Domestic Mexican steel plate in sheet prices dropped US$2/mt in the first week of March, to reach US$832/mt ex-mill. Prices were US$834/mt ex-mill in the last week of February. In previous weeks of February, the price varied between US$814-$862/mt ex-mill.
As for steel plate in coil, prices had been stable during February, fluctuating in the range of US$763-$772/mt ex-mill, but during the first week of March prices jumped to $782/mt ex-mill.
Domestic consumption of steel plate in 2012 year grew 15.7 percent, to reach 2.94 million tons, against 2.54 million in 2011. Production grew 3.8 percent, to reach 2.148 million tons against 2.069 million tons in the previous year.
At the end of this month, the Mexican integrated mill Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) will begin operations with its "Phoenix Project," featuring the "Steckel Plate Line" which will start producing 1 million tons of steel plate in sheet and coil with specifications currently not produced the country. The investment for the facility in in Monclova, Coahuila totaled US$2.3 billion.