MM Steelclub’s 3rd Mexican Steel, Metals and Mining Virtual Conference is only a week away! Join us on 2 July to listen to prominent voices from the industry discussing the present and future of the market as lockdown restrictions are eased accross the country.

This is the largest virtual conference with a focus on the steel, metals and mining market in Mexico, and MM Steelclub holds a monthly edition that receives hundreds of registrations from different corners of the world. During the event, attendees also have networking opportunities to connect and exchange ideas with executives and leaders from the industry.

Mexico, one of the Latin American countries hardest-hit by Covid-19, has started to lift lockdown measures that led to historic falls in production in April and May. What effect is this having in the steel, metals and mining industry and how are companies’ forecasts and estimations for 2020 changing?

These are the issues that will be addressed in a three-hour virtual event, where leaders from the sector will share their insights. Eight panellists will talk about the market’s current situation as well as their firms’ short and long-term expectations in times when the Mexican economy is estimated to fall by 10.5% in 2020, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The session will be divided in two parts that will be followed by a panel discussion where attendants will have the opportunity to ask questions to the speaker of their choice.

The panellists will be:

• Daniel Riojas de la Garza, Sales Subdirector at AHMSA.

Daniel has served at AHMSA, the largest integrated steel making company in México, since 1993. He has participated as a speaker in several AMM forums in Mexico and Chicago.

• Jose Luis Vargas, general manager at Harsco Industrial IKG for Mexico and Central America.
  During his 18-year tenure, Jose Luis has been overseeing sales, operations and strategic planning which resulted in consolidating the IRVING steel grating leadership in the market and now in the High-Security Fencing market.
  His recent achievements with Harsco Industrial IKG for Mexico include receiving the 2nd year Great Place To Work Recognition, 2nd year ISO9000 Certification and 8th year Social Responsibility Certificate.

• Nancy Alanis Garza, Finance Director at Deacero.
  With more than 20 years of experience in Financial, Sourcing and Project Management Areas, Nancy now leads a team that provides support to more than 13 steel manufacturing facilities. She is also the cofounder of Evolution20, a startup focused on coaching and parenting.

• Carlos Alanis, CEO at Fisacero.
  Carlos holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey and an MBA from the EGADE Business School. He relaunched Fisacero in 2015, a cold rolling mill that specializes in custom made steel strip for the car and electronic industries, among others.

• Denis Gomes, CFEO at Gerdau Corsa.
  Denis has a degree in Business Management and an MBA. He has worked at steel producer Gerdau Corsa for almost a decade.

• Jose Hoyos, partner at Baker Mckenzie.
  Jose has a wide experience in free trade agreements. His area of expertise is international trade and quality control of exports.

• Enrique Gasca Neri, managing director at XSTEEL USA.
  Enrique studied Industrial Engineering in Mexico and postgraduate studies in Harvard. He began his career as a trader in raw materials for Thyssen Carbometal NY and later became the Managing Director of Thyssen Mexico. Since then he has worked at AHMSA and Ferrostaal until 2012, when he founded XSTEEL USA, a firm based in Houston focused on special Steels, aluminum, tinplate as well as commercial grade steels.
• Antonio Chabrand, Commercial Director at Ladesa.
  Antonio has worked in the steel industry for more than 20 years.

The virtual conference is free but attendants must register in advance here.

The topics to be discussed are:

• USMCA, also known as Nafta 2.0, will become effective on July 1^st. What challenges and opportunities will this new trade agreement bring to the steel, metals and mining industry?
• Mexico’s automotive sector has been suffering historic falls in production these past few months. How long will this decline last and what consequences is it having in the steel industry?
• Factories in the country have started to resume activity as long as they comply with security guidelines. How is the steel, metals and mining industry coping with these new requirements and how fast are they likely to recover pre-pandemic levels of production?
• The Mexican Mining Chamber estimates Mexican mining production to contract by 17% this year due to Covid-19. What sectors will be the most hit and how can companies plan ahead to mitigate the fall?