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In North America, the steel market sentiment has turned sharply negative driven by slowing manufacturing activities and production cuts. Recent developments highlighted in the articles, “Mexico trade balance swings to deficit in Jan“ and “Mexico factory contraction extends into Feb,” reveal a significant decline in trade and manufacturing, reflecting broader economic concerns that have directly affected steel plant operations.
Activity levels across North American plants have sharply declined. Notably, the Liberty Steel Georgetown plant has seen a staggering drop to 0% in February 2026, which raises concerns over potential operational shutdowns. Meanwhile, the Algoma Steel plant exhibited a declining trend, reaching 31% in March after peaking at 45% in November—a decline that may correlate with ongoing factory contractions in Mexico, as reported in “Mexico factory contraction extends into Feb.” The Nucor Steel Plymouth plant also faced a downturn, with activity falling to 23% in March, which could mirror similar regional economic struggles. Overall, mean activity levels have plummeted from 41% in January to a crisis low of 19% in March, confirming a significant production slowdown.
Liberty Steel Georgetown plant
The Liberty Steel Georgetown plant operates with an EAF (Electric Arc Furnace) capacity of 908 tonnes, primarily producing semi-finished and finished rolled products. Activity levels have deteriorated dramatically to 0% in February, indicative of severe operational challenges and declining demand linked to the broader economic conditions referenced in “Mexico factory contraction extends into Feb.” This sharp drop could lead to critical supply disruptions for downstream industries relying on automotive and construction sectors.
Algoma Steel plant
Based in Ontario, the Algoma Steel plant utilizes an integrated process combining BF (Blast Furnace) and BOF (Basic Oxygen Furnace) technologies, with a capacity of 2800 tonnes for crude steel. Activity decreased to 31% in March 2026 after a downward trajectory since November. This decline is closely tied to the contracting manufacturing landscape as detailed in “Mexico trade balance swings to deficit in Jan,” as regional uncertainties continue to hamper steel demand.
Nucor Steel Plymouth plant
The Nucor Steel Plymouth plant, utilizing EAF technology with a capacity of 908 tonnes, produces finished rolled products predominantly for the automotive and infrastructure markets. Its activity declined to 23% in March 2026, reflecting similar trends of uncertainty and contraction echoed in recent manufacturing reports, confirming rising market pressures.
Given the ongoing economic volatility characterized by declining trade balances and factory output, steel buyers and market analysts should anticipate potential supply disruptions. Proactive engagement with suppliers, focusing on diversified sourcing strategies, is advisable to mitigate risks associated with the projected output declines across these key plants. Immediate focus should be on securing contracts at current pricing levels before further market deterioration occurs, particularly considering the impending negotiations surrounding the USMCA agreement, which may affect further trade dynamics.