[SMM Steel] Nucor posts record shipments in Q1 on strong demand and project ramp-up

According to the Brazilian Steel Institute (IABR), Brazil's crude steel production reached 2.673 million metric tons (mt) in April 2026, slightly up from 2.645 million mt in April 2025. Despite a 7.1% year-on-year drop in rolled product output to 1.869 million mt—driven by a 7.9% decline in flat products (1.077 million mt) and a 6.1% drop in long products (792,000 mt)—domestic sales of steel products increased by 7.1% to 1.797 million mt. Furthermore, apparent steel consumption decreased by 2.7% to 2.100 million mt, while exports surged by 62.4% to 1.054 million mt and imports contracted sharply by 33.3% to 363,000 mt.

Italy-based Feralpi Group’s German subsidiary, Feralpi Stahl, has announced a strategic capacity expansion at its Riesa plant, aiming to increase annual steel production from approximately 1 million metric tons (mt) to as much as 1.3 million mt. The core of this expansion is driven by the new spooler rolling mill—officially inaugurated on May 15, 2025—which is currently operating on a two-shift system and is expected to gradually contribute an additional 400,000 to 450,000 mt to the site's existing 850,000 mt structural steel rolling capacity. To fully realize this production target, the company plans to transition to three-shift operations starting in 2027, complemented by broader investments in scrap processing and site modernization.

According to export data from the US Department of Commerce, US exports of drawn wire reached 7,662 metric tons (mt) in March 2026, marking a 19.4% month-on-month increase, though representing a slight 1.4% decline year-on-year. Correspondingly, the total export value climbed to $20.56 million in March, up from $16.46 million in February and surpassing the $18.84 million recorded in March 2025. Cross-border trade within North America dominated the outbound shipments, with Mexico importing 3,272 mt (up from 2,558 mt in February) and Canada accounting for 2,747 mt, while no other single international destination absorbed 1,000 mt or more.