According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of tool steel totaled 13,166 mt in August 2018, down 5.5 percent from July and down 1.5 percent from August 2017 levels. By value, tool steel imports totaled $34.8 million in August 2018, compared to $35.1 million in the previous month and $31.6 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most tool steel from Germany in August, with 3,513 mt, compared to 3,488 mt in July and 2,660 mt in August 2017. Other top sources of imported tool steel in August include Japan, with 2,321 mt; China, with 1,555 mt; Brazil, with 1,286 mt; and Sweden, with 1,210 mt.