Crude steel production in Mexico in March decreased 19.8 percent, year-over-year, to 1.17 million metric tons (mt), hitting the lowest level in at least 41 months. It is also the sixteenth consecutive annual contraction and the second largest percentage contraction in at least the last 29 months, according to data from the Mexican Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero) reviewed by SteelOrbis.
The average monthly production of crude steel in Mexico in the last 41 months was 1.34 million mt and the maximum volume was in May 2021 with 1.7 million mt.
The lower production of crude steel is partly due to insolvency of Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA), with 5.5 million mt of production capacity.
Without AHMSA, the main steel producers in Mexico are ArcelorMittal, Ternium, DeAcero, Frisa, Gerdau Corsa, Grupo Acerero, Simec, Suacero and TYASA.
Regarding crude steel consumption, in March the positive trend of the last 17 months was broken, of which the last eight were in double digits. In March, an annual decrease of 6.0 percent was recorded, falling to 2.60 million mt.
The most recent annual data from The World Steel Association (2022) places Mexico as the world's fourteenth largest steel producer. However, those data still include the production of the giant Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA).