Figure 6 shows that the production at blast furnaces has remained relatively steady during the period (declining slightly). Likewise has the supply of coke at blast furnaces (receipts of coke were used in Table V rather than consumption data because no data are collected on consumption of coke imports; therefore, receipts were used along with exports to estimate total supply).

More importantly, what effects can be discerned from the steadily increasing levels of iron and steel imports into the United States? Based on the fact that domestic coke supplies have remained constant and that net blast furnace production has been relatively steady since 1992, the obvious conclusion is that iron and steel imports have captured all the potential growth the domestic industry might have planned on. Given that the ability of any U.S. company to compete in iron production or steel products requires increasing efficiency—sometimes linked to larger-scale facilities—and demands adherence to stricter environmental requirements, the result has been the failures of smaller, less-efficient, and less well capitalized operations. The domestic output has remained steady as the survivors have serviced domestic demand. Meanwhile, the imports won the increases in demand of the growing U.S. economy during the 1990's.

D

Figure 6. Iron and Steel Imports Capture Market Growth
Source: American Iron and Steel Institute, Annual Statistical Reports, and Energy Information Administration, Quarterly Coal Report.

Table V. Coke Supplies, Blast Furnace Production, and Iron and Steel Imports
Year	Imports of Iron and Steel (Thousand Net Tons)	Blast Furnace Production (Thousand Net Tons)	U.S. Coke Supplya (Thousand Tons)	U.S. Coke Production (Thousand Tons)	U.S Coke Exports (Thousand Tons)	U.S. Imports of Coke (Thousand Tons)
1991	20,237	48,637	24,442	24,046	787	1,183
1992	21,873	52,224	24,812	23,410	696	2,098
1993	25,644	53,082	24,275	23,182	1,062	2,155
1994	38,136	54,426	25,038	22,686	986	3,338
1995	33,244	56,097	25,941	23,479	1,358	3,820
1996	38,328	54,485	23,995	23,075	1,622	2,542
1997	41,048	54,679	23,989	22,116	1,266	3,139
1998	54,303	53,164	22,746	20,041	1,129	3,834
1999	49,346	51,002	22,342	20,016	898	3,224
2000	52,202	52,787	23,443	20,808	1,146	3,781
a Coke supply equals domestic coke production, minus coke exports, plus coke imports.    Source: American Iron and Steel Institute, Annual Statistical Report, and Energy Information Administration, Quarterly Coal Report.