CHILE August 24 2016 5:13 PM     

SANTIAGO (Scrap  Register): Chile steel rebar shipments in June increased  by 31.9 percent to 44059 mt compared to 33411 mt last year same month, according  to Chilean Construction Chamber data.

In January-June, Chile's rebar  shipments totaled 265,097 mt, up 6.5% from the same period in 2015, with 249,031  mt. Deliveries decreased 9.2% from the 48,526 mt shipped in May.

Lack of  public and private investment in the construction sector, also with reduced  appetite for construction driven by higher taxes demand in the irst half of 2016  had been low.

The Chilean rebar market is supplied by imports and two  domestic producers: CAP Acero, which is currently operating one blast furnace  and is capable of producing 700,000 mt/year of rebar and other bar, and Gerdau,  a 470,000 mt/year longs maker.