US imports of brass mill products fell in March compared with the prior-year month, while exports jumped, according to data released Wednesday by the Copper & Brass Fabricators Council. March imports totaled 40.1 million lb, compared with 48.1 million lb in March 2015, a decrease of 17%, the Washington-based trade group said in a report.
Exports rose to 39.3 million lb in March, up 73% from 22.7 million in lb in March 2015.
For the first three months of the year, US imports of brass mill products totaled 107.9 million lb compared with 122.3 million lb in the same year-ago period, a 12% decrease.
Exports in the January-March period totaled 94.3 million lb, compared with 63.8 million lb in the same 2015 period, an increase of 32%.
March imports from Germany totaled nearly 10.8 million lb, followed by Mexico at just over 5 million lb, South Korea at 4.7 million lb, Canada at 3.7 million lb, and Peru at 2.3 million lb.
Mexico was the leading destination for US brass mill exports in March at nearly 26.5 million lb, followed by Canada at 5.6 million lb, China at 922,310 lb, Saudi Arabia at 849,584 lb, and the United Arab Emirates at 558,002 lb, the CBFC said.
IMPORTS/EXPORTS BY PRODUCT TYPE
Imports of all sheet, strip, plate and foil products in March totaled 14.5 million lb, while exports of those products totaled nearly 8.1 million lb, according to the CBFC.
March imports of all pipe and tube products totaled 14.1 million lb, while pipe and tube exports totaled 4.2 million lb.
Imports of all profiles, rods and bars totaled 8.3 million lb in March, while exports totaled 24.7 million lb.
Imports of copper alloy wire in March totaled just over 3 million lb, while exports totaled 2.2 million lb, the CBFC said.
Brass mill products are widely used in building construction, automotive products and electronic and electrical applications.
