According to figures from the National Chamber of Iron and Steel Industry (CANACERO), Mexican steel output fell 1.2 percent during the first half of the year to reach 8.819 million tons, versus 8.923 million tons of the same period last year.
Comparing per month, June 2013 (1.338 million tons) with June 2012 (1.412 million tons), the drop was 5.3 percent, while the production between June 2013 and May 2013 (1.492 million tons) declined 10.3 percent.
As for flat steel products, the cumulative production was down 7.7 percent during the first six months of the year, to reach 3.523 million tons, versus 3.819 of the same period of 2012. Comparing June 2013 (506,156 tons) with June 2012 (621,848 tons), the fall was 18.6 percent. And compared per month with May 2013 (523,432) the reduction was 3.3 percent.
Cold rolled coil (CRC) stands out as the only flat steel product with an increase during the first half of the year. Its cumulative production jumped 7.7 percent to reach 1.383 million tons versus 1.282 million tons of the first half 2012. However, CRC only showed an increase of 1.0 percent comparing June 2013 (211,384 tons) with June 2012 (209,375 tons) and with regard to May 2013 (231,485) declined 8.7 percent.
Hot rolled coil (HRC) production decreased 18.7 percent during the six first months of 2013 to reach 1.142 million tons versus 1.403 million tons of the same period last year. HRC showed a sharp drop of 33.2 percent comparing only the month production (June 2013: 153,403 tons versus June 2012: 229,718 tons). Although compared with May 2013 (138,282 tons), the output rose 10.9 percent.
As for long steel products, output fell 2.6 percent during the first half of the year to reach 3.626 million tons, versus 3.721 million tons of the same period last year. Production fell 9.1 percent comparing June 2013 (573,319 tons) and June 2012 (630,751 tons), and down 12.6 percent comparing May 2013 (656,237).
Among long products, only rebar production showed a little rise of 0.7 percent during the first half of 2013 to reach 1.768 million tons versus 1.754 million tons of the same period last year, while commercial profiles showed a steeper decline (21 percent), to reach 160,319 tons versus 202,890 tons of the same period 2012.