Colombian steelmakers said the industry can supply the local civil construction sector, according to a media report by El Tiempo.
The assurance was given by the Committee of Steel Producers, CPA, also known as ANDI-CPA, a day after the Colombian Chamber of Civil Construction (Camacol) said domestic prices for steel in Colombia are threatening the civil construction sector.
Camacol said it would ask the Colombian government to lower import taxes, so it could import steel due to a fear of lack of steel supply. Camacol said there has been a lack of long steel products for the civil construction sector.
Despite Camacol’s concern, CPA said Colombia can count on the supply of steel products to meet the demand of the local civil construction segment. Colombian steel producers include Gerdau Diaco, Votorantim-owned Acerias Paz del Rio, Acesco and Ternium Colombia.
Camacol, however, said that 39 percent of the long steel products used in the Colombian civil construction market have been met by the import market. Camacol didn’t specifically provide an exact timeline for its estimate.
CPA said Colombian steel output rose 48 percent between January and August this year, on a year-over-year basis. CPA also said the supply of long steel products are guaranteed in the regions of Antioquia, Caldas, Valle del Cauca, Magdalena, Cauca, Santander as well as in other regions where the civil construction industry is booming at historical levels.