US stainless steel and alloy steel scrap exports declined by 3pc in January 2021 to 65,381mt from 67,723mt in the same month last year, according to the US Census Bureau data.
However, total US scrap imports of these materials increased by 16pc to 75,145mt in January compared to 64,757mt on an annual basis.
India was the largest stainless steel scrap importer from the US, with 8,929mt shipped to the south Asian country, though the volumes were lower than 10,631mt shipped in January 2020. Exports to Canada, the second-largest stainless steel importer, from the US also declined to 4,311mt in January, from 11,424mt in the prior-year period.
US’ stainless steel export to Taiwan in the first month of the year fell to 1,672mt, from 7,773mt in January 2020, while exports to Pakistan dropped to 1,217mt in January from 2,229mt in during the same month in 2020.
The highest stainless steel shipments into the US came from Canada at 10,966mt in January up from 9,138mt in January 2020. Imports into the US from Mexico also rose to 7,608mt in January compared to 7,704mt in the same month last year.