Brazil Steel Congress: Brazilian slab should be exempt from US Section 232 investigation

Thursday, 24 August 2017 21:45:13 (GMT+3)   |   Sao Paulo
       

Brazilian slab should be exempt from the delayed US 232 section investigation, a CEO at a top Brazilian flats producer told reporters in the sidelines of the Brazil Steel Congress this week in Brasilia.

“We’re pretty confident Brazilian slab will stay out of the US 232 section, if it’s approved,” said Benjamin Baptista Filho, CEO at flats and longs steelmaker ArcelorMittal Brazil.

“[Brazilian] slab doesn’t harm [the US market.] This is a product that is re-processed there and which generates jobs. I don’t think it makes sense to put any restriction to Brazilian slab,” the executive said.

Baptista Filho said Brazil currently exports 10 million mt of slab annually, but there’s room for local producers, including Ternium’s Companhia Siderurgica do Atlantico (CSA) and Vale’s Companhia Siderurgica do Pecem (CSP).

Slab is a Brazilian talent. Brazil always played a leading role worldwide in the slab business and it will continue playing that role,” he said.

“It’s getting more and more difficult to export some products [like HRC and CRC, following duties on Brazilian flats], but markets are still open for some other markets [like slab.] The world is bigger than Brazil. But we’ll always find market for our slab if we have competitive costs,” he said.

Questioned by SteelOrbis if ArcelorMittal Brazil would further increase flat steel prices, Baptista Filho said the company will just “follow the market.”  


Similar articles

Prices stable for Brazilian slab export deals

26 Mar | Flats and Slab

Slab prices keep softening, though Asian flat steel market improves

22 Mar | Flats and Slab

Iran’s steel exports up 7.6 percent in first 11 months of Iranian year

20 Mar | Steel News

Prices decline for Brazilian slab export deals

18 Mar | Flats and Slab

Activity in global slab market starts to revive after decline in ex-Asia prices

13 Mar | Flats and Slab

ASEAN mills keep billet export offers stable amid latest sales including slabs, China still bearish

12 Mar | Longs and Billet

Prices unchanged for Brazilian slab export deals

11 Mar | Flats and Slab

Prices stable for Brazilian slab export deals

04 Mar | Flats and Slab

Slab prices down globally in Feb, but insufficient for buyers with further drops awaited

01 Mar | Flats and Slab

US slab imports up 48.5 percent in January

29 Feb | Steel News