According to delayed final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of heavy structural shapes (including U, I, H, L, and T section beams) totaled 26,743 mt in November 2018, up 68.3 percent from October but down 8.2 percent from November 2017. By value, beam imports totaled $20.2 million in November 2018, compared to $14.3 million in the previous month and $29.1 million in November 2017.
The US imported the most beams from Mexico in November, with 8,812 mt, compared to 3,610 mt in October. Other top sources of imported beams in November include Taiwan, with 4,515 mt; Luxembourg with 3,315 mt; United Kingdom, with 2,974 mt; and Korea, with 2,564 mt.