Big gain in US ferrous scrap exports

United States – America’s ferrous scrap exports raced to 8.558 million tonnes in the first eight months of 2017 – almost 22% ahead of the 7.025 million tonnes shipped out in the corresponding period of last year, according to US Census Bureau statistics.

Although leading purchaser Turkey upped its requirements by 0.5% to 2.015 million tonnes, this increase was dwarfed by those for the other main buyers of US ferrous scrap, namely Mexico (+30.6% to 1.197 million tonnes), Taiwan (+15.5% to 926 348 tonnes) and China (+185.3% to 476 680 tonnes).

The figures reveal that Pakistan bought almost as much US ferrous scrap as India in the first eight months of 2017, the former taking 437 377 tonnes (+87.5% year on year) and the latter 473 455 tonnes (-27.4%).

Bangladesh was not too far behind, purchasing 416 004 tonnes of US scrap in the opening eight months of 2017 for a year-on-year surge of 115.7%.

The amount of ferrous scrap shipped across the border from the USA to Canada jumped almost 68% to 430 078 tonnes in this year’s January-August period whereas the volumes delivered to South Korea tumbled 52.7% to 258 049 tonnes.