CSN, Brazil’s sole producer of tinplate, is considering an increase of prices for the product, but no decision was made so far, an industry source told SteelOrbis, adding that the increase could be in line with recent speculations by the press, 6 to 7 percent to compensate for the inflation in 2014.
Today, the price of the product in the domestic market remains at BRL 3,636/mt ($1,373/mt), ex-works, full taxes conditions.
In December, the country’s exports of tinplate went up by 164 percent to 11,473 mt, reflecting a sale of 5,000 mt to India, against no sales in November, and sales to Latin America increased by 75 percent to 5,100 mt, while sales to the EU went up by 4 percent to 1,300 mt.
The average FOB price went down by 17 percent to $879/mt, also reflecting the sale to India at $690/mt, while sales to Latin America were closed in average at $1,060/mt and sales to the EU at $871/mt.
Conversely, the total exports of tinplate in 2014 went down on yearly basis by 31 percent to 88,100 mt, at an average price 7 percent higher, $1,042/mt.
Top destinations in 2014 were Latin America (49,400 mt), Asia (16,500 mt), Europe (14,900 mt) and Africa (3,500 mt).