Hyundai Steel is ready to start operations at a new US$44m steel plant in Mexico this month.

After a test production run, the plant will supply cold-rolled steel to local automakers, including Kia Motor's newly built 400,000 unit/year vehicle plant.

Hyundai Steel, a Hyundai Motor Group company, is also building similar factories in the Chinese cities of Chongqing and Tianjin which are scheduled to become operational in the next year.