Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2,481,000 net tons (NT) of steel in May 2025, including 1,778,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (up 19.5 percent and 10.4 percent, respectively, vs. April 2025). Total and finished steel imports are down 6.2 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively, year-to-date vs. 2024. Over the 12-month period June 2024 to May 2025, total and finished steel imports are down 3.7 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively, vs. the prior 12-month period. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 20 percent in May and is estimated at 21 percent over the first five months of 2025.
Key steel products with a significant import increase in May compared to April are plates in coils (up 70 percent), sheets and strip all other metallic coating (up 66 percent), blooms, billets and slabs (up 51 percent), hot rolled sheets (up 51 percent) and line pipe (up 48 percent). Products with a significant increase in imports over the 12-month period June 2024 to May 2025 compared to the previous 12-month period include tin plate (up 79 percent) and line pipe (up 11 percent).
In May, the largest suppliers were Canada (405,000 NT, down 6 percent vs. April), Brazil (401,000 NT, up 34 percent), South Korea (313,000 NT, up 69 percent), Mexico (299,000 NT, up 92 percent) and Taiwan (108,000 NT, up 5 percent). Over the 12-month period June 2024 to May 2025, the largest suppliers were Canada (6,097,000 NT, down 10 percent vs, compared to the previous 12-months), Brazil (4,454,000 NT, down 1 percent), Mexico (3,369,000 NT, down 16 percent), South Korea (2,772,000 NT, down 8 percent) and Germany (1,219,000 NT, up 29 percent). Below are charts on steel imports by country and estimated finished steel import market share in recent months.
In May, the largest suppliers were Canada (405,000 NT, down 6 percent vs. April), Brazil (401,000 NT, up 34 percent), South Korea (313,000 NT, up 69 percent), Mexico (299,000 NT, up 92 percent) and Taiwan (108,000 NT, up 5 percent). Over the 12-month period June 2024 to May 2025, the largest suppliers were Canada (6,097,000 NT, down 10 percent vs, compared to the previous 12-months), Brazil (4,454,000 NT, down 1 percent), Mexico (3,369,000 NT, down 16 percent), South Korea (2,772,000 NT, down 8 percent) and Germany (1,219,000 NT, up 29 percent).
Published August 2025