According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of hot rolled sheets totaled 220,069 mt in July 2018, up 44.3 percent from June and up 0.2 percent from July 2017 levels. By value, HRC imports totaled $171.6 million in July 2018, compared to $117.6 million in the previous month and $133.2 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most HRC from Canada in July, with 68,744 mt, compared to 49,163 mt in June and 60,921 mt in July 2017. Other top sources of imported HRC in July include Japan, with 50,734 mt; Korea, with 29,764 mt; Turkey, with 21,156 mt; Mexico, with 14,967 mt; and Netherlands, with 11,971 mt.