The volume of liquid steel consumption in Mexico increased 10.9 percent, year-over-year, in January, totaling 2.75 million mt, according to data from the Mexican Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero) reviewed by SteelOrbis.
Liquid steel production in Mexico totaled 1.37 million mt, 5.1 percent less compared to January of last year, the 14th consecutive annual drop. The negative streak in production is partly explained because since January 2023 Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA), a steel company with a production capacity of 5.5 million mt in the country, has been paralyzed due to insolvency.
With the negative production trend, consumption is complemented by imports. In January, for every 100 mt of steel consumed, steel mills in Mexico manufactured 50 mt.
As for finished steel products in the Mexican market, according to Canacero, consumption increased 10.8 percent, year-over-year, to 2.43 million mt, the 14th consecutive annual increase.
Meanwhile, the production of finished steel products in Mexico remained in positive territory for the third consecutive month, increasing 2.8 percent in January, year-over-year, totaling 1.71 million mt, the highest volume in the last 10 months.
Data from The World Steel Association from 2023 places Mexico as the fourteenth largest producer of liquid steel in the world, surpassed by Vietnam, Taiwan, Italy, Iran, Brazil, Turkey, Germany, South Korea, Russia, United States, Japan, India and China.