US imports of brass mill products in March declined slightly year on year, while exports climbed, according to data released Tuesday by the Copper & Brass Fabricators Council.
Imports of brass mill products in March 2017 totaled nearly 40 million lb, compared with 40.1 million lb in March 2016, a decrease of 0.2%.
Exports totaled nearly 24.9 million lb in March 2017, up 15% from 21.7 million lb in March 2016, the Washington-based trade group said in a report.
Year to date through March, US brass mill imports totaled nearly 114 million lb, compared with about 108 million lb from January-March 2016, an increase of 5.5%, the CBFC said.
Year-to-date exports totaled about 65.6 million lb, up 10% from about 59.7 million lb in the same 2016 period.
Mexico was the leading destination for US exports of brass mill products in March at 9.1 million lb, followed by Canada at 7.3 million lb, China at 1.7 million lb and South Korea at 713,517 lb.
Imports from Germany in March totaled 9.6 million lb, followed by Mexico at 4.3 million lb, South Korea at just over 4 million lb, Canada at 3.5 million lb and Vietnam at 2.5 million lb, according to CBFC data.
US imports of all sheet, strip, plate and foil products totaled 13.3 million lb in March, while exports of those products totaled nearly 9.7 million lb.
March imports of all pipe and tube products totaled nearly 13.7 million lb, while pipe and tube exports totaled 5.2 million lb.
Imports of all profiles, rods and bars in March totaled nearly 9.6 million lb, while exports totaled about 7.9 million lb, the CBFC said.
March imports of copper alloy wire totaled 3.4 million lb, while alloy wire exports totaled just over 2 million lb.
Brass mill products are widely used in building construction, automotive products and in electronic and electrical applications.
