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Japan makes inroads in W. Coast steel slab imports

February 10, 2012 - 00:17 GMT Location: Los Angeles

KEYWORDS: steel slabs , slabs , semifinished steel , CSI , Evraz North America , SteelFacts

Japan jumped ahead of Mexico to become the top slab source for California Steel Industries Inc. (CSI) in 2011, while Russia remained the largest supplier for the West Coast operations of Evraz Inc. North America, according to data compiled by SteelFacts.

Los Angeles district imports of steel blooms, billets and slabs were 1,239,711 tons in 2011 vs. 1,098,255 tons in 2010, and Oregon’s imports of 747,924 tons fell from 854,078 tons.

The buyer of the steel wasn’t indicated, although CSI, Fontana, Calif., is widely considered the only large-scale semifinished buyer in California, while Russian-owned Evraz’s Portland, Ore., rolling mill, which makes plate and coil, plays essentially the same role in Oregon....

All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. © Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC.

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