According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of slab totaled 292,496 mt in January 2023, up 236.4 percent from December but down 36.5 percent from January 2022 levels. By value, slab imports totaled $178.2 million in January 2023, compared to $56.5 million in December and $340.8 million in January 2022.
The US imported the most slab from Brazil in January, with 200,201 mt, compared to zero tonnage in December and 235,672 mt in January 2022. Other top sources of imported slab in January include Mexico, with 32,759 mt; Australia, with 30,745 mt; Canada, with 23,747 mt; and India, with 5,037 mt.