According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of hot rolled sheet and strip totaled 157,326 mt in August 2019, up 9.8 percent from July but down 12.4 percent from August 2018 levels. By value, HRC imports totaled $96.6 million in August 2019, compared to $91.1 million in the previous month and $144.7 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most HRC from Canada in August, with 105,767 mt, compared to 84,447 mt in July and 90,990 mt in August 2018. Other top sources of imported HRC in August include Korea, with 27,184 mt; Netherlands, with 8,485 mt; Mexico, with 4,257 mt; and Japan, with 3,411 mt.