In the first eight months of 2025, consumption of steel products in Chile increased by 16.3 percent to 1.886 million tons compared to the same period in 2024.
Despite significant growth, apparent consumption remains lower than pre-pandemic levels, according to the country's steel institute ICHA, with a peak of 2.132 million tons reached during the same period in 2021.
The Institute noted that all product families achieved positive results: rebar increased by 2.3 percent to 751,000 tons, beams by 21.3 percent to 85,000 tons, heavy plates by 36.9 percent to 206,000 tons, HRC by 12.3 percent to 339,000 tons, CRC by 31.2 percent to 58,000 tons, coated flat products up 38.8 percent to 404,000 tons, and seamless pipes up 43.6 percent to 26,000 tons.
During the reporting period, 86 percent of the steel consumed in Chile was imported, with China, Japan and Turkey achieving a combined share of 90 percent imported steel.
According to ICHA, steel consumption is expected to grow by 11.5 percent in 2025 to reach 2.649 million tons. The forecast for 2026 is 2.699 million tons, which is the same as the volume consumed in 2017. This trend highlights the need for investment, especially in construction and mining, to restore steel consumption to historical levels.
