Note 2 - Cost of Sales

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Disclosure of Cost of Sales [Abstract]

2 Cost of sales

	Year ended December 31,
(all amounts in thousands of U.S. dollars)	2020			2019			2018

Inventories at the beginning of the year		2,265,880			2,524,341			2,368,304
Increase in inventory due to business combinations		199,589			52,966			-
Plus: Charges of the year
Raw materials, energy, consumables and other		1,545,688			2,709,629			3,400,396
Services and fees		154,976			222,415			275,130
Labor cost (*)		757,359			870,261			855,040
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment		503,725			428,791			432,497
Amortization of intangible assets		8,121			5,948			8,220
Depreciation of right-of-use assets		40,127			28,727			-
Maintenance expenses		107,764			284,758			185,782
Allowance for obsolescence		35,809			29,138			25,457
Taxes		45,162			100,738			133,308
Other		59,790			115,663			119,507
		3,458,110			4,849,034			5,435,337
Less: Inventories at the end of the year		(1,636,673	)		(2,265,880	)		(2,524,341	)
		4,087,317			5,107,495			5,279,300

(*) For the year ended December 2020, 2019 and 2018, labor cost includes approximately $81.3 million, $17.2 million and $15.0 million respectively of severance indemnities related to the adjustment of the workforce to market conditions.