According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of slab totaled 380,437 mt in January 2024, up 48.5 percent from December and up 30.1 percent from January 2023 levels. By value, slab imports totaled $232.1 million in January 2024, compared to $141.8 million in December and $178.2 million in January 2023.
The US imported the most slab from Brazil in January, with 278,264 mt, compared to 162,983 mt in December and 200,201 mt in January 2023. Other top sources of imported slab in January include Mexico, with 72,423 mt; and Canada, with 29,749 mt.