FACT SHEET

STEEL IMPORTS FOR June 2002
INCREASED 37 PERCENT FROM May 2002

July 30, 2002

Total Steel Mill Products

The preliminary data released today show that overall steel imports in June 2002 increased 37 percent compared to May 2002. The increase in June's total amount of steel imports was due primarily to an increase in imports of semi-finished steel, hot-rolled steel, and wire rod. June 2002 imports of finished steel products increased 32 percent compared to May 2002, and imports of semi-finished steel rose 51 percent.

June 2002 imports of steel mill products were up 3 percent compared to June 2001. June 2002 imports of finished steel was down 10 percent compared to June 2001, while semi-finished steel products were up 68 percent compared to June 2001. January to June 2002 imports of steel mill products were up 2 percent compared to the same period in 2001. January to June 2002 imports of finished steel were down 8 percent compared to the same period last year, while imports of semi-finished steel were up 47 percent.

Hot-Rolled Steel

June 2002 imports of hot-rolled steel increased 57 percent from their May 2002 levels and were up 33 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June 2002 imports of hot-rolled steel were up nearly 1 percent compared to the same period last year. These products were the subject of antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

Cold-Rolled Steel

June 2002 imports of cold-rolled steel increased 15 percent compared to May 2002 levels and were down 57 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June 2002 imports of cold-rolled steel were down 39 percent compared to the same period last year. These products are the subject of current antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

Cut-to-Length Plate

June 2002 imports of cut-to-length plate increased 9 percent compared to May 2002. June 2002 imports were down 54 percent compared to June 2001. January to June 2002 imports of cut-to-length plate were up 1 percent compared to the same period last year.

Corrosion-Resistant Steel

June 2002 imports of corrosion-resistant steel increased 17 percent compared to May 2002. June 2002 imports of these products were up 10 percent compared to June 2001. January to June 2002 imports of corrosion-resistant steel were up 17 percent compared to the same period last year.

Wire Rod

June 2002 imports of wire rod increased 190 percent compared to May 2002 levels, and were up 40 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June 2002 imports of wire rod were up 19 percent compared to the same period last year. These products are the subject of current antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

Heavy Structurals

June 2002 imports of heavy structurals decreased 23 percent from their May 2002 level and were down 19 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June 2002 imports of heavy structurals were down 20 percent compared to the same period last year.

Rebar

June 2002 imports of rebar rose 1 percent compared to May 2002. June 2002 imports of these products were down 48 percent compared to June 2001. January to June 2002 imports of rebar were down 16 percent compared to the same period last year.

Hot-Rolled Bar

June 2002 imports of hot-rolled bar increased 14 percent compared to May 2002 and were up 8 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June 2002 imports of hot-rolled bar were up 10 percent compared to the same period last year.

Standard Pipe

June 2002 imports of standard pipe increased 21 percent compared to May 2002. June 2002 imports of these products were up 5 percent compared to June 2001, and January to June 2002 imports of standard pipe were down 6 percent compared to the same period last year.

Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG)

June 2002 imports of OCTG decreased 49 percent compared to May 2002. June 2002 imports of these products were down 76 percent compared to June 2001. January to June 2002 imports of OCTG were down 59 percent compared to the same period last year.

Semi-Finished Steel

June 2002 imports of semi-finished steel increased 51 percent compared to May 2002 and were up 68 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June 2002 imports of semi-finished steel were up 47 percent compared to the same period last year. Imports of these products are used by U.S. steel companies to produce finished products.

EXPANDED BREAKOUT BY GRADE

Since June 2001 the U.S. Census Bureau (Census) expanded its early release of steel import data to include separate breakouts for carbon, alloy and stainless steel in each of the product categories. The following lists some of the highlights from these new breakouts:

Carbon Steel

Overall imports of carbon steel products in June 2002 increased 48 percent from their May 2002 levels and were up 4 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June 2002 imports of these products were up 1 percent compared to the same period last year.

Carbon Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon hot-rolled steel in June 2002 increased 63 percent compared to May 2002 and were up 33 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June imports of these products were down less than 1 percent compared to the same period last year.

Carbon Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon cold-rolled steel in June 2002 increased 17 percent compared to May 2002. June 2002 imports were down 63 percent compared to June 2001. January to June imports of these products were down 42 percent compared to the same period last year.

Alloy Steel

Overall imports of alloy steel products in June 2002 decreased 9 percent compared to May 2002 and were down 7 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June 2002 imports of these products were up 8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Tool Steel - Imports of tool steel in June 2002 decreased 12 percent compared to May 2002. June 2002 imports were up 5 percent compared to June 2001. January to June imports of these products were down 20 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Steel

Overall imports of stainless steel products in June 2002 decreased 26 percent from their May 2002 level and were down 7 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June 2002 imports of these products were up 8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless hot-rolled steel in June 2002 decreased 10 percent compared to May 2002. June 2002 imports were up 170 percent compared to June 2001. January to June imports of these products were up 63 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless cold-rolled steel in June 2002 increased 2 percent compared to May 2002. June 2002 imports were up 23 percent compared to June 2001. January to June imports of these products were up 8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Bars - Imports of stainless hot-rolled bars in June 2002 decreased 10 percent compared to May 2002 and were down 42 percent compared to June 2001 levels. January to June imports of these products were down 33 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Cold-Finished Bars - Imports of stainless cold-finished bars in June 2002 decreased 2 percent compared to May 2002. June 2002 imports were up less than 1 percent compared to June 2001. January to June imports of these products were down 28 percent compared to the same period last year.

These figures are being provided on an expedited basis and will continue to be released on this schedule each month. The data released today are preliminary and are likely to change somewhat between now and the release of the final June statistics next month. July 2002 preliminary figures will be released on August 27, 2002.

Note: Census issued revisions to certain country totals within product categories for 1998 and the first six months of 1999. Only individual country totals within certain product categories were affected by these revisions; the overall totals for these product categories were not affected. These revisions have been incorporated into this fact sheet and the accompanying tables. Detailed reports containing the revisions to the data for 1998 and the period March to June 1999 are available on the Census Bureau web site.