US April bulk alloy imports down in FeCr, FeMn
US imports of key bulk alloys declined by 27pc in April from a year earlier led mainly by lower high-carbon ferro-chrome and high-carbon ferro-manganese.
The US imported 118,616t of bulk alloys in April, down from 162,727t a year earlier, according to US Commerce Department data. Bulk alloy imports include more than one grade of ferro-manganese, ferro-chrome and ferro-silicon as well as silico-manganese.
US imports of high-carbon ferro-chrome declined by 58pc to 29,788t in April. Imports from South Africa fell by 61pc to 19,031t. This decline was exacerbated by an 81pc slide in volumes from Zimbabwe to 1,559t and a 65pc decrease in imports of Kazakhstan alloy to 2,660t.
Low-carbon ferro-chrome (C maximum 0.5pc) increased to 7,409t from 1,414t the prior year. Imports of Russian alloy totaled 3,379t from 93t in April, even as Kazakh volumes rose to 1,973t from 270t in the prior year period.
US imports of high-carbon ferro-manganese dropped by 73pc to 4,523t in April. South African volumes declined to nearly zero from 10,470t, contributing the most to falling imports. In addition, imports from Spain fell to nearly zero from 2,900t.
Combined low-carbon and medium-carbon ferro-manganese imports fell by 75pc to 5,679t. Medium-carbon alloy imports totaled 2,396t down from 14,007t a year earlier, which was the result of fewer shipments from South Korea, South Africa and Norway shipments.
US silico-manganese imports rose by 19pc to 45,970t in April. Falling volumes from Australia, Spain and Georgia were more than offset by rises from South Africa, Russia and Belgium.
The US imported a total of 22,826t of ferro-silicon (Si between 55pc and 80pc) in April, rising from 4,054t a year earlier. The increase was driven predominately by 8,100t of Russian alloy, up from none a year prior.
New Orleans received 79pc or 93,674t of total bulk alloy imports, accounting for a larger share despite lower volumes. The majority of ports received fewer shipments with Cleveland increasing by the fastest rate reflecting 1,559t of high-carbon ferro-chrome from Zimbabwe.
US exports of key bulk alloys declined by 29pc to 6,179t in April from a year earlier. Lower ferro-chrome and ferro-manganese were primarily responsible for the decline.
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