Alacero: Latin American Steel Market January to April 2012

The apparent steel use in Latin America reached a volume of 16.6 million tons during January-March 2012, 10% more than in the same period of 2011. The Latin American crude steel production reached a volume of 22.6 million tons during the four months of the year 2012, 1% more than in the same period of 2011.   In April 2012, the produced volume reached 6.1 million tons, 5% more than in April 2011, due to a 6% growth of Brazil, with a volume of 3.3 million tons.   During the observed time period of 2012, the production increased in practically all countries of the region, with the exception of Ecuador, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela, which showed declines ranging between -9% in the case of Ecuador and -38% in Venezuela.
  Regarding finished steel trade, during January-March 2012, there was a regional deficit of 3.3 million tons, significantly higher than the 1.7 million tons imbalance of the same period in 2011. All countries of the region showed a deficit in the period January-March 2012. The greatest deficit was recorded in Mexico, with a volume of 1.1 million tons representing 33% of the regional imbalance. Colombia and Brazil have the highest deficits after Mexico, with 531.500 and 356.100 ton respectively. The deficit of these three countries is responsible for 60% of the regional total. The apparent steel use in January-March 2012 reached a volume of 16.6 millions of tons, compared to a significantly lower finished steel production* of 13.4 million tons. The regional consumption in January-March grew 10% compared to the same period of 2011, driven mainly by Brazil (+15%) and Mexico (+14%), while Argentina suffered a contraction of -7%.
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