Spain’s crude steel production in May increased 9% year on year to 1.1 million mt, a 14-month high, data from steel group Unesid showed July 11.
In terms of underlying volume, trailing 12-month output was 11.6 million mt in May, rising 5% year on year, up from a 2% increase in April and from a previous 20-month stretch of decreases.
Spain is Europe’s fourth-largest steel producer, behind Germany, Italy and France, with a maximum capacity of nearly 23 million mt.
In terms of scrap recycling, the May volume was 884,000 mt, up 1% year on year, but down 2.5% from April.
The trailing 12-month figure was 9.2 million mt, increasing 1% year on year.
At the end of May, a strike was averted in the Asturias region following a negotiated pay agreement, while in June, Acerinox workers at the 1 million mt/year Los Barrios plant, halted in February, agreed to new labor conditions.
Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, assessed hot-rolled coil CIF Antwerp at a midpoint $644.15/mt July 10, down 1% from a month prior.
Gianluca Baratti
