Beam final imports to the US were down 12.1% year to date (YTD), year on year (y/y), totaling 272,929 tons for the six months ending June 2017. On a month over month comparison, Beam imports were up 58.6% to 65,528 tons.

Figure 1 charts the largest exporting countries in rank order on a YTD basis through June for both 2016 and 2017. South Korea, Luxembourg and Spain combine to account for 68.9% of total beam imports. South Korea was the largest exporter with 70,778 tons, down 8.8% YTD y/y. Month on month, (m/m) South Koreas’ volume was up 27.6% to 20,443 tons. Luxembourg sent 68,762 tons to the US YTD, up 22.5% YTD y/y, m/m volume was up 16.0% to 9,607 tons. Spain ranked third YTD with 48,520 tons, falling 21.9% YTD y/y. For the month of June, Spanish exports jumped 150.6% to 14,480 tons. The United Kingdom exported 20,562 tons, soaring 116.0% YTD y/y. Volume doubled m/m to 7,190 tons in June, up from 3,544 tons in May but down from its YTD high of 9,698 tons in April.

The UAE sent 12,919 tons of beams to the US down 3.5% YTD y/y. Shipment volumes have been very erratic ranging from zero tons shipped in both February and April to 6,252 tons in January. June’s exports were 4,385 tons. Canada was the next largest with 12,876 tons, up 15.0% YTD y/y. Volume for the month of June was down 7.1% at 2,986. Mexico, the 7^th largest exporter of beams to the US, directed 1,688, off 46.4% YTD y/y. On a m/m basis, volume doubled to 3,426 tons. Taiwan’s YTD y/y volume increased by 11.6% to 12,269 tons. Month on month exports were up 13.8% to 2,654 tons. Germany exported 10,963 tons through June, down 25.1% y/y as monthly volume fell 41.9% to 173 tons. This was well below its YTD average tonnage of 1,827. China was in the 10^th spot with 1,179 tons, up 77.0% YTD y/y. China exported 116 tons in June, zero tons in May and 21 tons in April. During the January through March period, China’s beam exports averaged 347 tons. Russia was a big player in 2016, exporting 24,794 tons of beams to the US YTD. Thus far in 2017, Russia has only exported 209 tons, averaging 35 tons per month.

Nine other countries exported a combined total of 1,125 tons, (0.4%) of beams to the US market YTD 2017.

Houston-Galveston was the largest receiving port, offloading 65,690 tons YTD, up 29.5% YTD y/y. Los Angeles held the number two spot with 43,717 tons, down 37.3% YTD y/y. Boston ranked third with 24,720 tons falling 13.4% YTD y/y. Philadelphia was the next largest port bringing in 21,162 ton YTD, an decrease of 9.1% YTD y/y. Mobile received 19,098 tons, down 26.9% YTD y/y. Duluth took-in 10,204 tons, spiking 194.5 % YTD y/y. Columbia-Snake OR was the 7^th largest receiver of US Beams with 9,828 tons, down 10.5% YTD y/y. Columbia-Snake had just two months of receipts YTD, in March and May. Chicago offloaded 8,884 tons, up 30.3% YTD y/y. Laredo TX was next with 8,877 tons, tumbling 46.9% YTD y/y. Rounding-out the top 10 was Detroit, bringing in 8,708 tons, down 10.5% YTD y/y.

Nineteen additional ports combined to receive 45,893 tons of Beam imports thus far in 2017, 16.8% of the total volume YTD.

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