According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of heavy structural shapes (including U, I, H, L, and T section beams) totaled 45,466 mt in July 2018, surging up 122.9 percent from June but falling 50.4 percent from July 2017 levels. By value, beam imports totaled $33.4 million in July 2018, compared to $16.3 million in the previous month and $57.5 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most beams from Luxembourg in July, with 15,988 mt, compared to 8,970 mt in June and 24,118 mt in July 2017. Other top sources of imported beams in July include UAE, with 10,110 mt; Korea, with 9,242 mt; Mexico, with 2,606 mt; and Germany, with 1,879 mt.