Brazil's crude steel production in Q1 2007 totaled almost eight million metric tons (7.995 million), up 11.3 percent compared to the first quarter of 2006 - according to the preliminary first quarter 2007 data released by the Brazilian Steel Institute.
In addition, Brazil's finished steel production for the period in question reached 6.057 million metric tons, an increase of 11.4 percent on the Q1 2006 figure. Most of this increase was accounted by the surge in the production of flat products - up 18.2 percent year on year to reach 3.809 million metric tons. Long products production in this year's first quarter only rose by 1.4 percent, totaling 2.247 million metric tons.
As regards Brazil's production figures for the month of March, crude steel output totaled 2.785 million metric tons, up 12.4 percent compared to March 2006. Brazil's finished steel production for March increased by 15.1 percent to 2.14 million metric tons. Flats production saw a strong increase in March, rising by 26 percent to reach 1.354 million metric tons. Longs production in March totaled 785.7 million metric tons, representing a negligible rise of only 0.2 percent.