Over the past several months, we’ve continued to see the number of import steel products rise – despite efforts to stop the dumping of inferior import products into the U.S.

In March alone, steel imports accounted for 34 percent of the U.S. steel market, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Compared to 2014, year-to-date steel imports have increased for total and finished products, up 20 percent and 35 percent respectively. The most notable culprits of importing steel into the U.S. during the first three months of 2015 include South Korea, Turkey, China, Japan and Taiwan. And while the non-enforcement of current trade laws continue to allow this to happen, steel manufacturers all over the country are being forced to shut and/or slow down operations and lay off workers.

And while we’re fighting to keep inferior quality and price-slashed imports out of the U.S., legislation is on the brink of being passed to undermine manufacturers and their workers. While that’s a story for another day (you can also read about it here and here), let’s focus on the “inferior quality” part of the growing import issue.

Better yet, let’s let a short video do the talking. Here’s a video that demonstrates the differences between import ERW pipe and our SureThread continuous weld A53 pipe – a Made in the USA product – as told by a Chicago piping professional:

When it comes down to it, steel that’s manufactured and produced in the U.S. is not only higher quality, but in purchasing and using domestic steel, you’re supporting American businesses, workers and communities.

Tags: Import Pipe, Made In America, SureThread