US steel imports fall through September and October

The volume of steel imported into the US totaled 2.14 million short tons (st) in September, according to final figures released earlier this week by the US Commerce Department. September imports were 10% less than August levels, marking the lowest monthly import rate seen this year. According to license data collected through Nov. 3, October licenses currently total 2.19 million st, a potential 2% increase from September. (Figure 1, left).

Nearly two-thirds of all of the steel entering the country in September came from just four countries: Canada (23%), Brazil (15%), South Korea (13%), and Mexico (12%). Four other significant contributors include Vietnam (6%), Taiwan (4%), Germany (4%), and Japan (4%). The combined volumes from these eight countries represent 82% of all imports in September.

Brett Linton

Brett Linton is a digital operations analyst for Steel Market Update, where he began his career. Linton has been in the steel industry since 2010. He has held roles as a category manager and strategic insights director at Reibus before returning to SMU in 2024. He is a graduate of The University of North Georgia with a degree in Finance and Accounting. Brett can be reached at brett@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-314-0179.