Based on statistics regarding steel trade in Mexico, the National Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero) raised concerns regarding production in North America. It also highlighted global overproduction of this metal.
The main steel producers in Mexico are Ternium, ArcelorMittal, AHMSA, Deacero, and GERDAU Corsa. In the country, this metal is indispensable for the development of the automotive industry. It is also essential for infrastructure construction, heavy manufacturing, and the production of household appliances.
Figures on Steel Trade in Mexico
Total Steel Products in 2025
- Mexico imported approximately 15.7 million metric tons (MMT).
- Mexico exported only 3.8 MMT.
- Consequently, the country had a trade deficit of 11.9 MMT.
- Imports account for approximately 48% of total apparent consumption.
- Mexico is a net importer of steel products, with the United States standing out as the leading foreign supplier.
- The United States is the main exporter of steel to Mexico, accounting for 25% of steel product imports and approximately 12.0% of the Mexican market.
Finished steel products in 2025
- Mexico imported approximately 10.5 million MMT.
- Mexico exported only 2.4 MMT.
- Thus, the country recorded a trade deficit of 8.1 MMT.
- Imports account for approximately 42% of total apparent consumption.
- The United States is Mexico’s leading supplier of finished steel products, accounting for 37% of these imports (approximately 15% of the Mexican market) and maintaining a consistent trade surplus of around 2.5 million MMT in 2025.
Production Deficit in North America
The United States has maintained a consistent trade surplus with Mexico in steel products (approximately 1.3 MMT in 2025), making Mexico the only major steel-producing economy with which the United States maintains a surplus.
Furthermore, the steel sectors in Mexico and the United States show deficits in finished and semi-finished products, which is explained by higher consumption relative to operational steel production capacity.
In this context of a steel production deficit in the USMCA region, Canacero argued that the current rules of origin for finished steel products make sense (tariff shift from plate to rolled steel), as they allow regional steel producers to meet the demand for plates with flat steel products.
Excess Capacity in China
For years, the Mexican steel sector has denounced the distorting effects of excess capacity in structural steel production.
For example, nearly 50% of the anti-dumping investigations currently underway or recently initiated in Mexico involve countries with excess capacity, such as China.