Effects oh the pandemic on Brazilian steel production: Analysis of the competitiveness of national production in relation to China
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v14i10.49627Keywords:
Competitiveness, Pandemic, Steel Industry.Abstract
The global steel industry has faced unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting steel production and demand. In Brazil, there was a significant decrease in production and an increase in idle capacity, while China managed to increase its production in 2020. This study aims to analyze the impacts of the pandemic on Brazilian steel production and its competitiveness in relation to China. The methodology involves a narrative review of the literature and analysis of secondary data, including steel production and consumption reports, as well as academic and government publications. The analysis showed that during the pandemic, steel production in Brazil decreased significantly, while China recovered quickly due to government stimulus policies. The Brazilian steel industry faced high production costs and the need for technological modernization, in addition to logistical and political challenges. In contrast, China has benefited from a robust domestic market and effective policies that have sustained demand for steel. The discussion emphasizes the need for Brazil to adopt new strategies to improve its competitiveness, including investments in technology, energy efficiency and sustainable production methods. Furthermore, it is fundamental to expand into foreign markets and develop supportive policies, such as tax incentives and improvements in logistics infrastructure. In conclusion, the pandemic has revealed the importance of resilience and adaptation. For Brazil, reformulating practices and investing in new technologies will be essential to guarantee the sustainability and growth of the steel industry in the post-pandemic scenario.
References
Avelar, E. A., Ferreira, P. O., Da Silva, B. N. E. R. & Ferreira, C. O. (2020). Efeitos da pandemia de covid-19 sobre a sustentabilidade econômico-financeira de empresas brasileiras. Revista Gestão Organizacional, 14(1), 131–52. https://doi.org/10.22277/rgo.v14i1.5724
Bardin, L. (2008). Análise de Conteúdo. Edições 70.
Costa, A. M., Gorni, A. A., Reis, E. G., & Da Silveira, J. H. D. (2020). Development of variable thickness longitudinal profiled rolled plate at Gerdau Ouro Branco. Tecnologia Em Metalurgia Materiais E Mineração, 17(2), 157–163. https://doi.org/10.4322/2176-1523.20202282
De Deus Dornelas, L. N., & Da Silva, G. L. (2023). Vantagens comerciais: uma análise da relação comercial entre Brasil e China entre 2011 e 2021. Informe Econômico., 47(2). https://doi.org/10.26694/2764-1392.4721
De Moraes, M. (2023, November 7). Gerdau demite e reduz produção para reagir à importação de aço. Estado De Minas. https://www.em.com.br/economia/2023/11/6651873-gerdau-demite-e-reduz-producao-para-reagir-a-importacao-de-aco.html
Diniz, A. (2023, November 7). Gerdau (GGBR4): ‘Enxurrada’ de aço chinês no Brasil afeta venda interna e exportações, gerando cautela com dividendos. InfoMoney. https://www.infomoney.com.br/mercados/gerdau-ggbr4-enxurrada-de-aco-chines-no-brasil-afeta-venda-interna-e-exportacoes-gerando-cautela-com-dividendos/
Gajdzik, B. (2023). Post-Pandemic steel production scenarios for Poland based on forecasts of annual steel production volume. Management Systems in Production Engineering, 31(2), 172–190. https://doi.org/10.2478/mspe-2023-0019
Garcia, A. F. (2024). A indústria siderúrgica no Brasil: um estudo sobre a evolução na produção de aço brasileira nos últimos 20 anos. [Trabalho de conclusão de curso, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto]. Biblioteca Digital de TCCs. https://www.monografias.ufop.br/handle/35400000/6464
Gil, A. C. (2002). Como elaborar projetos de pesquisa. Editora Atlas.
Goulart, L., & De Paula, N. (2012). A internacionalização de empresas brasileiras: o caso do Grupo Gerdau. História Econômica & História De Empresas, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.29182/hehe.v13i1.3
Haikal, G., Abdelbary, I., & Soliman, K. (2023b). Investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chain performance. In Advances in logistics, operations, and management science book series (pp. 143–156). https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-4686-7.ch008
Instituto Aço Brasil. (2023a). Anuário Estatítico 2023 [White Paper].
https://www.acobrasil.org.br/site/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AcoBrasil_Anuario_2023.pdf
Instituto Aço Brasil. (2023b). Indústria do Aço em números 2023. [White Paper].
https://www.acobrasil.org.br/site/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AcoBrasil_Minianuario_2023.pdf
Jaguaribe, A. (2015, April 1). Capacidades estatais comparadas : China e a reforma do Sistema Nacional de Inovações. http://repositorio.ipea.gov.br/handle/11058/4222
Kersan‐Škabić, I. (2021). The COVID‐19 pandemic and the internationalization of production: A review of the literature. Development Policy Review, 40(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12560
Lai, P. (2003). China’s economic growth: new trends and implications. China World Econ, 11, 9-15.
Lannes, José. (2014). Grupo Gerdau: la construcción de un competidor global. Apuntes, 41(75), 141-169. http://www.scielo.org.pe/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0252-18652014000200005&lng=es&tlng=es.
Lerch, C., Jäger, A., & Heimberger, H. (2021). Produktion in Deutschland zu Corona-Zeiten. Zeitschrift Für Wirtschaftlichen Fabrikbetrieb, 116(4), 217–221. https://doi.org/10.1515/zwf-2021-0054
Lopes, M. M., Da Silva, R. A., Fries, C. D., & Coronel, D. A. (2014). Análise da Competitividade das Exportações Brasileiras de Soja em Grão e de Minério de Ferro para a China (1999-2012). Revista De Administração Contabilidade E Economia Da Fundace, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.13059/racef.v5i1.59
Lakatos, E. M., & De Andrade Marconi, M. (2003). Fundamentos de metodologia científica. Editora Atlas.
Marquetti, A., Filho, E. M., & Lautert, V. (2010). The profit rate in Brazil, 1953-2003. Review of Radical Political Economics, 42(4), 485–504. https://doi.org/10.1177/0486613410375058
Martins, A. F. (2022). Uma análise fundamentalista da Gerdau S.A.. [Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro]. Monografias de fim de curso. https://www.econ.puc-rio.br/uploads/adm/trabalhos/files/Arthur_Fischman_Martins_Mono_22.1.pdf
Masiero, G., & Coelho, D. B. (2014). A política industrial chinesa como determinante de sua estratégia going global. Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, 34(1), 139–157. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0101-31572014000100009
Moreira, M. M. (1994a). Industrialization, trade and market failures: the role of government intervention in Brazil. Revista Brasileira De Economia, 48(3), 295–324. https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:fgv:epgrbe:v:48:y:1994:i:3:a:613
Nassif, A. (2015). Tripé macroeconômico: limites e propostas de mudanças. Revista Política Social e Desenvolvimento, 17
Pereira A. S. et al. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. [e-book gratuito]. Editora UAB/NTE/UFSM. 9).
Pleshchenko, V. I. (2021). Influence of the coronavirus epidemic on the development of Russian steel industry. Ferrous Metallurgy Bulletin of Scientific Technical and Economic Information, 77(3), 327–333. https://doi.org/10.32339/0135-5910-2021-3-327-333
Ribeiro, F. F. (2020). O impacto da pandemia e das medidas do governo nas relações de trabalho no setor siderúrgico. Centro de Estudos Sindicais e de Economia do Trabalho. https://pesquisa.ie.unicamp.br/wp-content/uploads/sites/62/2020/06/Flavia_Ribeiro_IMPACTOS-DA-PANDEMIA-no-setor-siderurgico-1.pdf
Rother, E. T. (2007). Revisão sistemática x revisão narrativa. Acta Paulista de Enfermagem. 20(2), 5-6.
Salama, P. S. (2018). China-Brasil: industrialização e “desindustrialização precoce”. Cadernos Do Desenvolvimento, 7(10), 229–251. https://www.cadernosdodesenvolvimento.org.br/cdes/article/view/209
Stal, E. (2008). Gerdau S.A.: a empresa brasileira mais internacionalizada. Internext, 2(2), 194–220. https://doi.org/10.18568/1980-4865.22194-220
Wang, P., Ryberg, M., Yang, Y., Feng, K., Kara, S., Hauschild, M., & Chen, W. (2021). Efficiency stagnation in global steel production urges joint supply- and demand-side mitigation efforts. Nature Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22245-6
World Steel Association. (2021). World Steel in Figures 2021. [White Paper]. https://worldsteel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021-World-Steel-in-Figures.pdf
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 José Eduardo Ramalho Braga, Hugo Augusto Tupan Silva
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
