Rebar final imports to the US were down 20.5% year to date (YTD), year on year (y/y), totaling 1,453,213 tons for the ten months ending October 2017. October rebar imports were 79,931 tons, 20.5% lower than the YTD average of 145,321 tons.

Figure 1 charts the largest exporting countries in rank order on a YTD basis through October for both 2016 and 2017. Turkey is by far the largest exporter at 946,184 tons, down 25.5% YTD y/y. Turkish imports account for 65.1% of the total thus far in 2017, down 4.3 percentage points from the 69.4% recorded YTD 2016. October’s Turkish imports measured 37,151 tons down 60.7% from its YTD average of 94,618 tons.

Portugal was the second largest exporter with 96,074 tons YTD, up from just 2,490 tons YTD 2016. Portugal’s did not export any rebar tons in either September or October. Italy was an active rebar exporter from June through September, shipping 56,276 tons YTD up from just 19 tons YTD 2016. Italy’s October shipments fell to zero. Vietnam sent 52,211 tons YTD, up from zero tons YTD 2016. Vietnam is in and out of the U.S. rebar market, shipping tons in six of the nine months YTD. Vietnam was not active in 2016 YTD.

Spain jumped back in the U.S. rebar market with a large 35,014 ton shipment in September. Its YTD total was 50,900 tons. Year to date in 2016, Spain sent 6,322 tons to the U.S. Spain did not export rebar to the U.S. in October. Peru ranked sixth largest for rebar exports with a YTD total of 52,211 tons, up 104% y/y. Peru had previously only sent tons to the U.S. in February and June of 2017. It returned to the U.S. market in October with 16,242 tons. Brazil brought-in 47,449 tons of rebar to the U.S. market, an increase of 99.2% YTD y/y. Brazil has only exported rebar to the U.S in June, July, September and October. October’s rebar volume was 13,233 tons. Japan exported 26,634 tons, down 89.6% YTD y/y. Through October of last year, Japan had exported 256,243 tons of rebar to the U.S. Japan has not exported any rebar tons since February of this year.

The Dominican Republic with 23,040 tons, was up 23.1% YTD y/y. October tonnage was 995 tons, 56.8% less than its 2,304 ton YTD average. Taiwan sent 19,991 tons of rebar to the U.S. through October of this year, 84.3% less than for the same period last year. Taiwan exported zero tons over the last tree months, after sending 9,558 tons in July and 8,815 tons in June. Canada exported 16,414 tons of rebar to the U.S. YTD, 47.5% more than for the same period last year. October volume was 578 tons, 64.8% lower than its YTD average. Russia’s rebar export total was 16,395 tons YTD. All of it shipped in August. Year to date last year, Russian shipments totaled 22,129 tons. Mexico sent 16,234 tons YTD, +362% y/y. October volume jumped to 5,672 tons, 249% greater than its YTD average.

There were 17 additional countries that exported rebar to the US thus far in 2017. The combined total was 32,649 tons or 2.2% of the total. The 17 country total for October was 6,060 tons including a 5,458 ton shipment from Costa Rica, its first this year, Costa Rica did not ship any tons in 2016.

Houston/Galveston was the port that took in the most tons, 41.3% of total shipments YTD) with 559,909, down 15.0% YTD y/y. October volume was 38,052 tons. New Orleans offloaded 237,270 tons YTD, off 16.4% y/y. New Orleans took-in 4,263 tons in October. Miami was the next largest port bringing in 178,498 tons YTD, down 31.4% y/y. October tons were 24,311. Philadelphia held the number three spot with 166,092 tons, falling 3.7% YTD y/y. October volume was 5,900 tons.

Boston ranked 5^th largest YTD in 2017 bringing in 60,999 tons, up 76.4%, y/y. Boston did not receive any tons of rebar in October. Tampa saw an 11.6% YTD y/y increase, receiving 58,155 tons. Tampa did not receive any tons over the past three months. San Juan PR offloaded 52,311 tons, a decrease of 11.5%, YTD y/y. It offloaded 995 tons in October. San Francisco took-in 44,445 tons YTD, down 69.4% y/y. Only 34 tons of rebar came in in October. Baltimore was next with 32,622 tons, falling 21.8% YTD y/y. Baltimore has not taken-in any tons since July. Los Angeles ranked 10^th with 23,491 tons, plummeting 72.9% YTD y/y. Los Angeles has not taken-in any tons since July.

Seventeen additional ports combined to offload 39,417 tons of rebar YTD 2017, 2.7% of total rebar imports.

At Gerdau we closely follow trade in long products steel since it has a profound impact on domestic market share and material pricing. We want you, our valued customers to have access to current information that can help you better plan and operate your businesses.