The Specialty Steel Industry of North America has released statistical data on imports, US consumption, and import penetration for December 2010. The data represents US consumption, imports, and import penetration for YTD December 2010 as compared to the same 2009 twelve month period.
Dr Sunil Widge chairman of SSINA said that "We are particularly concerned about recent increases in imports of large diameter stainless steel bar. New breakouts in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule have allowed us to track import trends of large diameter stainless steel bar since July 2009. Imports increased 170.1% between July and December 2009 and July and December 2010. The largest exporting countries were Germany and Italy."
The following data is presented by specialty steel product line, total stainless steel, and total specialty steel:
Stainless steel sheet/strip:
Imports in YTD December 2010 were 387,564 tonnes, a 76.4% increase compared to YTD December 2009; US consumption was 1,250,105 tonnes, a 29.6% increase; twelve month import penetration was 31.0%, an 8.2 percentage point increase from 2009
Stainless steel plate:
Imports in YTD December 2010 were 97,414 tonnes, a 92.1% increase compared to YTD December 2009; US consumption was 258,881 tonnes, a 44.0% increase; twelve month import penetration was 37.6%, a 9.4 percentage point increase from 2009
Stainless steel bar:
Imports in YTD December 2010 were 108,621 tonnes, a 46.4% increase compared to YTD December 2009; US consumption was 218,319 tonnes, a 48.9% increase; twelve month import penetration was 49.8%, a 0.8 percentage point decrease from 2009
Stainless steel rod:
Imports in YTD December 2010 were 24,306 tonnes, a 68.4% increase compared to YTD December 2009; US consumption was 65,391 tonnes, a 78.0% increase; twelve month import penetration was 37.2%, a 2.1 percentage point decrease from 2009
Stainless steel wire:
Imports in YTD December 2010 were 44,790 tonnes, a 41.0% increase compared to YTD December 2009; US consumption was 57,587 tonnes, a 36.2% increase; twelve month import penetration was 77.8%, a 2.6 percentage point increase from 2009
Imports of total stainless steel (comprising the foregoing product lines) in YTD December 2010 were 662,695 tonnes, a 69.6% increase compared to YTD December 2009; US consumption was 1,850,283 tonnes, a 35.0% increase; twelve month import penetration was 35.8%, a 7.3 percentage point increase from 2009
Alloy tool steel:
Imports in YTD December 2010 were 85,046 tonnes, a 125.9% increase compared to YTD December 2009; US consumption and import penetration were not calculable
Electrical steel:
Imports in YTD December 2010 were 94,314 tonnes, a 43.7% increase compared to YTD December 2009; US consumption was 196,549 tonnes, a 1.0% decrease from YTD December 2009; twelve month import penetration was 48.0%, a 14.9 percentage point increase from 2009
Imports of total specialty steel (comprising stainless steel, alloy tool steel and electrical steel) in YTD December 2010 were 842,055 tonnes, a 70.4% increase compared to YTD December 2009; US consumption was 2,100,227 tonnes, a 31.9% increase; twelve month import penetration was 40.1%, a 9.1 percentage point increase from 2009
