Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2,235,000 net tons (NT) of steel in February 2025, including 1,623,000 NT of finished steel (down 27.2 percent and 29.6 percent, respectively, vs. January 2025). Total and finished steel imports are up 5.7 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively, year-to-date vs. 2024. Over the 12-month period March 2024 to February 2025, total and finished steel imports are up 3.1 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively, vs. the prior 12-month period. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 22 percent in February and is estimated at 24 percent over the first two months of 2025.
A key steel product with a significant import increase in February compared to January is cut length plates (up 19 percent). Products with a significant increase in imports over the 12-month period March 2024 to February 2025 compared to the previous 12-month period include tin plate (up 55 percent), sheets and strip all other metallic coated (up 33 percent), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 28 percent), wire rods (up 24 percent) and cold rolled sheets (22 percent).
In February, the largest suppliers were Canada (481,000 NT, down 26 percent vs. January), Brazil (445,000 NT, down 24 percent), Mexico (279,000 NT, down 41 percent), South Korea (194,000 NT, down 41 percent) and Japan (114,000 NT, up 18 percent).
Over the 12-month period March 2024 to February 2025, the largest suppliers were Canada (6,523,000 NT, down 6 percent vs, compared to the previous 12 months), Brazil (4,555,000 NT, up 9 percent), Mexico (3,545,000 NT, down 13 percent), South Korea (2,948,000 NT, up 11 percent) and Vietnam (1,298,000 NT, up 103 percent).
Published May 2025
