US Steel Imports Rose 16.9 Percent in 2012

U.S. steel imports in December 2012 totaled 2.3 million tons, a decline of 13.9 percent from 2.7 million tons in November, according to American Institute for International Steel.

Imports plummeted month-to-month because many buyers minimized inventory and reacted cautiously as the “fiscal cliff” approached at the end of the year, said David Phelps, president of AIIS, in a written statement.

For the full year, imports increased 16.9 percent from 28.5 million tons in 2011 to 33.3 million tons in 2012.

“Steel imports in 2012 continued their advance from the depths of the Great Recession as domestic steel markets improved,” Phelps said.