Hot rolled coil (HRC) in Mexico was the product with the highest consumption in 2022 with 4.66 million metric tons (mt), 8.9 percent or 382,000 mt more than in 2021. Of the 10 main finished products, only three grew and the HRC was the one with the highest rise, according to data from the Mexican Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero), reviewed by SteelOrbis.
For every 100 tons of finished steel products consumed in Mexico in 2022, HRC contributed 17.3 percent, a figure that increased 1.9 percentage points compared to 2021. It displaced galvanized sheet from first place in consumption and cold-rolled sheet (CRC) from second place.
This behavior of the HRC is due to the multimillion-dollar investment by Ternium in Pesquería, Nuevo León, which in mid-2021 began operations of its hot rolling mill with a capacity of 4.4 million mt per year. In six months, until January 2022, it manufactured its first million tons.
According to another report by Canacero, there are three HRC producers in Mexico: AHMSA, Ternium and Talleres y Aceros (TYASA).
Industry production increased 36.7 percent or 1.07 million mt from 2.91 million in 2021 to 3.98 million mt in 2022.
In foreign trade, Mexican producers exported 448,000 mt in 2022, a figure that represented an increase of 23.4 percent compared to 2021. HRC was the steel product with the highest volume exported.
Due to the strong increase in local production, HRC imports decreased 20.9 percent or 602,000 mt to total 1.13 million mt in 2022.