According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of HDG sheets and strip totaled 292,002 mt in May 2017, down 2.5 percent from April but up 28.2 percent from May 2016 levels. By value, HDG imports totaled $255.9 million in May 2017, compared to $256.2 million in the previous month and $169.4 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most HDG from Canada in May, with 77,399 mt, compared to 73,950 mt in April and 70,746 mt in May 2016. Other top sources of imported HDG in May include Brazil, with 31,950 mt; Korea, with 26,891 mt; Thailand, with 21,432 mt; Turkey, with 18,629 mt; and India, with 17,341 mt.