World crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) reached 108 million metric tons in February, a 24.2 percent increase from the same time last year.

In the Asian market, China’s crude steel production for the month was 50.4 million metric tons, a 22.5 percent increase from the same time last year. Japan produced 8.4 million metric tons of crude steel in February, a 54 percent jump from the same month last year. South Korea also posted an increase for the month, with this February’s total of 3.9 million metric tons, a 25 percent increase from last February.

In the European Union countries, Germany’s crude steel production for February was 3.4 million metric tons, an increase of 34.3 percent compared to February 2009. Italy produced 2.2 million metric tons, 28.5 percent higher than the same month in 2009. Spain produced 1.3 million metric tons of crude steel in February 2010, an increase of 35.8 percent on February 2009. France’s crude steel production was 1.1 million metric tons, up 10 percent compared to the same month last year.

Turkey produced 1.8 million metric tons of crude steel in February 2010, a 1.6 percent increase over the same month in 2009.

Worldsteel reports that the United States produced 6.0 million metric tons of steel in February 2010, an increase of 51.3 percent compared to February 2009.

Brazilian crude steel production was 2.4 million metric tons, 47.9 percent higher than February 2009.

Iran produced 1.0 million metric tons of crude steel in February 2010, an increase of 3.3 percent on February 2009. Egypt’s crude steel production for February 2010 was 0.4 million metric tons, 10.6 percent higher than the same month last year.

Australia produced 0.5 million metric tons of crude steel in February 2010, recording an 89.6 percent increase over the same month in 2009.

The world crude steel capacity utilization ratio for the 66 countries in February 2010 was 79.8 percent, up 12 percent from February 2009, and the highest operating rate since September 2008.

To view a list of production totals on a country-by-country basis, click here -- Global Steel Production.

Armco & Metwise, a subsidiary of China Armco Metals Inc. (CNAM), has entered into a contract to purchase 749,000 metric tons of Brazilian manganese ore fines over the next 16 months. The deal could result in sales of up to $180 million over the contract period.

"Securing this contract is a significant step forward for our company's metals distribution operation as we move through 2010. With the ability to sell this product into China under favorable terms we have significantly strengthened our overall supply capabilities,” says Kexuan Yao, CEO and chairman of CNAM.

“Upon successful delivery over the term of the contract, we are in a position to significantly boost our top and bottom line performance for the remainder of 2010 and well into 2011. We look forward to building on our relationships with this and other international suppliers in the coming months as we continue to see a strong environment for industrial metals in China," Yao adds.

Metso announced that it will be supplying equipment to the Taiwanese paper company Cheng Loong Corp. for a new containerboard production line the company is opening at its Hou-Li paper mill in Taiwan.

The new line is scheduled to open by the second quarter of next year.

The equipment Metso is supplying includes three headboxes for the 3-ply liner machine with a dilution profiling system for the back ply, a press section and a film size press. The dryer section will be equipped with a moisturizing unit for web moisture profile control.

Cheng Loong Corp. has four paper mills and five paper box plants in Taiwan. The company has a combined annual production capacity of about 1.8 million tons.
 

Sims Recycling Solutions (SRS) has recently introduced an advanced metals separator to the equipment it uses to process obsolete electronics at its electronics recycling plant in Nashville, Tenn. The system was installed in late September.

The metal finder separator being used is designed to remove copper, circuit boards and other metals from material that already has been sorted. The material contains a significant amount of plastic, which ultimately degrades the value of the material. The equipment has been installed at the end of the separation line, and helps to generate much cleaner material.

“This will yield a cleaner, less contaminated product that can be reused more efficiently,” says Pete Womble, SRS’s projects/engineering manager.

The system is the first of its type installed at SRS’s electronics recycling facilities. The company may install the separator at other SRS facilities. While the Nashville facility is one of SRS’s largest processing centers, the company also chose the plant because the quality of the material being processed was not meeting quality levels.

Since being implemented, the metals separator has processed roughly more than 1 million pounds. Resulting plastic is further separated into recyclable streams in a highly efficient process with little or no waste.