The US reduced imports of rolled steel by 29.6% m/m in February

In February 2025, US steel enterprises reduced imports of rolled metal products by 29.6% compared to the previous month, to 1.62 million tons. This is according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).

Total steel imports (rolled and semi-finished products) fell by 27.2% m/m to 2.23 million tons over the month.

Hot-dip galvanized flat products accounted for the largest imports: 173.04 thousand tons (-18.4% m/m), hot-rolled flat products – 150.56 thousand tons (-14.8% y/y), and cold-rolled flat products – 131.81 thousand tons (-31% y/y). The volume of finished products in total imports for the month amounted to 72.6%.

In January-February, the United States increased imports of rolled products by 7.4% compared to the same period in 2024, to 3.93 million tons. Total steel imports amounted to 5.31 million tons (+5.7% y/y). Hot-dip galvanized flat products accounted for the bulk of supplies – 384.97 thousand tons (-14.5% y/y), products for the oil industry – 375.74 thousand tons (+7.2% y/y), and hot-rolled flat products – 327.25 thousand tons (-7.1% y/y).

The main sources of steel imports to the US in January-February 2025 are Canada, Brazil and Mexico – 1.13 million tons (-2.9% y/y), 1.03 million tons (+5.8% y/y) and 751 thousand tons (+3.9% y/y), respectively.

As GMK Center reported earlier, in 2024, the US increased imports of rolled steel by 3.7% compared to 2023, to 22.5 million tons. Total steel imports (rolled products and semi-finished products) increased by 2.5% y/y – to 28.86 million tons. The main sources of steel imports to the United States in 2024 are Canada, Brazil and Mexico – 6.56 million tons, 4.49 million tons and 3.52 million tons, respectively.

US steel production in 2024 fell by 2.4% compared to 2023 – to 79.5 million tons. Overall, global steel production for the year amounted to 1.84 billion tons, down 0.9% y/y. Thus, the United States is among the ten largest steel producing countries in the world according to World Steel.