According to census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of heavy structural shapes (including U, I, H, L, and T section beams) totaled 15,893 mt in October 2018, down 54.3 percent from September and down 71.6 percent from October 2017 levels. By value, beam imports totaled $14.3 million in October 2018, compared to $26.2 million in the previous month and $39.1 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most beams from Mexico in October, with 3,610 mt, compared to 2,974 mt in September and 9,489 mt in October 2017. Other top sources of imported beams in October include Canada, with 2,938 mt; United Kingdom, with 2,843 mt; and Luxembourg, with 2,599 mt.