The Latin American Steel Association (Alacero) has reported that crude steel production and finished steel consumption has remained unchanged during the first half of the year when compared to the exact same period in 2013. As well, finished steel production has even decreased by one percent.
Finished steel consumption in Latin America and the Caribbean reached 34.2 million tons from January to June 2014, which is in line with the same months of 2013. The only countries that grew during the first half of 2014 were Mexico (11 percent), Colombia (15 percent) and Argentina (five percent). Venezuela´s, Ecuador´s and Chile´s production declined in terms of tons and percent changes.
Regional production of crude steel during the first half of the year totalled approximately 32.2 million tons which was the same in 2013. Brazil was the top producer (16.7 million tons), accounting for 52 percent of the regional output but showing a slight fall of one percent. The countries with the highest growth rates in crude steel production were Argentina (+12 percent), Mexico (+ six percent) and Peru (+ four percent). Venezuela, Chile and Colombia posted declines of -42 percent, -18 percent and -2 percent, respectively.
Latin America produced 28 million tons of finished steel, one percent less than the output recorded for the same period of 2013. Brazil appeared as the top producer (12.5 million tons), accounting for 45 percent of the Latin American production. Mexico came to the second place with 8.5 million tons (31 percent) and showed a significant increase of nine percent.