Spain's Unión de Empresas Siderúrgicas (Unesid) has issued the country's steel sector data for the first half of 2006. Accordingly, the steel production in Spain during the first half of 2006 has reflected similar tendencies compared to the same period of 2005. In the first half of 2006, crude steel production fell only one percent year on year to 9.3 million metric tons. In the meantime, hot rolled production rose 5.7 percent to 9.4 million metric tons. Apparent consumption of steel products, including semi-finished products, rose 15.6 percent to approximately 12.5 million metric tons. The total delivery shipments of the Spanish mills grew 7.8 percent in the first half of 2006. Deliveries to the domestic market increased 11.5 percent in spite of being under strong pressure from imports. However, deliveries to the overseas markets fell 2.9 percent. Total imports of steel products into Spain rose 17.5 percent to 7.1 million metric tons. Spain's total exports rose just 0.5 percent to 3.4 million metric tons. The main supplier countries, France and Turkey increased their sales in the first half of 2006. The presence of China is noteworthy – now Spain's second biggest supplier- followed by Brazil and Iran. Spanish exports mainly went to EU countries, headed by France, Portugal and Italy. Exports to non-EU countries went mostly to the US, Turkey and Canada.
January-June
Sectors 2006 2005 %Change
Production (thousand of tons) 9,336 9,434 -1.0
Hot rolled 9,388 8,881 5.7
Long products 6,378 5,958 7.0
Flat products 3,010 2,922 3.0
Total delivery (thousand of tons) 10,048 9,321 7.8
Domestic market 7,708 6,911 11.5
Overseas markets (including EU 2,340 2,410 -2.9
members)
Total imports
Tons (thousands) 7,100 6,044 17.5
Euro (millions) 3,877 3,606 7.5
Total exports
Tons (thousands) 3,437 3,421 0.5
Euro (millions) 3,082 2,958 4.2
Commercial balance
Tons (thousands) -3,663 -2,623 -39.7
Euro (millions) -794 -649 -22.5
Apparent steel consumption (thousands of tons)
Total steel consumption 12,452 10,772 15.6