Global steel production climbs in February

The World Steel Association (WorldSteel), Brussels, has released figures showing that world crude steel production for the 67 countries reporting to the association was 126.6 million metric tons in February 2017, a 4.1 percent increase compared with figures for the same time last year, when the month had one extra day.

Members of the association account for about 85 percent of the world’s steel production and include more than 160 steel producers.

China’s crude steel production for February was 61.2 million metric tons, a 4.6 percent increase from February 2016. Other Asian countries and their production figures for the month include Japan, which produced 8.3 million metric tons of crude steel in February 2017, a decrease of 0.1 percent compared with February 2016; India, which produced 8.1 million metric tons of crude steel in February, an increase of 8.9 percent from last February; and South Korea, which posted crude steel production of 5.5 million metric tons for the month, an 8.3 percent increase from the same time last year.

In the European Union, Germany produced 3.5 million metric tons of crude steel in February 2017, an increase of 2.6 percent compared with February 2016. Italy produced 2 million metric tons of crude steel, up 1.2 percent from last February. France produced 1.2 million metric tons for the month, down 5.8 percent from February 2016. Spain produced 1.1 million metric tons, down 4.6 percent compared with February 2016.

Turkey’s crude steel production for February 2017 was 2.7 million metric tons, up by 15.6 percent from a year ago.

The United States produced 6.4 million metric tons of crude steel in the month, a decrease of 1 percent compared with February 2016.

Brazil’s crude steel production for February 2017 was 2.6 million metric tons, up by 5.7 percent relative to the previous year.

The crude steel capacity utilization ratio among WorldSteel members was 70.3 percent, 4 percent higher than in February 2016. Additionally, the steel utilization rate for February 2017 was 1.1 percent greater than in the previous month.