Domestic Mills Import Approximately 7.5 Million Tons of Semi’s During 2012

Of the 33,512,516 net tons of total imports projected by Steel Market Update to be received into the United States during calendar year 2012 some 7,584,955 net tons are forecast to be semi-finished. Semi-finished products include slabs, billets and blooms – however, the vast majority of them are slabs being imported by the domestic steel mills to be rolled and shipped to U.S. customers.

The 7.5 million tons is the highest level of imported semi’s since 2006 when the domestic mills received 9,150,606 net tons. The second highest level (actually third when taking 2012 into consideration) in the recent past was 2004 when 7,200,628 net tons were imported.