FACT SHEET

STEEL IMPORTS FOR MARCH 2003
INCREASED 31 PERCENT FROM FEBRUARY 2003

April 29, 2003

Newly released preliminary government figures covering steel imports for the month of March 2003 show that steel imports increased 31 percent from February 2003 levels.

Total Steel Mill Products

The preliminary data released today show that overall steel imports in March 2003 increased 31 percent compared to February 2003. The increase in March's total amount of steel imports was due primarily to an increase in imports of wire rods, blooms, slabs, and billets. March 2003 imports of finished steel products increased 27 percent compared to February 2003, and imports of semi-finished steel increased 50 percent.

March 2003 imports of steel mill products were up 1 percent compared to March 2002. March 2003 imports of finished steel was up 9 percent compared to March 2002, and semi-finished steel products decreased 22 percent compared to March 2002. January to March 2003 imports of steel mill products down 22 percent compared to the same period in 2002. January to March 2002 imports of finished steel were down 12 percent compared to the same period last year, while imports of semi-finished steel are down 47 percent.

Hot-Rolled Steel

March 2003 imports of hot-rolled steel increased 5 percent from their February 2003 levels and were up10 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March 2003 imports of hot-rolled steel were up 9 percent compared to the same period last year.

Cold-Rolled Steel

March 2003 imports of cold-rolled steel decreased 12 percent compared to February 2003 levels and were up 6 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March 2003 imports of cold-rolled steel were down 18 percent compared to the same period last year.

Cut-to-Length Plate

March 2003 imports of cut-to-length plate increased 76 percent compared to February 2003. March 2003 imports were down 26 percent compared to March 2002. January to March 2003 imports of cut-to-length plate were down 40 percent compared to the same period last year.

Corrosion-Resistant Steel

March 2003 imports of corrosion-resistant steel decreased 5 percent compared to February 2003. March 2003 imports of these products increased 65 percent compared to March 2002. January to March 2003 imports of corrosion-resistant steel were up 4 percent compared to the same period last year.

Wire Rod

March 2003 imports of wire rod increased 324 percent compared to February 2003 levels but were increased 4 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March 2003 imports of wire rod were decreased 9 percent compared to the same period last year.

Heavy Structurals

March 2003 imports of heavy structurals increased 25 percent from their February 2003 level and were down 47 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March 2002 imports of heavy structurals were down 39 percent compared to the same period last year.

Rebar

March 2003 imports of rebar increased 39 percent compared to February 2003. March 2003 imports of these products were up 65 percent compared to March 2002. January to March 2002 imports of rebar decreased up 52 percent compared to the same period last year.

Hot-Rolled Bar

March 2003 imports of hot-rolled bar increased 30 percent compared to February 2003 and were up 16 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March 2003 imports of hot-rolled bar were down 1 percent compared to the same period last year.

Standard Pipe

March 2003 imports of standard pipe decreased 26 percent compared to February 2003. March 2003 imports of these products were up 8 percent compared to March 2002, and January to March 2003 imports of standard pipe were down 25 percent compared to the same period last year.

Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG)

March 2003 imports of OCTG decreased 7 percent compared to February 2003. March 2003 imports of these products were up 27 percent compared to March 2002. January to March 2003 imports of OCTG were down 0.1 percent compared to the same period last year.

Semi-Finished Steel

March 2003 imports of semi-finished steel increased 50 percent compared to February 2003 and were down 22 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March 2003 imports of semi-finished steel were down 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 May 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 March 2003 increased 34 percent from their February 2003 levels and were up 3 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March 2003 imports of these products were decreased 23 percent compared to the same period last year.

Carbon Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon hot-rolled steel in March 2003 increased 3 percent compared to February 2003 and were up 14 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March imports of these products were up 11 percent compared to the same period last year.

Carbon Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon cold-rolled steel in March 2003 decreased 9 percent compared to February 2003. March 2003 imports were up 0.2 percent compared to March 2002. January to March imports of these products were down 22 percent compared to the same period last year.

Alloy Steel

Overall imports of alloy steel products in March 2003 increased 18 percent compared to February 2003 and were down 0.4 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March 2003 imports of these products were decreased 18 percent compared to the same period last year.

Tool Steel - Imports of tool steel in March 2003 increased 22 percent compared to February 2003. March 2003 imports were increased 94 percent compared to March 2002. January to March imports of these products increased 32 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Steel

Overall imports of stainless steel products in March 2003 increased 7 percent from their February 2003 level and were down 27 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March 2003 imports of these products decreased 27 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless hot-rolled steel in March 2003 increased 22 percent compared to February 2003. March 2003 imports decreased 45 percent compared to March 2002. January to March imports of these products were down 55 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless cold-rolled steel in March 2003 increased 2 percent compared to February 2003. March 2003 imports were increased 23 percent compared to March 2002. January to March imports of these products increased 18 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Bars - Imports of stainless hot-rolled bars in March 2003 increased 2 percent compared to February 2003 and were down 35 percent compared to March 2002 levels. January to March imports of these products decreased 52 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Cold-Finished Bars - Imports of stainless cold-finished bars in March 2003 increased 7 percent compared to February 2003. March 2003 imports were down 2 percent compared to March 2002. January to March imports of these products were down 14 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 March statistics next month. April 2003 preliminary figures will be released on May 28, 2003.

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 February to June 1999 are available on the Census Bureau web site.