The Specialty Steel Industry of North America has released statistical data on imports, US consumption and import penetration for YTD April 2011. The data represents US consumption, imports, and import penetration for April 2011 compared to the same 2010 four month period.

The following data is presented by specialty steel product line, total stainless steel, and total specialty steel:

Stainless steel sheet strip:
Imports in YTD April 2011 were 134,594 tons, a 23.8% increase compared to YTD April 2010; US consumption was 579.259 tons, a 34.8% increase; four month import penetration was 23.2%, a 2.1 percentage point decrease from 2010

Stainless steel plate:
Imports in YTD April 2011 were 55.590 tons, a 142.5% increase compared to YTD April 2010: US consumption was 118,635 tons, a 46.8% increase; four month import penetration was 46.9%, an 18.5 percentage point increase from 2010
Stainless steel bar:
Imports in YTD April 2011 were 47,420 tons, a 58.9% increase compared to YTD April 2010; US consumption was 89.976 tons, a 38.6% increase; four month import penetration was 52.7%, a 6.7 percentage point increase from 2010

Stainless steel rod:
Imports in YTD April 2011 were 9.646 tons, a 17.3% increase compared to YTD April 2010; US consumption was 26.481 tons, a 31.6% increase; four month import penetration was 36.4%, a 4.5 percentage point decrease from 2010

Stainless steel wire:
Imports in YTD April 2011 were 15,455 tons, a 10.0% increase compared to YTD April 2010; US consumption was 18,752 tons, a 2.1% increase; four month import penetration was 82.4%, a 5.9 percentage point increase from 2010

Imports of total stainless steel (comprising the foregoing product lines) in YTD April 2011 were 262.705 tons, a 43.0% increase compared to YTD April 2010; US consumption was 833,104 tons, a 35.7% increase; four month import penetration was 31.5%, a 1.6 percentage point increase from 2010

Alloy tool steel:
Imports in YTD April 2011 were 34,910 tons, a 74.4% increase compared to YTD April 2010; US consumption and import penetration were not calculable

Electrical steel:
Imports in YTD April 2011 were 38,621 tons, a 27.4% increase compared to YTD April 2010; US consumption was 52,653 tons, a 28.2% decrease from YTD April 2010; four month import penetration was 73.4%, a 32.0 percentage point increase from 2010

Imports of total specialty steel (comprising stainless steel, alloy tool steel and electrical steel) in YTD April 2011 were 336,236 tons, a 43.6% increase compared to YTD April 2010: US consumption was 906,166 tons, a 29.5% increase; four month import penetration was 37.1%, a 3.6 percentage point increase from 2010