Steel Products
World Crude Steel Up 1.2% Mostly Due to China
Written by Sandy Williams
January 25, 2013
Written by: Sandy Williams
World Steel Association figures showed an increase of 1.2 percent in world crude steel output for 2012 at 1.5 billion tonnes (metric tons). Most of that increase came from China which accounted for 46.3 percent of total world output leaving production by the rest of the world relatively flat. Steel output in China increased to 716.5 million tonnes in 2012 according to the National Bureau of Statistics, a 3.1 percent increase over 2011. Total 2012 production, omitting China, was 831 million tonnes, a decrease of -0.36 percent from 2011 production levels.
Japan production decreased to 107.2 million tonnes, -0.3 percent from 2011 levels. South Korea had a gain of 1.2 percent from 2011 at 69.3 million tonnes.
Eurozone production fell -4.7 percent to 169.4 million tonnes from 177.7 million tonnes. Germany was the highest producer at 42.7 million tonnes but down -3.7 percent from levels in 2011. Italy, France and Spain all showed decreases from 2011 at-5.2 percent, -1.1 percent, and -12.1 percent, respectively.
The CIS produced 111 million tons down -1.2 percent from 2011. Russia produced 68.9 million tonnes of steel for an increase of 2.5 percent over 2011 levels. The Ukraine was down -6.9 percent for the year.
South American mills produced 3 percent less in 2012 compared to 2011. Japan production fell 0.3 percent to 107.2 million tonnes from 107.6 million tonnes in 2011. Brazil was down -1.5 percent to 34.7 million tonnes.
North American production was 121.9 million tonnes, up 2.5 percent from 118.9 million tonnes in 2011. U.S. steel production accounted for 88.6 million tonnes, up 2.5 percent from 86.4 million tonnes in 2011.
Sandy Williams
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