News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 24, 2009 CONTACT: NANCY GRAVATT 202.452.7115/ ngravatt@steel.org Preliminary Steel Imports Increase 29% in Steel Import Market Share at 22% through 10 Months Washington, D.C. Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported today that the U.S. imported a total of 1,560,000 net tons (NT) of steel in 2009, including 1,177,000 NT of finished steel (up 29% and 15%, respectively, vs. final data). This was the highest monthly total import figure since. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2009 would be 16.0 and 14.4 million NT, respectively, down 50 and 45% vs. 2008. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 18% in and is an estimated 22% year-to-date (YTD) through ten months. Key finished steel products with increases in 2009 compared to include reinforcing bars (105%), wire rods (55%), hot rolled bars (42%) line pipe (35%) and oil country goods (29%). % var (10 mo) (10 mo) % var % var Oct. Sept. Oct. vs. YTD YTD 09 vs. 2009 2008 2009 ann. Steel Mill Product (prelim.) final Sept. 2009 2008 '08 Annualized 12 mo. vs 2008 12 mo. Oil Country Goods 42,402 32,802 29.3% 1,497,439 2,930,207-48.9% 1,796,927 3,973,851-54.8% Ingots and Billets and Slabs 380,690 184,757 106.0% 1,376,416 5,546,895-75.2% 1,651,699 5,943,024-72.2% Line Pipe 126,545 93,536 35.3% 1,375,737 2,739,757-49.8% 1,650,884 3,223,302-48.8% Sheets Hot Rolled 173,512 163,963 5.8% 1,371,459 2,461,736-44.3% 1,645,751 2,769,855-40.6% Sheets Cold Rolled 89,857 97,187-7.5% 926,530 1,267,790-26.9% 1,111,836 1,439,006-22.7% Sheets & Strip Galv HD 88,555 84,079 5.3% 876,004 1,578,053-44.5% 1,051,205 1,821,924-42.3% Plates in Coils 51,744 63,935-19.1% 598,234 999,866-40.2% 717,881 1,213,063-40.8% Wire Rods 121,801 78,733 54.7% 591,751 1,016,630-41.8% 710,101 1,229,419-42.2% Bars - Hot Rolled 71,278 50,136 42.2% 529,072 1,280,056-58.7% 634,886 1,486,986-57.3% Standard Pipe 36,460 38,771-6.0% 506,417 979,711-48.3% 607,700 1,180,408-48.5% Plates Cut Lengths 45,758 41,967 9.0% 455,064 1,019,686-55.4% 546,077 1,237,056-55.9% Wire Drawn 54,079 40,664 33.0% 393,557 630,116-37.5% 472,268 709,196-33.4% Bars - Reinforcing 32,999 16,108 104.9% 389,605 931,930-58.2% 467,526 970,763-51.8% Structural Shapes Heavy 36,112 26,925 34.1% 330,461 653,437-49.4% 396,553 721,884-45.1% Mechanical Tubing 19,762 24,080-17.9% 294,053 495,407-40.6% 352,864 606,932-41.9% Tin Plate 29,795 25,403 17.3% 257,699 264,622-2.6% 309,239 321,076-3.7% Sheets & Strip All Other Met. 18,709 29,659-36.9% 246,668 441,549-44.1% 296,002 502,210-41.1% ALL OTHER 139,747 118,742 17.7% 1,345,527 2,215,562-39.3% 1,614,632 2,576,895-37.3% TOTAL 1,559,805 1,211,447 28.8% 13,361,693 27,453,010-51.3% 16,034,031 31,926,850-49.8% SUBTOTAL Finished Imports 1,177,267 1,026,133 14.7% 11,970,824 21,884,147-45.3% 14,364,989 25,955,963-44.7%
Imports increase 29% / Page 2 In, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (102,000 NT, up 59%), Japan (91,000 NT, up 76%), Turkey (69,000 NT, up 509%), The Netherlands (63,000 NT, up 170%) and India (52,000 NT, up 32%). Based on the first 10 months of 2009, finished steel imports from China would annualize at 1.6 million NT, 66% less than in 2008 but more than any other offshore supplier. Below are charts on estimated steel import market share by month and finished steel imports by country. 40 Estimated Steel Import Market Share By Month (Jan 2007-2009) 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 November December November December Percentage BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN % incr. (10 mo) (10 mo) % incr. 2009 % incr. COUNTRY Oct. Sep Oct. Oct. YTD YTD '09 YTD full year 2008 2009 an. 2009 2009 2008 vs Sept. 2009 2008 vs. '08 (est.) Annual vs. '08 South Korea 102 64 168 58.6% 1,102 1,961-43.8% 1,323 2,305-42.6% Japan 91 52 134 75.7% 823 1,352-39.1% 987 1,614-38.8% Turkey 69 11 72 509.2% 451 599-24.7% 541 827-34.6% Netherlands 63 23 111 170.0% 249 400-37.6% 299 474-36.9% India 52 39 71 31.6% 522 921-43.3% 626 1,102-43.2% China 50 42 727 18.6% 1,349 3,733-63.9% 1,619 4,821-66.4% Australia 50 35 70 42.7% 230 580-60.2% 276 626-55.8% GERMANY 45 31 88 44.8% 420 966-56.6% 503 1,122-55.1% All Other 656 728 1,048-9.9% 6,824 11,374-40.0% 8,189 13,065-37.3% Total 1,177 1,026 2,490 14.7% 11,971 21,884-45.3% 14,365 25,956-44.7% -MORE
Imports increase 29% / Page 3 3 MONTHS ROLLING AVERAGE Preliminary Actual Current 3 Months Product 3 Mos. Rolling Avg. 3 Mos. Prior vs 3 Months Prior Oct. 09 - Aug. 09 Jul. 09 -. 09 % Change Sheets Hot Rolled 157 96 63.0% Wire Rods 92 38 142.4% Sheets Cold Rolled 89 65 37.6% Line Pipe 89 115-22.7% Sheets & Strip Galv Hot Dipped 77 70 9.7% Plates in Coils 60 49 22.1% Bars - Hot Rolled 53 36 45.6% Wire Drawn 45 38 20.0% Plates Cut Lengths 38 27 40.2% Standard Pipe 38 41-7.8% All Other 269 330-18.5% Total 1,008 906 11.2% 3 MONTHS ROLLING AVERAGE Preliminary Actual Current 3 Months Country 3 Mos. Rolling Avg. 3 Mos. Prior vs 3 Months Prior Oct. 09 - Aug. 09 Jul. 09 -. 09 % Change South Korea 84 78 8.3% Japan 59 69-14.8% China 41 74-45.1% Italy 38 15 159.8% The Netherlands 38 22 69.1% India 33 35-4.5% Australia 33 12 178.2% Germany 33 27 23.3% Brazil 33 13 153.4% Turkey 32 20 58.0% All Other 584 541 7.9% Total 1,008 906 11.2% Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
Imports increase 29% / Page 4 Monthly Imports 2008 vs. 2009 3.5 3.0 Millions of Net Tons 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 J8 J9 F8 F9 M8 M9 A8 A9 M8 M9 J8 J9 J8 J9 A8 A9 S8 S9 O8 O9 N8 N9 D8 D9 Semi-finished 0.46 0.21 0.56 0.11 0.46 0.07 0.75 0.11 0.45 0.02 0.61 0.51 0.67 0.1 0.5 0.16 0.49 0.19 0.63 0.38 0.19 0.22 Finished 2.2 2.16 1.93 1.48 2.11 1.47 2.23 1.12 2.05 1.02 2.12 0.35 2.24 0.89 2.05 0.82 2.46 1.03 2.49 1.18 2.22 1.85 % change finished imports 2009 vs 2008 = -52.7% 3 Month Rolling Averages and YTD 2009 vs. 2008 35 Millions of Net Tons 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 3 Mos. Prior Rolling Avg. 3 Mos. Rolling Avg. 2008 12 Mos YTD *2009 Annualized Semi Finished 0.057 0.241 5.971 1.669 Finished 0.906 1.008 25.956 14.365 % change finished imports 3 Mos. Rolling Avg. vs. 3 Mos. Prior = 11.2% % change semi-finished imports 2009 vs 2008 = -72.1% % change finished imports 2009 vs 2008 = -44.7% *preliminary
Imports increase 29% / Page 5 AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 24 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 138 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI's member companies represent approximately 75 percent of both U.S. and North American steel capacity. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI s Web site at www.steel.org. -###-