Apparent steel use 12 % higher in Latin America

The apparent steel use in Latin America and the Caribbean reached a volume of 34.4 million t during January-June 2012, 12% more than in the same period of 2011. The Latin American crude steel production reached a volume of 39.6 million t during January – July 2012, 1% less than the cumulated volume in the same period of 2011. In July 2012, the produced volume of crude steel reached 6 million t, similar to the volume of the same month of 2011. With 3 million t, Brazil has been the country with the highest crude steel production in July 2012, even if it represented a –4% lower volume than in July 2011 when it had produced 3.1 million t. It is followed by Mexico with 1.7 million t of crude steel in July 2012.

Argentina presented a drop of -4% in its crude steel production compared to July 2011. Regarding finished steel trade, during January-June 2012, the regional deficit rose to -6.1 million t, while the imbalance in the first semester of 2011 had been -3.5 million t. During this period of 2012, all Latin American and Caribbean countries had a finished steel trade deficit, with Mexico presenting the greatest deficit of -2.2 million t. Likewise, among other countries which also presented significant deficits, was Colombia with -735,590 t and Peru with -698.690 t.

The production of finished steel reached a volume of 34 million t during January-July 2012, of which Brazil represented 45% of the volume with 15.5 million t. Mexico has been the second largest producer of the region with 9.7 million t representing 28% of the region, followed by Argentina with 3 million t. In July 2012 the finished steel production reached 5.2 million t in Latin America, 14% more than in the same month of 2011. With 2.3 million t and 1.6 million t respectively, Brazil and Mexico have been the countries which stimulated this growth.

The apparent steel use in the region reached a volume of 34.4 million t in January-June, compared to a finished steel production of only 28.8 million t in the first half of 2012. In the period of January-June 2012 the regional consumption grew 12% compared to the same period of 2011, driven mainly by Mexico (+18%). In the month of June 2012, the apparent steel use in the region was 5.8 million t, 9% higher than the consumption of the same month of 2011 which was 5.3 million t.

Alacero, Santiago of Chile