Crude steel production increases in May

World crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (Worldsteel), Brussels, was 154.9 million metric tons in May 2018, or 6.6 percent more than in May 2017. The crude steel capacity utilization ratio for May 2018 was 77.7 percent, 4.2 percentage points higher than in May 2017 and 1 percentage point higher than in April 2018.

China lead in crude steel production among reporting countries, with 81.1 million metric tons produced—8.9 percent more than in May 2017, Worldsteel says.

Japan produced 9.1 million metric tons of crude steel in May 2018, an increase of 1.8 percent compared with May 2017, while India produced 8.8 million metric tons of crude steel in May 2018, an increase of 7.6 percent compared with May 2017. South Korea’s crude steel production was 6.2 million metric tons in May 2018, which was 3 percent more than in May 2017, according to Worldsteel.

In the European Union, Italy produced 2.2 million metric tons of crude steel, a 3.7 percent increase from May 2017’s production, while Spain produced 1.3 million metric tons, or 7 percent more than in May 2017.

Turkey’s crude steel production for May 2018 was 3.3 million metric tons, or 0.5 percent more than May 2017, Worldsteel says.

Crude steel production in Ukraine was 1.7 million metric tons in May 2018, which was 2.9 percent more than in May 2017.

The U.S. produced 7.1 million metric tons of crude steel in May 2018, according to the organization, an increase of 3 percent compared with May 2017.

Countries posting a decrease in production, Worldsteel says, are Brazil, with 2.7 million tons in May 2018, a decrease of 8.6 percent relative to May 2017, and France, which produced 1.3 million metric tons of crude steel, falling 6.5 percent compared with May 2017 production.