For the tenth consecutive time, apparent consumption of rolled steel plates in Mexico maintains its explosive double-digit growth. In October it increased 29.1 percent. Meanwhile, consumption of sheet steel plate also grew 58.5 percent, year-over-year, according to data from the Mexican Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero) reviewed by SteelOrbis.
In October, the consumption of rolled plates exceeded the consumption of 200 metric tons (mt) for the fifth consecutive month. In the ninth month of the year it totaled 244,000 metric tons (mt), 29.1 percent more, year-over-year. At least so far this year, the tenth annual percentage increase in consumption is double digit.
Meanwhile, the consumption of sheet steel plate totaled 149,000 mt, 58.5 percent more, year-over-year.
Regarding production, coil plate increased 2.2 percent, year-over-year, to 187,000 mt, the tenth consecutive annual increase. Canacero production records do not show data on the sheet steel plate.
In international trade, imports of sheet steel plates increased 123.3 percent to 96,000 mt. Canacero did not report data on the rolled plate.
In exports, a drop of 61.1 percent was recorded in rolled plate to only 7,000 mt.
In the accumulated period until October, the consumption of rolled plates registered an annual increase of 37.5 percent or 589,000 mt to 2.16 million mt. Meanwhile, the consumption of sheet steel plate increased 49.8 percent to 1.40 million mt.
Coil plate production increased 37.0 percent to 1.86 million mt. There are no records of sheet plate production.
Imports in the first ten months of the year of sheet steel plate increased 112.1 percent to 946,000 mt. Import data, for October, were withdrawn by Canacero.
On the side of accumulated exports, rolled plate registered a decrease of 35.7 percent to 156,000 mt.
Data from Canacero show that the producers of plate (roll and sheet) in Mexico are Ternium and Grupo Acerero. Also AHMSA, but it is currently stopped due to insolvency. Data from the Ministry of Economy indicate that ArcelorMittal Mexico has been producing rolled steel plates since last year.