According to export data from the US Department of Commerce, US exports of heavy structural shapes (including U, I, H, L, and T section beams) totaled 25,758 mt in September 2018, down 11.3 percent from August and down 38.3 percent from September 2017 levels. By value, beam exports totaled $27.6 million in September, compared to $30.6 million in the previous month and $37.6 million the same month last year.
The US shipped the most beams to Canada in September with 17,988 mt, compared to 25,173 mt in August and 36,115 mt in September 2017. Other top destinations included Mexico, with 4,428 mt; and Italy, with 1,602 mt. There were no other significant destinations (1,000 mt or more) for US beam exports in September.