According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of slab totaled 461,881 mt in May 2021, down 27.7 percent from April but up 319.2 percent from May 2020 levels. By value, slab imports totaled $325.7 million in May 2021, compared to $465.8 million in April and $47.7 million in May 2020.
The US imported the most slab from Brazil in May, with 204,478 mt, compared to 473,045 mt in April and zero tonnage in May 2020. Other top sources of imported slab in May include Russia, with 176,114 mt; Mexico, with 54,761 mt; and Canada, with 26,528 mt.