Brazilian construction companies said they are facing a lack of steel products, according to a survey by the Brazilian Chamber of Civil Construction (CBIC), which was released a week after Brazilian steel association, IABr, labeled such claims as “unfounded.”
CBIC’s survey consulted 206 companies in Brazil, out of which 84 percent said there’s a lack of steel products in the regions they operate. The survey also asked which products are offering longer-than-usual delivery deadlines, and 82.9 percent of these construction companies said “steel.”
The survey indicated 39.3 percent of companies said steel shipments are taking between 30 to 60 days, while another 25.7 percent said 60 to 90 days.
CBIC met with both government and the steel supply chain representatives to propose reduced import tariffs for steel products, so construction companies can meet their demand for the product.
Last week, IABr said that by June last year the steel industry commenced supplying the Brazilian domestic market with steel production volumes that were higher than the actual volumes seen in January and February 2020, when there was no Covid-19, and complaints about the lack of steel by any consuming sectors was “non-existent.”