On February 2, the Brazilian steelmaker Gerdau resumed operations at its Maracanaú plant in the Ceará state, northeastern Brazil.

The plant underwent a modernization process costing approximately R$200 million and has the capacity to produce 160,000 tons of steel per year, specifically steel billets up to 12 meters long.

André Gerdau Johannpeter, the company's president, stated that with the resumption of operations at the Maracanaú plant, the company is expanding its productivity and product supply in Ceará state, strengthening service to its customers in the northeastern and northern regions of the country.