Brazil exported 27,000 metric tons (mt) of heavy plates during February, against 16,500 mt in January, according to SECEX, the foreign trade secretariat of the ministry of development, industry and foreign trade. The rise is due to shipments to Switzerland and the US, which were not made in January.
February exports were destined for South America (13,400 mt at $893/mt), Switzerland (8,200 mt at $616/mt), and to the US (5,400 mt at $573/mt), FOB conditions.
The exporters were Gerdau (14,500 mt), Usiminas (11,500 mt), ArcelorMittal (700 mt), and CSN (300 mt).
In February, Brazil imported 17,200 mt of heavy plates, compared with 1,200 mt on record for January. This significant increase was primarily driven by higher imports from Austria, which typically supplies limited quantities of special grade plates not produced in Brazil.
SECEX data shows nearly 88 percent of the February heavy plate imports came from Austria (15,100 mt at $891/mt), while the remainder came from China, (1,600/mt at $816/mt), and Turkey (500 mt at $603/mt), also FOB conditions.