Apparent consumption of hot rolled coils (HRC) in Mexico increased 13.9 percent, year-over-year, in April to 417,000 metric tons (mt). It is the second consecutive annual increase and the second consecutive month that it remains the finished steel product with the highest consumption in the country, according to data from the Mexican Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero) reviewed by SteelOrbis.
HRC production in Mexico registered its second annual drop so far this year; in April it decreased 1.9 percent.
National production contributed 76.0 percent of total consumption, 12.2 percentage points less compared to the same month last year. Considering the increase in consumption in April, it was equivalent to 4.8 days of national production.
HRC trade flow decreased 5.3 percent or 7,000 mt to 124,000 mt. This decrease is explained by the contraction of 72.7 percent in the export of HRC to 12,000 mt. In contrast, the import increased 28.7 percent or 25,000 mt to 112,000 mt.
In the accumulated January-April, consumption increased 14.7 percent to 1.59 million mt, production grew 5.4 percent to 1.54 million mt, trade flow decreased 28.2 percent to 475,000 mt. Exports decreased 72.8 percent to 58,000 mt and imports decreased 7.1 percent to 417,000 mt.
According to industry data, in Mexico HRC producers are Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA), TA 2000 (TYASA), Ternium and ArcelorMittal.