According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of slab totaled 271,721 mt in February 2021, down 62.1 percent from January but up 394.6 percent from February 2020 levels. By value, slab imports totaled $143.2 million in February 2021, compared to $330.3 million in January and $25.8 million in February 2020.
The US imported the most slab from Brazil in February, with 129,628 mt, compared to 548,539 mt in January and zero tonnage in February 2020. Other top sources of imported slab in February include Mexico, with 68,484 mt; Russia, with 50,129 mt; and Canada, with 23,480 mt.