World crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the Brussels-based World Steel Association (Worldsteel) was 131.8 million metric tons in February 2018, a 3.5 percent increase compared with February 2017.
Turkey’s crude steel production saw the greatest gain compared with February 2017 at 8.7 percent for February 2018.
The China Iron and Steel Association (CISA), Beijing, estimates that China’s crude steel production for February 2018 was 64.9 million metric tons, an increase of 5.9 percent compared with February 2017, according to Worldsteel.
Brazil saw a 5.5 percent increase in crude steel production in February 2018 compared with February 2017. The country produced 2.7 million metric tons of crude steel for the month.
India also saw its production increase in February 2018; the country produced 8.4 million metric tons of crude steel, for an increase of 3.4 percent compared with February 2017.
Other Asian countries that report to Worldsteel saw their production decrease, however. Japan produced 8.3 million metric tons of crude steel in February 2018, down 0.5 percent on February 2017. South Korea produced 5.4 million metric tons of crude steel for the month, down 2.1 percent compared with February 2017.
In the European Union, Italy’s crude steel production for February 2018 was 2.1 million metric tons, a 4.5 percent increase relative to February 2017. At 1.3 million tons, France produced 1 percent more crude steel in February 2018 than in the same month in 2017, while Spain produced 1.1 million metric tons of crude steel in February 2018, an increase of 0.4 percent from February 2017.
The U.S. produced 6.4 million metric tons of crude steel in February 2018, a 0.4 percent increase from February 2017.
The crude steel capacity utilization ratio of the 64 countries reporting to Worldsteel in February 2018 was 73.3 percent, 1.8 percentage points more than February 2017. Compared with January 2018, it is 0.5 percentage points higher, Worldsteel reports.