US imports and exports of brass mill products increased in May compared with the corresponding 2016 month, according to a report released Wednesday by the Copper & Brass Fabricators Council.
Brass mill product imports in May totaled nearly 46.4 million lb, compared with 42.7 million lb in May 2016, an increase of 8.6%. Exports totaled 25.6 million lb in May, up from 20.4 million lb in May 2016, a 25% increase, the Washington-based trade group said.
In the first five months of 2017, US imports of brass mill products totaled nearly 201.6 million lb, compared with 190.3 million lb in the year-ago period, an increase of about 6%.
Exports in 2017 through May totaled 111.1 million lb, compared with 99.9 million lb in the same 2016 period, an increase of 11.2%, the CBFC said.
Mexico was the leading destination for US exports of brass mill products in May at 9.2 million lb, followed by Canada at 6.9 million lb, Saudi Arabia at nearly 2 million lb, China at about 1.6 million lb and South Korea at 911,452 lb, according to the CBFC.
US imports from Germany in May totaled nearly 11.3 million lb, followed by Mexico at 4.8 million lb, Vietnam at about 4.5 million lb, Canada at just over 4 million lb and South Korea at 3.9 million lb.
Imports of all sheet, strip, plate and foil products in May totaled 15.9 million lb, while exports of those products totaled nearly 9.9 million lb.
May imports of all pipe and tube products totaled nearly 16.9 million lb, while pipe and tube exports totaled 5.4 million lb.
Imports of all profiles, rods and bars totaled nearly 9.8 million lb in May, while exports totaled 8.1 million lb, the CBFC said.
Imports of copper alloy wire totaled nearly 3.8 million lb while exports topped 2.2 million lb, the trade group said.
Brass mill products are widely used in building construction, automotive products and in electronic and electrical applications.
