According to export data from the US Department of Commerce, US exports of hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip totaled 77,035 mt in December 2018, down 19.8 percent from November and down 5.4 percent from December 2017 levels. By value, HDG exports totaled $87.5 million in December, compared to $107.5 million in the previous month and $83.4 million the same month last year.
The US shipped the most HDG to Canada in December with 40,281 mt, compared to 52,872 mt in November and 45,557 mt in December 2017. Other top destinations included Mexico, with 34,764 mt. There were no other significant destinations (1,000 mt or more) for US HDG exports in December.
As for the full-year 2018, US HDG exports totaled 1,209,111 mt, down 8.6 percent from 2017 totals. By value, HDG exports totaled $1.32 billion in 2018, compared to $1.36 billion in 2017.