Brazil's steel output down in 2006

The Brazilian steel association IBS has said that the country's crude steel production totaled 30.9 million metric tons in 2006, down 2.2 percent year on year. Steel output in December 2006 inched down 0.4 percent year on year to 2.6 million metric tons. The production decrease throughout last year mainly reflects a blast furnace accident at local integrated steelmaker CSN, which halted operations at the furnace from January until late June. Brazil ranks number ten among steelmaking countries worldwide, IBS added.