U.S. Aluminum Waste and Scrap Exports Surged 24% in 2017

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): According to the latest US Census Bureau data, exports of Aluminum waste and scrap by the US surged higher significantly during the previous year. The imports too witnessed notable growth in 2017.

The exports of Aluminum waste and scrap by the US totaled $2.25 billion in 2017, higher by 24% from the year before that. The country had exported only $1.81 billion during 2016. The category was ranked 137 among various export commodities, in accordance with the Census Bureau classification.

The primary destination of US aluminum waste and scrap exports was China. The exports to that country totaled $1.17 billion, accounting for nearly 52% of the total US exports. The US exports to China surged higher by nearly 28% year-on-year. The exports to South Korea totaled $252.2 million, closely followed by Canada with $198.4 million. The other major importers of Aluminum waste and scrap from the US were Mexico ($170.7 million) and India ($110.8 million).

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The above top five foreign markets accounted for nearly 85% of all the aluminum waste and scrap exported by the US during 2017. The shipments to the above five countries totaled $1.91 billion.

Meantime, imports of aluminum waste and scrap too recorded considerable jump during the previous year. The imports were up sharply by 31% from $768.14 million in 2016 to nearly $1 billion in 2017.

Canada was the leading supplier of aluminum waste and scrap to the US. The imports from that country totaled $569.2 million, accounting for nearly 57% of the total US imports. The Canadian exports to the US were up by more than 18% during the year. The imports from Mexico totaled $243.2 million. The other major exporters were Guatemala ($18.7 million), Venezuela ($17.6 million) and Saudi Arabia ($16.5 million). Almost 86% of all aluminum waste and scrap imported by the US in 2017 were from these five countries.