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 20,369 mt in January 2019, down 4.1 percent from December and down 49.6 percent from January 2018 levels. By value, beam exports totaled $22.0 million in January, compared to $22.2 million in the previous month and $34.4 million the same month last year.
The US shipped the most beams to Canada January with 15,220 mt, compared to 16,133 mt in December and 33,869 mt in January 2018. Other top destinations included Mexico, with 4,053 mt. There were no other significant destinations (1,000 mt or more) for US beam exports in January.