Vale). • It has a well-developed logistics infrastructure, from the iron ore mine to its steel mill and its own ports. • It is self-sufficient in energy, through the hydroelectric plants of Itá and Igarapava, and its own thermoelectric plant inside the Volta Redonda mill. • GalvaSud, a 100% subsidiary of CSN, provides material for exposed auto parts, using hot-dip galvanized steel and laser-welded blanks, a trend in this industry. This, together with the hot-dip galvanizing process know-how of CSN, allows them to dominate the automotive segment. • CSN Paraná, another subsidiary of CSN, provides additional capacity to produce high-quality galvanized, galvalume and pre-painted steel products for the construction and home appliance industries. Being a Brazilian company, principal competitive advantages of CSN are its abundant supply of low-cost, high-grade iron ore, low-cost labor and energy resources, and good quality of its infrastructure (railways and ports, mainly). It is also benefited from a vast internal market present in Brazil with a large growth potential. As a result of these advantages, CSN has one of the lowest steel production costs in the world. See also 1988 CSN strike References Arms of iron and steel: Brazil's CSN looks to become a global iron miner while expanding its steel operations abroad External links Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional Official Site Privatized companies of Brazil Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange Companies listed on B3 (stock exchange) Manufacturing companies based in São Paulo Manufacturing companies established in 1941 Cement companies of Brazil Steel companies of Brazil 1941 establishments in Brazil