Newly released preliminary government figures covering steel imports for the month of August 2001 show that steel imports increased 1.5 percent from July 2001 levels.

Total Steel Mill Products

The preliminary data released today show that overall steel imports in July 2001 increased 1.5 percent compared to July 2001. The increase in August's imports was due primarily to an increase in imports of hot-rolled steel, standard pipe, and heavy structurals. August 2001 imports of finished steel products increased 4.7 percent compared to July 2001, while imports of semifinished steel fell 8 percent.

August 2001 imports of steel mill products were down 29 percent compared to August 2000. August 2001 imports of both finished and semifinished steel products were down 29 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of steel mill products are down 29 percent compared to the same period in 2000. January to August 2001 imports of finished steel are down 26 percent compared to the same period last year, while imports of semifinished steel are down 38 percent.

Hot-Rolled Steel

August 2001 imports of hot-rolled steel increased 38 percent compared July 2001. August 2001 imports of hot-rolled steel were down 71 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of hot-rolled steel are down 64 percent compared to the same period last year. These products are the subject of current antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

Cold-Rolled Steel

August 2001 imports of cold-rolled steel increased 8 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports of cold-rolled steel were down 8 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of cold-rolled steel are down 3 percent compared to the same period last year.

Cut-to-Length Plate

August 2001 imports of cut-to-length plate increased 14 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are down 40 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of cut-to-length plate are down 14 percent compared to the same period last year.

Corrosion-Resistant Steel

August 2001 imports of corrosion-resistant steel decreased 17 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports of these products are down 29 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of corrosion-resistant steel are down 24 percent compared to the same period last year.

Wire Rod

August 2001 imports of wire rod decreased 0.4 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports of these products are down 22 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of wire rod are down 7 percent compared to the same period last year. These products are the subject of current antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

Heavy Structurals

August 2001 imports of heavy structurals increased 22 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports of these products are down 50 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of heavy structurals are down 52 percent compared to the same period last year.

Rebar

August 2001 imports of rebar fell 13 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports of these products are down 12 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of rebar are down 12 percent compared to the same period last year. These products are the subject of current antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

Hot-Rolled Bar

August 2001 imports of hot-rolled bar increased 6 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports of these products are down 26 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of hot-rolled bar are down 24 percent compared to the same period last year.

Standard Pipe

August 2001 imports of standard pipe increased 18 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports of these products are down 16 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of standard pipe are down 9 percent compared to the same period last year.

Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG)

August 2001 imports of OCTG decreased 12 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports of these products are up 37 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of OCTG are up 64 percent compared to the same period last year.

Semifinished Steel

August 2001 imports of semifinished steel decreased 8 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports of these products are down 29 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of semifinished steel are down 38 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 May Census expanded its early release 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 August 2001 increased 6 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are down 28 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of these products are down 30 percent compared to the same period last year.

Carbon Hot-rolled Steel. Imports of carbon hot-rolled steel in August 2001 increased 37 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are down 73 percent compared to August 2000. January to August imports of these products are down 65 percent compared to the same period last year.

Carbon Cold-rolled Steel. Imports of carbon cold-rolled steel in August 2001 increased 11 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are up 12 percent compared to August 2000. January to August imports of these products are up 9 percent compared to the same period last year.

Alloy Steel

Overall imports of alloy steel products in August 2001 decreased 20 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are down 35 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of these products are down 29 percent compared to the same period last year.

Tool Steel. Imports of tool steel in August 2001 decreased 6 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are down 31 percent compared to August 2000. January to August imports of these products are down 9 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Steel

Overall imports of stainless steel products in August 2001 decreased 19 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are down 23 percent compared to August 2000. January to August 2001 imports of these products are down 28 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Hot-rolled Steel. Imports of stainless hot-rolled steel in August 2001 decreased 29 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are down 56 percent compared to August 2000. January to August imports of these products are down 67 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Cold-rolled Steel. Imports of stainless cold-rolled steel in August 2001 decreased 7 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are down 37 percent compared to August 2000. January to August imports of these products are down 40 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Hot-rolled Bars. Imports of stainless hot-rolled bars in August 2001 decreased 27 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are down 26 percent compared to August 2000. January to August imports of these products are down 17 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Cold-Finished Bars. Imports of stainless cold-finished bars in August 2001 decreased 48 percent compared to July 2001. August 2001 imports are down 58 percent compared to August 2000. January to August imports of these products are down 16 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 August statistics next month. September preliminary figures will be released on October 30, 2001.

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 grand totals for these product categories were not affected. These revisions have been incorporated into this fact sheet and the accompanying data tables. Detailed reports containing the 1998 and January to June 1999 revisions are available on the Census Bureau web site.