According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip totaled 224,101 mt in January 2020, up 56.3 percent from December but down 9.1 percent from January 2019 levels. By value, HDG imports totaled $206.8 million in January 2020, compared to $135.6 million in the previous month and $238.9 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most HDG from Canada in January, with 93,537 mt, compared to 72,142 mt in December and 68,640 mt in January 2019. Other top sources of imported HDG in January include Brazil, with 32,065 mt; Korea, with 17,477 mt; Austria, with 15,535 mt; and Taiwan, with 12,731 mt.