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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 10, 2000
| Contact: |
Meg Mullery |
202.342.8439 |
MAY 2000 SPECIALTY STEEL IMPORTS
WITHIN REACH OF RECORD HIGH
(Washington DC) - Total specialty steel imports increased
in May 2000, closing in on the record-breaking volume
of imports that hammered the industry in March, according
to statistical data released today by the Specialty Steel
Industry of North America (SSINA).
The data reflect that total specialty steel imports
in May reached 86,798 tons, coming within close range
of the March record-breaker of 90,836 tons.
H.L. Kephart, SSINA Chairman and President and Chief
Executive Officer of G.O. Carlson, Inc., a specialty steel
producer in Thorndale, PA, stated, "Our industry will
not tolerate this level of unfairly traded and subsidized
imports and the continuing unfair invasion of our market.
We are particularly troubled by excess capacity that is
supported by dumping, foreign government subsidization
and other unfair trade practices. Specialty steel imports
captured an average 30% of the U.S. market in April and
May of this year, a 3% increase over the first quarter
monthly average. We will continue to press the U.S. government
to enforce current unfair trade laws and discourage new
foreign production capacity that flouts U.S. trade policy
and is not consistent with WTO rules."
Individual stainless steel product lines, which account
for the lion's share of the specialty steel industry,
saw a dramatic increase in imports for the period January
through May 2000 compared to the same 1999 period. Imports
of stainless steel bar increased 92%, to 57,264 from 29,901
tons; rod, 57% to 36,226 from 23,025 tons; plate, 51%,
to 35,331 from 23,425 tons; wire, 47% to 12,917 from 8,794
tons; and sheet and strip, 17%, to 194,539 from 165,671
tons.
Import penetration for January through May 2000 vs.
the same 1999 five-month period likewise increased. Comparing
the two periods, total specialty steel imports (sheet/strip,
plate, bar, rod, wire, tool steel, electrical steel) captured
28% of the U.S. market vs. 26% in 1999; the import penetration
rate for total stainless steel also increased to 28% from
25%.
SSINA is a Washington, DC-based trade association representing
virtually all continental specialty steel producers. Specialty
steels are high technology, high-value stainless and other
specialty alloy products. While shipments of specialty
steel account for only 2% of all steel shipped in North
America, annual revenues of approximately $8 billion account
for over 14% of the total value of all steel shipped.
David A. Hartquist, an international trade attorney
with the Washington, D.C. law firm of Collier Shannon
Scott, PLLC, serves as lead counsel to the SSINA.
______________________________________________________________
Note to Editors: See attached tables for more information
on U.S. imports, consumption and market penetration data;
and bar chart reflecting the 15-month trend of specialty
steel imports between March 1999 and May 2000.
U.S. Imports, Consumption and Market Penetration
Data*
For Specialty Steel Product Lines
2000/1999/1998
| |
|
|
Five
Month |
| |
Imports |
U.S. Consumption |
Import
Penetration |
| |
|
YTD |
Percent |
YTD |
Percent |
YTD |
YTD |
| Specialty Steel |
May |
May |
Increase/ |
May |
Increase/ |
May |
May |
| Product Lines |
2000 |
2000 |
Decrease |
2000 |
Decrease |
2000 |
1999 |
| Stainless Sheet/Strip |
40,482 |
194,539 |
17% |
861,817 |
14% |
23% |
22% |
| Stainless Plate |
6,058 |
35,331 |
51% |
122,545 |
28% |
29% |
25% |
| Stainless Bar |
12,931 |
57,264 |
92% |
120,809 |
43% |
47% |
36% |
| Stainless Rod |
8,276 |
36,226 |
57% |
49,255 |
37% |
74% |
64% |
| Stainless Wire** |
3,149 |
12,917 |
47% |
36,767 |
4% |
35% |
25% |
Total Stainless Steel***
(Sheet, Strip, Plate, Bar, Rod & Wire) |
70,895 |
336,276 |
34% |
1,191,193 |
18% |
28% |
25% |
| Tool Steel |
6,700 |
31,743 |
2% |
47,817 |
-1% |
66% |
65% |
| Electrical Steel |
9,203 |
48,545 |
6% |
246,697 |
20% |
20% |
22% |
| Total Specialty |
86,798 |
416,564 |
27% |
1,485,707 |
18% |
28% |
26% |
1999 and 1998 statistical data in tons follow:
| |
|
|
Twelve
Month |
| |
Imports |
U.S. Consumption |
Import
Penetration |
| |
|
Percent |
|
Percent |
|
|
| Specialty Steel |
1999 |
Increase/ |
1999 |
Increase/ |
1999 |
1998 |
| Product Lines |
|
Decrease |
|
Decrease |
|
|
| Stainless Sheet/Strip |
407,032 |
-2% |
1,901,264 |
4% |
21% |
23% |
| Stainless Plate |
60,304 |
7% |
249,955 |
-6% |
24% |
21% |
| Stainless Bar |
87,537 |
-7% |
219,156 |
-8% |
40% |
40% |
| Stainless Rod |
65,672 |
6% |
94,783 |
5% |
69% |
69% |
| Stainless Wire** |
24,738 |
-19% |
72,398 |
-21% |
34% |
33% |
Total Stainless Steel***
(Sheet, Strip, Plate, Bar, Rod & Wire) |
645,282 |
-2% |
2,537,555 |
1% |
25% |
26% |
| Tool Steel |
74,117 |
9% |
113,431 |
5% |
65% |
63% |
| Electrical Steel |
115,012 |
-8% |
512,062 |
-1% |
22% |
24% |
| Total Specialty |
834,412 |
-2% |
3,163,048 |
1% |
26% |
27% |
| NOTE: |
Changes in import penetration are percentage
point changes. |
| * |
Imports adjusted to exclude hot bands imported
for re-rolling and reported under shipments. |
| ** |
Shipments for 2000 estimated and subject to revision
when actual data is received. |
| *** |
Shipment and consumption data for these categories
may be overstated due to inclusion of shipments
from wire redrawers which are aready included in
shipments/imports of rod; consequently import penetration
may be slightly understated. |
U.S. Imports, Consumption and Market Penetration
Data
through 1999 and May 2000
For Specialty Steel Product Lines
| |
MONTHLY
AVERAGE
| |
| |
|
|
% Change |
|
% Change |
Current |
| |
2nd Qtr. 00 |
1st Qtr. 00 |
2nd Qtr. 00 vs. |
2nd Qtr. 99 |
2nd Qtr. 00 vs. |
Month's |
| |
(Apr. & May) |
(Jan.-Mar.) |
1st Qtr. 00 |
(Apr. & May) |
2nd Qtr. 99 |
Date |
| IMPORTS |
| Stainless Sheet/Strip |
40,534 |
37,824 |
7.2% |
38,581 |
5.1% |
40,482 |
| Stainless Plate |
5,929 |
7,824 |
-24.2% |
5,754 |
3.1% |
6,058 |
| Stainless Bar |
12,218 |
10,942 |
11.7% |
6,468 |
88.9% |
12,931 |
| Stainless Rod |
7,578 |
7,023 |
7.9% |
5,017 |
51.0% |
8,276 |
| Stainless Wire** |
2,724 |
2,490 |
9.4% |
1,793 |
51.9% |
3,149 |
| Total Stainless*** |
68,982 |
66,104 |
4.4% |
57,612 |
19.7% |
70,895 |
| Tool Steel |
5,928 |
6,629 |
-10.6% |
7,137 |
-16.9% |
6,700 |
| Electrical Steel |
10,663 |
9,073 |
17.5% |
9,605 |
11.0% |
9,203 |
| Total Specialty Steel*** |
85,574 |
81,805 |
4.6% |
74,354 |
15.1% |
86,798 |
|
| CONSUMPTION |
| Stainless Sheet/Strip |
168,033 |
175,219 |
-4.1% |
159,771 |
5.2% |
171,373 |
| Stainless Plate |
22,621 |
25,744 |
-12.1% |
20,263 |
11.6% |
22,797 |
| Stainless Bar |
24,807 |
23,732 |
4.5% |
17,059 |
45.4% |
26,274 |
| Stainless Rod |
10,111 |
9,678 |
4.5% |
7,958 |
27.1% |
11,352 |
| Stainless Wire** |
6,767 |
7,538 |
-10.2% |
7,102 |
-4.7% |
7,316 |
| Total Stainless*** |
232,338 |
241,910 |
-4.0% |
212,151 |
9.5% |
239,113 |
| Tool Steel |
8,685 |
10,147 |
-14.4% |
10,430 |
-16.7% |
9,609 |
| Electrical Steel |
48,697 |
49,754 |
-2.1% |
41,200 |
18.2% |
49,617 |
| Total Specialty Steel*** |
289,720 |
301,811 |
-4.0% |
263,781 |
9.8% |
298,338 |
|
| IMPORT
PENETRATION |
| Stainless Sheet/Strip |
24.1% |
21.6% |
2.5% |
24.1% |
0.0% |
23.6% |
| Stainless Plate |
26.2% |
30.4% |
-4.2% |
28.4% |
-2.2% |
26.6% |
| Stainless Bar |
49.3% |
46.1% |
3.1% |
37.9% |
11.3% |
49.2% |
| Stainless Rod |
74.9% |
72.6% |
2.4% |
63.0% |
11.9% |
72.9% |
| Stainless Wire** |
40.2% |
33.0% |
7.2% |
25.2% |
15.0% |
43.0% |
| Total Stainless*** |
29.7% |
27.3% |
2.4% |
27.2% |
2.5% |
29.6% |
| Tool Steel |
68.3% |
65.3% |
2.9% |
68.4% |
-0.2% |
69.7% |
| Electrical Steel |
21.9% |
18.2% |
3.7% |
23.3% |
-1.4% |
18.5% |
| Total Specialty Steel*** |
29.5% |
27.1% |
2.4% |
28.2% |
1.3% |
29.1% |
| NOTE: |
Changes in import penetration are percentage
point changes. |
| * |
Imports adjusted to exclude hot bands imported
for re-rolling and reported under shipments. |
| ** |
Shipments for 2000 estimated and subject to revision
when actual data is received. |
| *** |
Shipment and consumption data for these categories
may be overstated due to inclusion of shipments
from wire redrawers which are aready included in
shipments/imports of rod; consequently import penetration
may be slightly understated. |
Specialty Steel Industry
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