Brazilian bulk steel production ended the first nine months of the year at 28 million tonnes, growth of 7.3% over the same period in 2007. The figures were disclosed yesterday (20) by the Brazilian Steel Institute (IBS), which calculated production of 3 million tonnes of bulk steel in September, 5% more than production in September last year.
"The results of accumulated sales show growth in the whole sector, with special attention to long steel products, boosted by the great demand in the civil construction industry," justified the IBS.
Although there was retraction in the sale of laminates on the foreign market, due to prioritisation of the domestic market, the greater trade of semi-finished products caused sales to close the first nine months of the year with expansion of 27.2% over the same period in 2007, having reached a total of 6.97 million tonnes. Exports of products generated revenues of US$ 5.86 billion to the country.
The figures disclosed by the IBS also show that national production in the month of September was 2.14 million tonnes, representing a reduction of 0.7% due to the scheduled equipment stops in the flat steel mills, in which the reduction was 8.2%. In long products, production reached 967,000 tonnes, representing an increase of 10.3%.
Domestic sales of laminates last month were 10.3% greater than in September 2007, reaching 1.9 million tonnes. In the accumulated result for the year, growth was 15.8%.
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