Brazil exported 21,100 metric tons (mt) of heavy plates during July, against 13,100 mt in June, the highest volume since February, mainly due to renewed shipments to the US which had no deliveries during June, according to data from SECEX, the foreign trade secretariat of the ministry of development, industry and foreign trade.
July exports were reported for the US at 12,400 mt at $704/mt, Switzerland, (7,000 mt at $676/mt) and South America ,(1,700 mt at $822/mt). Shipments were made by Gerdau (19,800 mt), Usiminas (800 mt), and CSN (500 mt), all under FOB terms.
Meanwhile, Brazil imported 31,900 mt of heavy plates in July, against 42,300 mt in June.
The origins of such imports were Austria (20,000 mt at $857/mt), Indonesia (10,700 mt at $700/mt), China (600 mt at $686/mt), and Turkey (600 mt at $651/mt), also FOB conditions.
Brazil's heavy plate imports generally consist of special steel grades that are not produced domestically because production is not economically viable at the required scale.
