Formal employment in the steel industry in Mexico increased marginally in August, up 0.1 percent year-over-year to 142,105 workers. This increase broke the negative trend of the last six months. Nuevo León, the largest steel economy in the country, stood out with a new historical high, according to SteelOrbis' analysis of official data.
In August, of the 32 states, 16 increased employment and created 3,739 new jobs. In contrast, 16 other states lost 3,667 jobs.
Nuevo León stood out by setting a new labor record with 29,526 workers, 4.0 percent or 1,137 more jobs than the same month last year. In contrast, Coahuila, the birthplace of Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA), lost 1,815 jobs, a figure equivalent to an annual reduction of -9.4 percent, totaling 17,503 workers.
Nuevo León and Coahuila are the two economies with the most employees in the country. The other three states with the highest number of workers are the state of Mexico with 12,880 workers (2.0 percent less), Guanajuato (home of ArcelorMittal's rebar production unit) with 12,185 formal workers (4.6 percent more) and Veracruz (home of TAMSA) with 11,356 workers, 2.5 percent less, compared to August of last year.
Two other states also stood out because they established new historical employment records: Jalisco totaled 8,026 workers, 11.6 percent more than in August of last year, and Hidalgo with 2,938 workers, 24.2 percent more.
The information corresponds to the records of the Social Security Institute (IMSS) of the Basic Metals Industry.