Total SBQ licenses through February 20^th totaled 24,015 tons, down 13.4% from last February’s 27,747 tons. Year to date, (YTD) licenses totaled 61,468 tons, up 18.1% from YTD 2017s, 52,041 tons.

Figure 1 shows the monthly total SBQ licenses for both 2016 and 2017, (and February 2018) as reported by the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMA).

There are seven HTS codes for SBQ. Taking a look at the total licensed tons for 2018, for each of the HTS codes we see that; Bars (free cutting) licenses totaled 1,215 in February and 7,963 tons YTD. Other bars (forged) licenses totaled 2,662 in February and 2,696 tons YTD. Other bars (free cutting) licenses totaled 2,982 in February and 9,616 tons YTD. Other bars (cold formed/cold finished), licenses totaled 2,202 in February and 9,498 tons YTD. Bars (cold finished) licenses totaled 3,812 in February and 8,958 tons YTD. Other bars (alloy steel forged) licenses totaled 2,323 in February and 5,113 tons YTD. Other bars (alloy steel cold formed/cold finished), licenses totaled 8,820 in February and 17,625 tons YTD.

Figure 2 charts SBQ licenses through February 20^th 2018, along with February to-date 2017 by country. The big three are Germany, France and Canada which together account for 45.4% of total licensed SBQ import volume YTD 2018, (56.4% for all of 2017).

Canada licensed 10,071 tons YTD, down 28.7% y/y. Its February to-date licensed tons, were for 3,312 tons, down 57.7% compared to February 2017. Germany requested 10,352 licensed tons YTD, down 24.4% y/y. Germany’s license requests through February 20^th was 3,920 tons, 27.1% lower than February 2017. France requested 7,504 licensed tons in 2018, 49.0% greater than its 2017 volume. France’s February to-date license requests were for 1,601 tons. China’s licensed 6,418 tons YTD, a 40.9% increase y/y. February license requests were for 5,595 tons. Brazil licensed 3,303 tons YTD, a 3.0% y/y increase. Brazil has requested 720 tons for February.

Italy increased its 2017 SBQ licenses by 14.3%, y/y to 3,138 tons. Italy has asked for 647 tons of SBQ licenses so far this month. Spain’s licensed 3,016 tons YTD, up 45.5% y/y. Spain’s February license requests thus far were for 1,295 tons.   Sweden licensed 3,135 tons YTD, a 31.3% y/y increase. For February to date Sweden had licensed 1,449 tons. Korea has licensed 1,680 tons YTD, 16.2% lower than 2017 volume. Korea has requested 843 tons so far this month.

Twenty-six additional countries combined to license 7,155 tons of SBQ YTD 2018. The combined license volume to-date for February though the 20^th was 3,065 tons.

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.