Latin American crude steel production increased by 8.7pc to 5.3mn mt in January, from 4.9mn mt in January of 2019, according to Latin American Steel Association (Alacero).
Rolled steel production also increased by 5.8pc to 4.6mn mt in January from 4.3mn mt a year ago, Alacero noted in a statement on Mar 12.
Latin American steel consumption also rose by 15.9pc to 6mn mt in December 2020, from 5.2mn mt in December 2019. Steel imports also increased by 5.2pc to 2.1mn mt in December 2020, from 1.99mn mt in the same month last year, while exports fell by 10.6pc 595,400mt from 666,100mt during the same timeframe.
Annual data
In 2020, Latin American steel consumption fell by 9.6pc to 58.9mn mt from 65.1mn mt in 2019, it said. Steel imports also decreased by 14.3pc to 19.6mn mt in 2020, from 22.8mn mt in the prior year, and exports declined by 19.8pc to 7.2mn mt from 9mn mt during the same period.