Peru · INDUSTRY
Key Facts
- —Workforce cut Siderperu is cutting 111 jobs, which it puts at 13% of a workforce recorded at 896 in July.
- —Regulator notice The layoffs were disclosed in a notice to Peru’s securities regulator, the Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores.
- —Business line closure The company is closing its viales business line, its road products division.
- —Ownership Siderperu is controlled by Gerdau, the Brazilian steel group, which holds about 90.03%, leaving a free float of 9.97%.
- —Company history Founded in 1956, Siderperu operates in the port city of Chimbote, Ancash region, and is Peru’s oldest steel company.
The steelmaker, controlled by Brazil’s Gerdau group, is closing its road products division amid shifting demand.
Siderperu, Empresa Siderúrgica del Perú S.A.A. , is cutting 111 jobs, or 13% of its workforce, as it closes a business line.
The steelmaker announced the move in a notice to Peru’s securities regulator, the Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores.
Job Cuts at Siderperu
Siderperu is reducing its workforce by 111 workers, measured against a July headcount of 896 employees in tax-agency records. That is 12.4% of the workforce, which the company rounds to 13%.
Agencia EFE reported the figures from Lima on 1 September 2026.
The 111 figure is Siderperu’s own, drawn from its filing, not a union estimate. The company set it out in a formal notice to Peru’s securities regulator.
A collective layoff in Peru runs through the Ministry of Labour, which has to approve it before anyone is dismissed. The notice to the securities regulator is a separate duty owed to investors and does not authorise the cuts.
Closing the Viales Business Line
Siderperu attributes the layoffs to the closure of its viales business line, its road products division. It also cites a tidy-up of administrative and support functions.
The company says continuing that line had become unviable because of demand variation and long-term profitability.
In addition, Siderperu frames the move as addressing structural issues, improving efficiency and strengthening competitiveness. The company says it ran voluntary retirement programmes, internal mobility arrangements, temporary relocations and training before reaching the dismissals.
It has not disclosed severance terms, and it has not said when the cuts take effect. The notice does not blame Chinese imports or dumping.
The company has made that argument elsewhere. In July it objected to a new Chinese-owned steel plant at Chilca, run by Acero Lima Shenglong.
It said the 700,000-tonne project was going up without building permits or the required environmental study.
Company Background
Siderperu is controlled by Gerdau, the Brazilian steel group, which holds about 90.03% of the company. The remaining 9.97% is a free float held by roughly 3,300 minority shareholders.
Founded in 1956, Siderperu operates in the port city of Chimbote, in the Ancash region. It is described as Peru’s oldest steel company and a major producer of long steel.
What Is Long Steel
Long steel means bars, rods and sections, the products used in construction. This is as opposed to flat steel used in cars and appliances.
The viales line is one of four Siderperu business lines, alongside construction, industrial and mining products. However, the company remains a significant player in the Peruvian steel market.
Regulatory Disclosure
The layoff notice was sent to the Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores, Peru’s securities regulator. That filing is a securities obligation owed by any company listed in Lima.
It is not a step in the labour procedure, which runs through the Ministry of Labour.
The news reached the public through Agencia EFE, which reported the filing from Lima on 1 September 2026. Gestion, Infobae and RPP picked it up.
The Rio Times has not been able to confirm whether the Ministry of Labour has received or ruled on the request.
Reasons for the Closure
Siderperu says the viales business line had become unviable due to demand variation. Long-term profitability was also a concern, according to the company’s notice.
Meanwhile, the company is focusing on improving efficiency and competitiveness. Still, the decision affects 111 workers directly.
Impact on Workforce
The 111 job cuts represent a 13% reduction from the July headcount of 896. The cuts come while the business is growing.
Siderperu reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of 633 million soles (US$188 million), up 18.2% on the year. Net profit came to 51 million soles (US$15 million), up 55%.
The plant’s two unions had not responded publicly by 2 September. The Rio Times sought comment from both and will update.
Siderperu’s Chimbote workforce has contested job cuts before. IndustriALL’s Gerdau world works council took up a round of 156 dismissals in 2016.
A later dispute reached Lima’s superior court in 2022.
The filing itself cites internal and market conditions rather than external competition. The company has been vocal about Chinese steel before.
In July 2026 it backed the competition agency Indecopi and its five-year antidumping duties on Chinese hot-rolled steel tube. Those run from US$49.2 to US$193.6 a tonne.
It has also shelved a US$45 million recycling centre at Chimbote. It blames the Chilca project for that decision.
Siderperu’s Future
After closing the viales line, Siderperu aims to strengthen its overall competitiveness. The company continues to operate in Chimbote, a key steel-producing port city.
In short, the move is part of a broader effort to address structural issues. Siderperu remains a major producer of long steel in Peru.
Context in Peru’s Steel Industry
Siderperu has been a part of Peru’s industrial landscape since 1956. It is the country’s oldest steel company, with a long history in the Ancash region.
By contrast, the closure of the viales line shows how companies adapt to changing demand. For now, Siderperu is focusing on efficiency and profitability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Siderperu cutting jobs?
Siderperu is cutting 111 jobs because it is closing its viales business line, its road products division. The company says the line had become unviable due to demand variation and long-term profitability concerns.
How many workers are affected by Siderperu’s layoffs?
Siderperu is laying off 111 workers, which is 13% of its workforce. This is based on a July headcount of 896 employees.
Who owns Siderperu?
Siderperu is controlled by Gerdau, the Brazilian steel group, which holds about 90.03% of the company. The remaining 9.97% is a free float held by roughly 3,300 minority shareholders.
Where is Siderperu located?
Siderperu operates in the port city of Chimbote, in the Ancash region of Peru. Founded in 1956, it is described as Peru’s oldest steel company.
Connected Coverage
Sources: Siderperu filing with the Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores; Agencia EFE, 1 September 2026, via Gestion, Infobae and RPP; Siderperu Memoria Anual 2024; Indecopi.
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