Prices for Mexican domestic hollow structural section (HSS), referenced ASTM-A500, plunged US$75/mt during the last two weeks, to reach US$849/mt ex-mill.
According to construction industry sources, federal resources for states are just now beginning to flow after much delay, which is attributed to the HSS price decline. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), the value of construction companies has declined, and as small enterprises make up 85 percent of the industry, they are greatly affected by the infrastructure resource delay.
It is thanks to the investment of the private sector that built the Guanajuato's industrial corridor and automotive industry, that companies have been able to stay afloat by specializing in other jobs and not focusing on public works, the sources said.