SMU Analysis: Imports of Coiled Plate by Region

Each month, Steel Market Update produces an import analysis by region for two of the six flat rolled product groups (HRC, CRC, HGD, OMC, CTL plate and coiled plate). This month, we are focusing on plate products. The intent of these regional updates is to bridge the gap between our monthly licensed data summaries and the detailed monthly reports we produce for premium subscribers that cover import volume by port and source.

Important to note about coiled plate is that in the 19 months from January 2017 through July 2018, the Great Lakes region received three times as much tonnage as all other regions combined. The Rio Grande, Gulf and Pacific South were a distant second, third and fourth, respectively. Minimal tonnage arrived at the North and South Atlantic or Pacific North ports. Figure 1 shows the year-to-date tonnage into each region and the dominance of the Great Lakes.