Formal employment in the steel industry in Mexico decreased in July by 0.1 percent, year-over-year, to 141,828 workers, the sixth consecutive annual decline. Despite the national decline, the largest steel economy in the country, Nuevo León, registered the highest job creation in the entire country with 1,224 jobs, according to SteelOrbis' analysis of official data.
In June, two federal entities stood out for the creation and destruction of more than a thousand jobs. Nuevo León generated 1,224 new jobs to total 29,312 workers. In contrast, Coahuila, home of Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA), a steel company paralyzed by insolvency, lost 1,347 jobs for a total of 17,938 people employed in the month.
Nuevo León and Coahuila are the two economies with the most employees in the country. Three other states also stood out because they reached historic highs in June: Jalisco had a total of 7,953 workers, Sonora had a total of 3,827 workers and Hidalgo had 2,908 workers.
Of the 32 states, employment increased in 17 to a total of 75,595 workers (53.3 percent of the total), 3,690 more workers. In contrast, in 15 states it decreased by 3,767 to a total of 66,233 workers (46.7 percent of the total).
The information corresponds to the records of the Social Security Institute (IMSS) of the Basic Metals Industry.
According to official data, the Basic Metals Industry is made up of five industries: 1) Basic iron and steel industry, 2) Manufacturing of iron and steel products, 3) Basic aluminum industry, 4) Non-ferrous metal industries (copper and precious metals) and 5) Casting of metal parts.