According to the World Steel Association (worldsteel), world crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting 4.2% higher than last May at 130 million metric tons (mmt) in May 2011.

Worldsteel’s report said, “China’s crude steel production for May 2011 was 60.2 mmt, up 7.8% compared to May 2010. Japan produced 9.0 mmt of crude steel in May 2011, a decrease of -7.0% compared to the same month last year due to the production disruption caused by the recent earthquake and tsunami. South Korea produced 5.9 mmt of crude steel in May 2011, 12.8% more than in May 2010.

In the EU, Germany’s crude steel production for May 2011 was 4.1 mmt, an increase of 1.1% compared to May 2010. Italy’s crude steel production was 2.6 mmt, up 6.9% compared to the same month last year. Spain produced 1.6 mmt of crude steel in May 2011, down -5.5% over May 2010.

Brazil’s crude steel production for May 2011 was 3.3 mmt, an increase of 14.7% compared to May 2010.

The US produced 7.3 mmt of crude steel in May 2011, 0.1% higher than in May 2010. Iran crude steel production in May 2011 was 1.1 mmt, an increase of 4.5% on May 2010. In May 2011, the world crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 64 countries was 81.7%, 0.6 percentage points lower than in April 2011. Compared to May 2010, the utilisation ratio is 0.6 percentage points lower.”

Source: World Steel Association