U.S. steel imports dip over 8% from August to September

U.S. steel imports dipped 8.3% from August to September, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Monday.
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U.S. steel imports in September

In September 2020, the U.S. imported 1.1 million metric tons on steel products, down from 1.2 million metric tons the previous month.
Meanwhile, for the year to date (through August), the U.S. imported 14.9 million metric tons of steel products, down 20.7% year over year.
During the same period last year, the U.S. imported 18.8 million metric tons.
During the year-to-date period, the largest commodity decrease came for oil country goods, according the Census Bureau.
“Increases occurred primarily in tin free steel, used rails, and light shaped bars,” the Bureau reported. “The largest country decreases occurred with Russia. Increases occurred primarily with Turkey, Brazil, and Mexico.”

Hot-dipped galvanized sheet, strip imports gain

The largest import category, hot-dipped galvanized sheet and strip, checked in at 173,010 metric tons in September.
The September figure marked a rise from the 157,503 metric tons imported in August. Furthermore, the U.S. imported 177,943 metric tons in the category in September 2019.
Meanwhile, in the No. 2 category, hot-rolled sheet imports reached 137,497 metric tons in September, up from 97,334 metric tons in August. However, the September 2020 total marked a decline from September 2019’s 151,330 metric tons.

U.S. representatives: no to Section 232 electrical steel tariffs

Finally, U.S. imports of electrical sheet and strip totaled 1,764 metric tons in September — not exactly the largest share of the import total.
Furthermore, the total marked a decline from the 2,758 metric tons imported in August.
Nonetheless, several Congressmen recently sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross asking the Trump administration not to impose Section 232 tariffs on imports of electrical steel.
Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA) sent the letter, which Reps. Bruce Westerman (AR-04), Ben Cline (VA-06), Morgan Griffith (VA-09), and Dan Bishop (NC-09) cosigned.
“The manufacturing industry employs millions of Americans, and there is no reason to impose unnecessary tariffs that would put over 15,000 transformer industry jobs at risk,” Riggleman said in a release. “Access to affordable electricity is a pillar of American life and commerce. We must keep American workers at the forefront of progress as the U.S. continues to dominate the global energy sphere.”
Meanwhile, back in May, the Department of Commerce launched a Section 232 investigation into laminations and wound cores for incorporation into transformers, electrical transformers, and transformer regulators. 
Under Section 232, the secretary of commerce has 270 days from the launch of an investigation to provide a report with findings and recommendations to the president, which sets up for a late January deadline.
Meanwhile, as for domestic options for electrical steel buyers, AK Steel is the only U.S. producer of grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES). ATI exited theU.S. GOES production market in 2016.
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