Some countries see year-over-year increase in April 2016 crude steel production

World crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (Worldsteel), Brussels, was 135 million tonnes in April 2016, a 0.5% decrease compared with April 2015.

China’s crude steel production for April 2016 was 69.4 million tonnes, an increase of 0.5% compared with April 2015. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan produced 8.5 million tonnes of crude steel in April 2016, a decrease of 1.2% compared with April 2015. South Korea’s crude steel production was 5.7 million tonnes in April 2016, 1.3% less than the country produced in April 2015.

In the EU, Germany produced 3.6 million tonnes of crude steel in April 2016, a decrease of 1.5% compared with April 2015. Italy produced 2.1 million tonnes of crude steel, up by 14.5% relative to April 2015. Spain produced 1.2 million tonnes of crude steel, 10.6% less than in April 2015.

Turkey’s crude steel production for April 2016 was 2.9 million tonnes, up by 5.3% compared with April 2015.

In April 2016, Russia produced 5.9 million tonnes of crude steel, down by 0.4% relative to April 2015, while Ukraine produced 2.2 million tonnes of crude steel, up by 11.7% compared with the same month in 2015.

The United States produced 6.6 million tonnes of crude steel in April 2016, an increase of 2.5 percent compared to April 2015.

Brazil’s crude steel production for April 2016 was 2.3 million tonnes, down by 20.6% compared with April 2015.

The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 66 countries reporting toWorldsteel in April 2016 was 71.5%. This is 1.3 percentage points lower than April 2015 and 0.8 percentage points higher than March 2016.

*This article was edited 23 May to correct the steel capacity utilisation ratio figures originally supplied by Worldsteel 20 May.