Now, with the US import data for January and February 2025 available, it’s time to assess what actually happened. Did aluminium imports spike ahead of the tariff, or did the impending duty already begin to dampen trade?
According to the US Geological Survey, the United States in February 2025 imported 459,000 tonnes of aluminium (including scrap), down by 12.24 per cent M-o-M from 523,000 tonnes. Even if calculated on a Y-o-Y basis, the import volume in February decreased by 6.7 per cent from 492,000 tonnes.
Of the total import volume in February, crude metal and alloy imports accounted for 65 per cent, with an import volume of 298,000 tonnes versus 355,000 tonnes in January. Aluminium plates, sheets and bars imports were 101,000 tonnes, down by 19 per cent from 125,000 tonnes in the previous month, while aluminium scrap imports totalled 59,700 tonnes compared to 63,400 tonnes in January 2025.
The decline was seen across nearly all major suppliers, showed USGS data. From Canada, the United States imported 258,000 tonnes of aluminium, reflecting a 15.13 per cent of decline M-o-M from 304,000 tonnes and an 18.35 per cent fall Y-o-Y from 316,000 tonnes. Aluminium crude metal and alloy imports slid 15.7 per cent M-o-M from 248,000 tonnes to 209,000 tonnes, aluminium plates, sheets and bars imports declined by 7.46 per cent from 20,100 tonnes to 18,600 tonnes, and aluminium scrap imports slumped by 17.3 per cent from 36,400 tonnes to 30,100 tonnes.
