Domestic carbon steel sales increase by 2,2% during the first quarter of 2008
Domestic carbon steel sales totalled 1,464 million tonnes during quarter 1 of 2008, an increase of 2,2% when compared with the corresponding quarter of 2007.
During quarter 1 of 2008 sales of carbon steel flat products decreased by 5,5% while sales of profile products increased by 11,8% compared with quarter 1 of 2007.
During quarter 1 of 2008 sales of carbon steel products increased by 20,5% compared with quarter 4 of 2007.
Imports of finished carbon and alloy steel products totalled 8,3% of apparent domestic steel consumption during 2007
Imports of finished carbon and alloy steel products totaled 108 308 tonnes (114 052 tonnes including semis) during Q4 of 2007. This was 8,2% of the total apparent domestic carbon & alloy steel consumption, an increase from 7,7% in Q3 of 2007. According to statistics released by Customs and Excise, imports of primary carbon and alloy steel products (excluding semis, wire and stainless steel, but including rails) decreased by 28,6% during Q4 of 2007 compared with the corresponding period of 2006. Imports during the fourth quarter of 2007 decreased by 2,0% compared with imports during the third quarter of 2007.
Imports of drawn wire (all grades) amounted to 8 608 tonnes, semis to 5 744 tonnes (excl. stainless) and primary stainless steel products (excluding stainless drawn wire) to 7 387 tonnes during Q4 of 2007.Imports per country of origin
During 2007 imports from the EU 27 consisted mostly (23%) of alloy hot-rolled steel sheets or 87% of the total 66 325 tonnes of alloy
hot-rolled steel sheet imports into South Africa during this period. Rails to the volume of 47 060 tonnes were imported from the EU27 during 2007 or 91% of all rail imports into South Africa during 2007. Hot-dipped galvanised sheet to the volume of 43 035 tonnes were imported from the EU27 during 2007.
Imports from Brazil consisted mostly (78%) of semis during 2007. Imports from China consisted mostly of various types of bars & rods (32%). Drawn wire imports from China represented 24% of all imports from China or 47% of all drawn wire imported into South Africa during 2007.
Imports from India consisted mostly (58%) of carbon steel hot-dipped galvanised coil & sheet, representing 48% of the 86 559 tonnes of carbon steel hot-dipped galvanised coil & sheet imported into South Africa during this period.
Exports of carbon steel products as reported by South African producers decreased by 31,8% during Q1 of 2008
Exports of primary carbon steel products, reported by South African primary steel manufacturers, totalled 0.323 million tonnes during the first quarter of 2008, a decrease of 31,8% over the corresponding period in 2007. During the first quarter of 2008, carbon steel exports decreased by 39,2% compared with the fourth quarter of 2007. During the first quarter of 2008 profile product exports decreased by 39,9% compared with the fourth quarter of 2007 while exports of flat products recorded a decrease of 38,9% during the same period.
During the first quarter of 2008, exports of flat carbon steel products amounted to 75,0% of total exports and exports of profile carbon steel products to 25,0% of total exports.
