According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of hot rolled sheets totaled 160,598 mt in August 2017, down 26.9 percent from July and down 28.7 percent from August 2016 levels. By value, HRC imports totaled $102.1 million in August 2017, compared to $133.2 million in the previous month and $129.4 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most HRC from Canada in August, with 75,940 mt, compared to 60,921 mt in July and 84,548 mt in August 2016. Other top sources of imported HRC in August include Japan, with 22,210 mt; Korea, with 20,051 mt; Netherlands, with 14,224 mt; Mexico, with 13,207 mt; and Egypt, with 3,988 mt.