According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of slab totaled 227,907 mt in May 2023, up 2.3 percent from April and up 14.9 percent from May 2022 levels. By value, slab imports totaled $177.5 million in May 2023, compared to $167.0 million in April and $156.3 million in May 2022.
The US imported the most slab from Brazil in May, with 127,058 mt, compared to 118,089 mt in April and 65,180 mt in May 2022. Other top sources of imported slab in May include Mexico, with 53,093 mt; Canada, with 33,065 mt; and Japan, with 10,707 mt.