Four months after the announcement of antidumping measures by the government, Siderurgica Huachipato (CSH) is ending the operations of its blast furnace today, September 16, 2024.
Also, today the company will stop operations of its steel conversion and continuous caster areas as part of a definitive closure of the plant.
The company was not able to resist to the competition of steel products imported from China, despite the implementation by the government of protective measures, including import taxes of 33.5 percent for steel bars and 24.9 percent for steel balls used by the local mining industry in their grinding mills.
CSH had previously informed in a statement that the decision to stop operations is based on multiple factors which cannot be reverted in the short or middle terms.
The company added that the protective measures adopted by the government were not able to be translated into the price of its products.
Last week, a Chilean independent commission, advisory to the government, declared that it found no indications of dumping in the import of steel bars and balls from China which could result in the suspension of the protective measures.
CSH is controlled by Grupo CAP which also operates in mining, steel processing, and infrastructure activities.