Brazil exported 27,000 metric tons (mt) of plates in February, up from 16,500 mt in January, according to SECEX, the foreign trade secretariat of the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. The increase was driven by shipments to Switzerland and the United States, which were not carried out in January.
February exports were destined for South America (13,400 tons at $893/t), Switzerland (8,200 tons at $616/t) and the United States (5,400 tons at $573/t), on FOB terms.
Exporters Among them were Gerdau (14,500 tons), Usiminas (11,500 tons), ArcelorMittal (700 tons) and CSN (300 tons).
Brazil imported 17,200 tons of heavy sheets in February, up from 1,200 tons recorded in January. The significant increase was primarily driven by higher imports from Austria, which typically supplies limited quantities of specialty sheets not produced in Brazil.
SECEX data shows that nearly 88 percent of February plate imports came from Austria (15,100 tons at $891/t), with the rest coming from China (1,600 tons at $816/t) and Turkey (500 tons at $603 per ton). also FOB terms.
