STEEL IMPORTS FOR August 2002
DECREASED 15 PERCENT FROM July 2002

September 24, 2002

Newly released preliminary government figures covering steel imports for the month of August 2002 show that steel imports decreased 15 percent from July 2002 levels.

Total Steel Mill Products

The preliminary data released today show that overall steel imports in August 2002 decreased 15 percent compared to July 2002. The decrease in August's total amount of steel imports was due primarily to a decrease in imports of semi-finished and hot-rolled steel. August 2002 imports of semi-finished steel products decreased 15 percent compared to July 2002, and imports of hot-rolled steel decreased by 36 percent.

August 2002 imports of steel mill products were down 9 percent compared to August 2001. August 2002 imports of finished steel were down 13 percent compared to August 2001, while semi-finished steel products were up 2 percent compared to August 2001. January to August 2002 imports of steel mill products were up 4 percent compared to the same period in 2001. January to August 2002 imports of finished steel were down 6 percent compared to the same period last year, while imports of semi-finished steel were up 42 percent.

Hot-Rolled Steel

August 2002 imports of hot-rolled steel decreased 36 percent from their July 2002 levels and were up 61 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August 2002 imports of hot-rolled steel were up 24 percent compared to the same period last year. These products were the subject of antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

Cold-Rolled Steel

August 2002 imports of cold-rolled steel increased 9 percent compared to July 2002 levels and were down 40 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August 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

August 2002 imports of cut-to-length plate increased 45 percent compared to July 2002. August 2002 imports were down 13 percent compared to August 2001. January to August 2002 imports of cut-to-length plate were down 5 percent compared to the same period last year.

Corrosion-Resistant Steel

August 2002 imports of corrosion-resistant steel decreased 5 percent compared to July 2002. August 2002 imports of these products were up 56 percent compared to August 2001. January to August 2002 imports of corrosion-resistant steel were up 24 percent compared to the same period last year.

Wire Rod

August 2002 imports of wire rod decreased 16 percent compared to July 2002 levels, and were down 19 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August 2002 imports of wire rod were up 11 percent compared to the same period last year. These products are the subject of current antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

Heavy Structurals

August 2002 imports of heavy structurals increased 32 percent from their July 2002 level and were down 30 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August 2002 imports of heavy structurals were down 23 percent compared to the same period last year.

Rebar

August 2002 imports of rebar were down 43 percent compared to July 2002. August 2002 imports of these products were down 37 percent compared to August 2001. January to August 2002 imports of rebar were down 15 percent compared to the same period last year.

Hot-Rolled Bar

August 2002 imports of hot-rolled bar were down 15 percent compared to July 2002 and were down 2 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August 2002 imports of hot-rolled bar were up 11 percent compared to the same period last year.

Standard Pipe

August 2002 imports of standard pipe decreased 9 percent compared to July 2002. August 2002 imports of these products were down 20 percent compared to August 2001, and January to August 2002 imports of standard pipe were down 6 percent compared to the same period last year.

Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG)

August 2002 imports of OCTG decreased 58 percent compared to July 2002. August 2002 imports of these products were down 71 percent compared to August 2001. January to August 2002 imports of OCTG were down 58 percent compared to the same period last year.

Semi-Finished Steel

August 2002 imports of semi-finished steel decreased 15 percent compared to July 2002 and were up 2 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August 2002 imports of semi-finished steel were up 42 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 August 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 August 2002 decreased 18 percent from their July 2002 levels and were down 8 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August 2002 imports of these products were up 3 percent compared to the same period last year.

Carbon Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon hot-rolled steel in August 2002 decreased 39 percent compared to July 2002 and were up 62 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August imports of these products were up 24 percent compared to the same period last year.

Carbon Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon cold-rolled steel in August 2002 increased 4 percent compared to July 2002. August 2002 imports were down 48 percent compared to August 2001. January to August imports of these products were down 43 percent compared to the same period last year.

Alloy Steel

Overall imports of alloy steel products in August 2002 increased 2 percent compared to July 2002 and were down 12 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August 2002 imports of these products were up 8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Tool Steel - Imports of tool steel in August 2002 decreased 10 percent compared to July 2002. August 2002 imports were down 4 percent compared to August 2001. January to August imports of these products were down 14 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Steel

Overall imports of stainless steel products in August 2002 increased 17 percent from their July 2002 level and were up 3 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August 2002 imports of these products were up 3 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless hot-rolled steel in August 2002 increased 51 percent compared to July 2002. August 2002 imports were down 11 percent compared to August 2001. January to August imports of these products were up 39 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless cold-rolled steel in August 2002 decreased nearly 1 percent compared to July 2002. August 2002 imports were up 24 percent compared to August 2001. January to August imports of these products were up 11 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Bars - Imports of stainless hot-rolled bars in August 2002 decreased 28 percent compared to July 2002 and were down 43 percent compared to August 2001 levels. January to August imports of these products were down 35 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Cold-Finished Bars - Imports of stainless cold-finished bars in August 2002 increased 15 percent compared to July 2002. August 2002 imports were up 51 percent compared to August 2001. January to August imports of these products were down 22 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 2002 preliminary figures will be released on October 29, 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 January to June 1999 are available on the Census Bureau web site.