Foreign Minister Mondino participated in an event organized by the Foreign Ministry’s Undersecretariat for the Promotion of Exports, Investments, Education, Science and Culture at Palacio San Martín. The purpose of the event was to present the tools and services available to the various metallurgical sub-sectors in the country and to disseminate the activities for trade promotion and investment attraction carried out by the Foreign Ministry.
In this context, Foreign Minister Mondino highlighted the importance of the Argentine metallurgical industry for our country’s exports. “Every product Argentina exports has a component provided by the national metallurgical industry: before flour can be exported, grain must be sown and harvested first. And I could go on with all the products that make up our exportable supply,” the Foreign Minister said, and added: “We take great pride in our metallurgical industry.” She concluded by saying: “The industry’s work capacity, as well as the quality, durability and resistance of the machinery produced in Argentina are unparallelled in the world.”
Undersecretary Ramiro Velloso made a presentation on the tools and services that the Undersecretariat, and the offices reporting to it, make available to the companies comprising the metallurgical ecosystem. In this regard, he listed the activities carried out so far this year, including trade missions and technology exhibitions in Brazil, Uruguay, Panama, Mexico and Ecuador, among others.
The president of the Argentine Association of Metallurgical Industries (ADIMRA), Elio del Re, stressed that the metallurgical sector is one of the main industrial conglomerates in Argentina, as its exports total an estimated USD 5 billion, with vast potential for growth. In this regard, he highlighted the importance the Association attaches to the support offered and the work done by the Foreign Ministry to promote the exportable supply and identify business opportunities abroad.
Then, sector representatives offered an overview of the relevant strengths and the existing opportunities for investment in research, knowledge generation and productive innovation in the fields of agricultural machinery and medical equipment and supplies. In this regard, ASPRO, a company that exports gas compression systems to 45 countries, was presented as a role model by its CEO, Pablo Orlandi.
In 2023, metallurgical exports accounted for nearly 7% of Argentina’s total exports and increased by 9.8% during the first four months of 2024, generating a surplus for the sector. The main products include white goods, such as washing machines and dishwashers; agricultural machinery (mainly harvesters); lab equipment, medical instruments and orthopaedic appliances; seamless pipes for the oil and gas industry; and radar devices, with sales having increased in the past two years. These products are exported to traditional markets, such as the Americas and Europe, as well as to emerging markets, such as Africa and Asia.
