Finished Steel Import Market Share Reaches 15% Year-to-Date
According to preliminary data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reports that total U.S. steel imports reached 1.77 million net tons in March 2026, including 1.31 million net tons of finished steel. This represents a 5.4% increase in total steel imports and a 10.2% increase in finished steel imports compared to February.
Despite the month-over-month growth, year-to-date steel imports remain significantly lower than 2025 levels. Total steel imports are down 34.7%, while finished steel imports have declined 35.0% through the first quarter of 2026. Over the past 12 months (April 2025 through March 2026), total and finished steel imports decreased 22.7% and 26.3%, respectively, compared to the previous 12-month period.
The finished steel import market share was estimated at 16% in March and 15% year-to-date, indicating a continued shift in overall market dynamics.
Several steel product categories saw notable increases in March compared to February, including:
Plates in coils (+165%)
Cut length plates (+143%)
Hot rolled sheets (+70%)
Heavy structural shapes (+48%)
Wire drawn products (+40%)
In terms of global supply, the top steel import sources for March were:
• South Korea (292,000 NT, down 4%)
• Brazil (291,000 NT, up 18%)
• Canada (285,000 NT, up 27%)
• Vietnam (177,000 NT, up 160%)
• Mexico (141,000 NT, down 20%)
Looking at the broader 12-month period, the leading steel exporters to the U.S. were Canada, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, and Japan, though most saw declines compared to the previous year.
Source: Steel.org