US Aluminum Waste and Scrap Exports Surged 20%

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The latest trade statistics published by the US Census Bureau indicates considerable increase in the country’s exports of Aluminum waste and scrap during the initial ten-month period of the current year. The exports surged higher by nearly 20% to $1.81 billion, as compared with the exports of $1.51 billion during the corresponding ten-month period in 2016. The exports during the first ten months of 2017 have already equaled the full year exports recorded in 2016.

The top five destinations of US aluminum waste and scrap shipments were China, South Korea, Canada, Mexico and India. The combined exports to the above five market destinations totaled $1.54 billion, accounting for 85% of all aluminum waste and scrap exports by the US through October this year.

China imported $945.8 million of aluminum waste and scrap from the US during this period. The country accounted for over 52% share of total U.S. exports. The exports to China increased sharply by 25% when compared with a year before. The shipments to South Korea totaled $189.2 million, rising sharply by over 20% from Jan-Oct ’16. In third place was Canada with imports worth $167.4 million. The Canadian import volume has declined slightly by less than 1% over the previous year. The exports to Mexico and India totaled $146.6 million and $88.5 million respectively.

Out of the total shipments, more than 26% were through Los Angeles Customs District. The other two Customs Districts which accounted for bulk of the exports were San Francisco and New York City. These ports accounted for 9.93% and 9.33% of export market share. Seattle and Laredo were the other two ports that topped the list in terms of shipment value. The combined exports through these five Customs Districts totaled 61% of total shipments by the country.

Meantime, imports of aluminum waste and scrap too recorded notable jump during the first ten months of 2017. The imports were up sharply by 34% from $630.43 million in Jan-Oct ’16 to $847.23 million through the first ten months of 2017. The imports during this period have already surpassed the total imports of $768.14 million during the entire year 2016.

The leading exporter of aluminum waste and scrap to the US was Canada. The imports from Canada totaled $477.9 million, accounting for just nearly 56% of total imports. The imports from Mexico and Venezuela totaled $206 million and $17 million respectively. The other leading suppliers of aluminum waste and scrap to the US were Guatemala ($15.4 million) and Saudi Arabia ($15.2 million). The imports from the above five countries accounted for nearly 86% of the total imports by the US during the ten month period from January to October this year.

Detroit, Laredo, Ogdensburg, Buffalo and Pembina, N.D. were the top five Customs districts, by value of imports. The cumulative imports by the top five Customs districts amounted to $565.46 million out of $847.23 million.