According to census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of tool steel totaled 11,331 mt in October 2018, up 11.9 percent from September but down 25.4 percent from October 2017 levels. By value, tool steel imports totaled $32.6 million in October 2018, compared to $26.5 million in the previous month and $34.4 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most tool steel from Japan in October, with 2,798 mt, compared to 3,094 mt in September and 4,414 mt in October 2017. Other top sources of imported tool steel in October include Germany, with 2,186 mt; Sweden, with 1,644 mt; and China, with 1,526 mt.