-date.

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Finished steel imports with large increases in September permits vs. the August final included standard rail (up 334%), cut length plates (up 59%) and cold-rolled sheets (up 19%). Products with significant year-to-date increases vs. the same period in 2014 include reinforcing bar (up 48%), line pipe (up 35%), standard pipe (up 21%), tin plate (up 15%), sheets and strip hot-dipped galvanized (up 13%) and wire drawn (up 11%).