In the first four months of this year, Spanish steel exports amounted to 3.2 million mt, up 6.9 percent year on year, while the value of these exports totaled €2.44 million, according to the Spanish steelmakers association Unesid.
Unesid stated that around 80-85 percent of Spanish long steel production is being exported, while domestic demand for flat steel products, used in the automotive industry, is performing well.
Gonzalo Urquijo, general manager of Unesid, stated that the reason for increasing exports in the Spanish steel industry was the sharp decline in domestic steel demand, which totaled 10.4 million metric tons in 2013. Also, the industry is struggling with overcapacity problems and price competition, Urquijo said.