Crude steel production by 65 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 133 million tonnes in September 2013, an increase of 6.1 per cent compared to September 2012. This is the highest y-o-y rise during the current calendar year so far. The preceding month had recorded 5.2 per cent increase, July 2.7 per cent, and January-June 2 per cent average increase. Crude steel production in September 2012 had stagnated at year-ago level.

China’s crude steel production during the month was 65.4 million tonnes, up by 11 per cent. Japan produced 9.3 million tonnes of crude steel (+5.5 per cent). Crude steel production in South Korea declined 8.7 per cent to 5.2 million tonnes.

In the EU, Germany produced 3.6 million tonnes of crude steel (+1.4 per cent), France 1.4 million tonnes (+7.4 per cent), and Spain 1.3 million tonnes (+5.9 per cent). However, crude steel production in Italy declined by 10.4 per cent to 2.1 million tonnes.

Turkey’s crude steel production for the month was 3.0 million tonnes, down annually by 1.2 per cent. USA produced 7.2 million tonnes, up by 6.3 per cent.

The crude steel capacity utilization ratio for the 65 countries in September was 79.3 per cent, which reflected a reversal of the steady decline from around 80.3 per cent in April to 75.9 per cent by August. The ratio was also 2.1 percentage points higher compared to September a year ago.

CRUDE STEEL PRODUCTION DURING JANUARY-SEPTEMBER
 
Million Tonnes
% Increase
 
2013
2012
2013
2012
China
587.38
543.87
8
2.0
Japan
82.43
81.32
1.4
-0.1
USA
65.25
67.95
-4
5.0
India
59.63
57.90
3
5.2
Russia
51.82
53.50
-3.1
3.8
South Korea
48.67
52.08
-6.6
2.8
Germany
31.75
32.44
-2.2
-4.9
Turkey
25.82
27.17
-5
8.4
Brazil
25.92
26.08
-0.6
-2.8
Ukraine
24.99
25.04
-0.2
-5.7
Italy
17.97
20.84
-13.8
-2.7
Taiwan, China
16.98
15.55
9.2
-9.6
Mexico
13.73
13.43
2.2
-1.8
France
11.90
12.06
-1.3
1.2
Iran
11.32
10.89
4
9.8
Spain
10.41
10.67
-2.5
-12.0
Total above 16 countries
1085.94
1050.78
3.3
1.5
Total for other 49 countries
100.28
104.01
-3.6
-5.7
Total for all 65 countries
1186.21
1154.79
2.7
0.8

Production for January-September
Total world crude steel production, as covered by worldsteel member-countries, increased by 2.7 per cent to 1,186 million tonnes during the first nine months of the calendar year 2013, bettering 0.8 per cent increase in the corresponding period a year ago. The world’s top sixteen producers could increase production by 3.3 per cent, even as the other 49 countries had to bear 3.6 per cent decline in production. In fact, sans China, the world’s largest steel producer, global steel production would show a decline of around 2 per cent during January-September.

By the way, even among the top 16 producers, as many as eleven reported lower production. Apart from China, which improved its output by 8 per cent during the period, India, the world’s fourth largest producer, increased crude steel production by around 3 per cent, Japan by 1.4 per cent, Taiwan by 9.2 per cent, Mexico by 2.2 per cent, and Iran by 4 per cent.

The World Steel Association represents approximately 170 steel producers (including 17 of the world’s 20 largest steel companies), national and regional steel industry associations, and steel research institutes. The 65 countries included in the worldsteel database accounted for 99 per cent global crude steel production during 2012.


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