Sindisider, the Brazilian steel distributors' association, and Inda, Brazil's National Institute for Distribution of Steel, have released a report together stating that Brazilian steel distribution companies sold 4.35 million mt of flat steel products in 2012, 1.5 percent higher compared to 2011.
Distributors in Brazil sold 312,500 mt of flat steel during December last year, decreasing 18.8 percent compared to the previous month and down 3.8 percent year on year. Brazilian steel distribution companies purchased 323,100 mt of flat steel in December, rising 1.7 percent compared to November 2011 and down 15.3 percent month on month. In 2012, purchases totaled 4.3 million mt, increasing 5.2 percent compared to 2011.
According to the report, in December domestic distributors' inventory of flat rolled products was up by 1.1 percent compared to November at 944,100 mt. Meanwhile, their imports of flat steel in December fell by 28.3 percent month on month, but were down 61.9 percent compared to the same month in 2011. In the whole of 2012, Brazilian distributors' flat steel imports fell by 15.3 percent compared to 2011, amounting to 1.9 million mt.
Sindisider noted that Inda estimates a 15 percent year-on-year increase in January for flat steel purchases and a 20 percent year-on-year increase for flat steel sales. For 2013, Inda projects a six percent growth in domestic distributors' sales of flat steel.