Exports to Mexico of the top five products from US steel mills increased 44pc to 1.20mn mt in H1 2021, compared to 836,924mt in the same period of 2020, according to data from the US Department of Commerce. Last year’s volumes were much lower due to the closure of the US-Mexico border under the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
The most exported product was strip galvanized hot-dipped sheet, which saw sales increased 43pc in H1 2021 to 313,216mt from 219,339mt in H1 2020. Cut-to- length plate exports also improved by 31pc during this timeframe to 277,304mt from 212,468mt. Hot-rolled sheet saw a jump of 45pc in H1 2021 to 217,205mt from 150,234mt in H1 2020.
Export sales of cold-rolled sheets grew 48pc in the first six months of this year to 201,250mt from 136,390mt in prior-year period while coil exports jumped 65pc to 195,223mt from 118,490mt in the same period under comparison.