Crude steel production in July increases year over year

Nearly 157 million metric tons of crude steel were produced in July by the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (Worldsteel), Brussels, an increase of 1.7 percent compared with July 2018.

China’s crude steel production for July was 85.2 million metric tons, or 5 percent more than it produced in July 2018. The country produced 2.3 million metric tons more steel in the previous month.

Of the other Asian nations that report to Worldsteel, India produced 9.2 million metric tons of crude steel in July, an increase of 1.7 percent compared with July 2018 and nearly on par with the 9.3 million metric tons it produced in June of this year. Japan and South Korea both saw their crude steel production decrease relative to July 2018, with Japan making 0.4 percent less at 8.4 million metric tons, while South Korea’s 6 million metric tons was a decrease of 2.1 percent compared with July 2018. In June, these countries produced 8.8 million metric tons and 6 million metric tons, respectively.

The U.S. saw a modest gain in production of 1.8 percent compared with July 2018, having produced 7.5 million metric tons of crude steel in July. The country made 7.3 metric tons of crude steel in June.

Brazil’s crude steel production for July was 2.4 million metric tons, a decline of 20.7 percent compared with July 2018. July production also declined slightly from the previous month, when it was at 2.8 million metric tons, according to Worldsteel.

Turkey also saw its year-over-year July crude steel production decline by double digits in July. At 2.9 million metric tons, the country produced 10.6 percent less crude steel than in July 2018. In June, Turkey produced 2.7 million metric tons of crude steel per Worldsteel.

July crude steel production in Ukraine was 1.8 million metric tons, 1.7 percent less than the country produced in July 2018 and slightly more than the 1.7 million metric tons it made in June.