The first decades of the 20th century
showed advances for the Brazilian steel industry, fostered
by the industrial boom verified between 1917 and 1930.
The most important one was the creation of the Companhia
Siderúrgica Mineira in the city of Sabará
(MG). In 1921, the CSBM - Cia. Siderúrgica Belgo-Mineira
was created as a result of the association of the Companhia
Siderúrgica Mineira to the Belgium-Luxembourg industrial
consortium ARBEd-Aciéres Réunies de Bubach-Eich-dudelange
which, in 1922, associated to Belgium capitals and became
the Companhia Siderúrgica Belgo-Mineira.
During the first 30 years of the century,
Brazilian governments, more concerned about coffee, gave
little attention to the growth of the country's industry.
Steel was the exception: governmental decrees granted
several tax benefits to iron and steel companies. At the
time, the Brazilian output was of only 36 thousand tonnes
of pig iron per year.
The 30's saw a great increase in the
country's steel output, mainly due to the growth of Belgo-Mineira
which, in 1937, opened the Monlevade plant, with initial
capacity of 50 thousand tonnes of steel ingots per year.
Still in the same year, the Barra Mansa steel company
and the Companhia Metalúrgica de Barbará
were founded. Even so, Brazil was still too dependent
on imported steel.
