Reshoring Signal

Steel flat-rolled products: Reshoring Readiness

The Reshoring Readiness Index scores steel flat-rolled products at 59.6 of 100 (building case): a 47.91% effective tariff, import dependence 37/100, sourcing concentration 14/100. Transparent methodology, monthly USITC data. Free.

The short answer

  • Steel flat-rolled products scores 59.6 of 100 on the Reshoring Readiness Index, a building case: importers pay an effective tariff of 47.91% (tariff term 100/100), U.S. exports cover 63% of imports (dependence 37/100), and sourcing concentration is 1410 HHI (14/100). The score is up 7.0 points over the past year.

The three terms behind the score

  • Tariff pressure 100/100 (45% weight): a 47.91% effective rate, level 100/100 with a one-year trend of 100/100.
  • Import dependence 37/100 (30% weight): U.S. exports cover about 63% of imports.
  • Sourcing concentration 14/100 (25% weight): 1410 on the Herfindahl index across named source countries.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the reshoring readiness score for steel flat-rolled products? 59.6 of 100 as of the latest month, a building case. The score combines tariff pressure (100/100), import dependence (37/100), and sourcing concentration (14/100) under the published RRI v1.0.0 methodology.
  • Why does steel flat-rolled products score this way? Importers currently pay a 47.91% effective tariff in this family, U.S. exports cover about 63% of what it imports, and its foreign sourcing measures 1410 on the Herfindahl index. Higher tariffs, deeper import dependence, and more concentrated sourcing all strengthen the economic case to produce domestically.
  • Does a high score mean reshoring is profitable? No. The RRI is a screening indicator: it says the public trade data points that way, not that any specific plant pencils out. Validate with your own landed-cost, labor, and capacity numbers before deciding.

About this data

  • A transparent screening indicator built from public USITC trade data, not sourcing advice. The tariff term is monthly; concentration is matched to the month's calendar year (latest completed year for newer months); import dependence is currently a latest-year snapshot applied across the series and will deepen into a true history as export years accumulate. The named-top-sources HHI is a floor. Validate any decision with your own landed-cost and capacity numbers.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.