Based on recorded import licenses, flat products imports into the US dropped 6% from 548,000 short tons in February to 515,000 tons in March.
This minor change in the total imports volume masks more significant volume changes in individual products. Cut plate imports continued their sharp decline dropping 50% between February and March to 36,000 tons, mainly due to reduced volume from Thailand, Sweden, Turkey and So. Korea. In the same period cold rolled imports dropped 17% to 99,000 tons, in this case mainly due to lower tonnage from Brazil. And finally, hot dip galvanized imports increased 33% to 126,000 tons in March, due to a sharp rise from Australia and India.